Drunken Bai Garden is located in Renmin Road, Songjiang District

Songjiang District

Songjiang District of Shanghai has a land area of 605.64 km² and a population of 1,582,398 as of 2010. Its main town is Songjiang, connected to Shanghai by Shanghai Metro Line 9.It was Songjiang County until 1998.-Significant Features:...

, Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

, China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

. The Garden itself, including its previous incarnation, dates back to the Song Dynasty

Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...

. Today, it occupies an area of 5 hectare

Hectare

The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...

s and is considered to be one of the five ancient chinese garden

Chinese garden

The Chinese garden, also known as a Chinese classical garden, is a style of landscape garden which has evolved for more than three thousand years, and which is inspired by Chinese literature, Chinese painting and Chinese philosophy...

s in Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

, the others being the Ancient Garden of Elegance, Yu Garden, Garden of Autumn Vapors, and Garden of Zigzag Stream.

History

The garden was first set up as the private villa of Zhu Zhichun, a Jinshi selected from Imperial examination

Imperial examination

The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...

. Its size was rarely enlarged for hundreds of years until Dong Qichang

Dong Qichang

Dong Qichang , courtesy name Xuanzai , was a Chinese painter, scholar, calligrapher, and art theorist of the later period of the Ming Dynasty.-Painter:...

, a Chinese painter, calligrapher of the later period of the Ming Dynasty

Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...

, built several more ancient architectural complex on its original basis. In 1797, the garden began to be used as a foundling hospital until it was well repaired and reopened to the pubilc in 1959.

The garden's name lies in the famous Chinese poet Li Bai

Li Bai

Li Bai , also known in the West by various other transliterations, especially Li Po, was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. He has been regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's Tang period, which is often called China's "golden age" of poetry. Around a thousand existing...

. It is said that if Li Bai

Li Bai

Li Bai , also known in the West by various other transliterations, especially Li Po, was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. He has been regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's Tang period, which is often called China's "golden age" of poetry. Around a thousand existing...

 was brought back to life and had a sightseeing here, he would certainly lingered on and forgot to return, just about drunk. Actually famous men of letters usually gathered together, making various poems on the fantastic landscape.

Scenery

Drunken Bai Garden has a architectural style of Chinese traditional garden which was inherited from architectures in Su zhou: elegant pavilions, winding and zigzagging paves, carved beams and painted rafters. It was such a scenery of exceptional charm that it attracts an endless stream of tourists.

Meanwhile, luxuriant plants can be seen in a blaze of colors here, especially lotus flowers that are in bloom in summer. To the north of the pond stands an ancient cinnamon tree which is over 300 years old.

Features

• Ancient Long Gallery
• Crane Pavilion
• Stone Sculpture
• Xuehai Hall

It is said that Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...

,the provisional President of the Republic of China

President of the Republic of China

The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...

 had made a address in the hall. In 1912, Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...

,together with Chen Qimei

Chen Qimei

Chen Qimei was a Chinese revolutionary activist, close political ally of Sun Yat-sen, and early mentor of Chiang Kai-shek. He was as one of the founders of the Republic of China, and the uncle of Chen Guofu and Chen Lifu....

、Tai Chi-tao

Tai Chi-tao

Tai Chi-tao was a Chinese journalist, an early Kuomintang member, and the first head of the Examination Yuan of the Republic of China. He is often referred to as Dai Chuanxian or by his other courtesy name, Dai Xuantang .-Early life and education:Tai was born Dai Liangbi Tai Chi-tao was a...

 made an inspection visit to Songjiang

Songjiang

Songjiang may refer to the following in China:* Songjiang District , a suburban district of Shanghai, formerly Songjiang County* Songjiang , former province, merged into Heilongjiang in 1954Towns * Songjiang, Antu County, Jilin...

. He made the address on December the 27th on the national construction、the problems left over by Xinhai Revolution

Xinhai Revolution

The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...

 and education problems. After finishing his fantastic address, Sun took a group photo with personages of Tongmenhui (United League) in the hall.