Ever wanted to enjoy beautiful flowers and feel the unique charm of the quintessence of Chinese culture at the same time without travelling far way? The 2021 Panyu Crape Myrtle Cultural and Tourist Festival is just a half-hour drive away at Panyu's Yu Yam Ancestral Garden.
Crape myrtle flowers seen at Panyu's Yu Yam Ancestral Garden. (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
With crape myrtle getting into full blossom around midsummer, the festival, underway from August 7 to September 30, highlights a crape myrtle gardening exhibition, costume exhibition and photography competition.
The gardening exhibition embeds crape myrtle into the pavilions, rockeries, ponds and bridges, creating a picturesque landscape with flowers blooming everywhere. Against the backdrop of classical Lingnan garden buildings, the crape myrtle with various colors are dazzling on the branches.
Crape myrtle flowers seen at Panyu's Yu Yam Ancestral Garden. (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Meanwhile, the festival also conducts a costume exhibition, mainly displaying the costumes of Kunqu Opera, Peking Opera and Cantonese Opera. This exhibition will last until October 31. Traditional Chinese opera or Xiqu, is a form of musical theatre in China originating from primitive songs and dances, and it is a form of stage art with a long history.
People in costumes of traditional Chinese operas visit Panyu's Yu Yam Ancestral Garden. (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Moreover, a photography competition focusing on gardening will also be held during the festival, with generous prizes and awards.
Yu Yam Ancestral Garden' is rated as one of the four famous Lingnan gardens in Guangdong. Covering an area of 1,598 square meters, it is known for exquisite and artistic layout, fully representing the characteristic of ancient Lingnan garden architecture. Small in scale, it includes all kinds of garden elements, such as pavilions, corridors, rockery and various flowers.
The Garden strictly follows the anti-pandemic measures of reservations, staggered shifts, flow restriction, body temperature testing, wearing of masks and keeping distance. It will also limit the numbers of its visitors at 75% capacity.
Traditional Chinese opera costume exhibition (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Night view of Panyu's Yu Yam Ancestral Garden. (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Opening hours:8:00-18:00
Add.: North Street, Nancun Village, Panyu District, Guangzhou (广州市番禺区南村镇北大街)
Ticket price:14 RMB per person
Nearest metro station: Take Metro Line 7 and get off at Banqiao Station (板桥站), use Exit A
Follow self-protection procedures: wear a mask, wash hands regularly and keep social distances during your visit.
How to reserve: If you have an ID card, search the WeChat official account named "余荫山房" to make an appointment; if not, you can reserve on the spot with your passport.
Author | Nancy (intern)
