[Photo from tylyhy.cn]

[Photo from tylyhy.cn]

[Photo from tylyhy.cn]

Taiyuan Fenhe River Park is a waterfront park developed through water governance, greening and beautification of the part of the Fenhe River flowing through urban Taiyuan. With a total green area of 1.3 million square meters and water covering 1.7 million square meters, the park is planted with 24,000 shrubs of 183 varieties, 820,000 sq m of grassland and more than 10,000 perennial flowers in an open field to form a green ecological corridor that extends six kilometers long and a hundred meters wide on both sides of the Fenhe River. Scenic spots with ingenious buildings are scattered around the area like stars in the sky and are hidden between green trees and flowers.

The design of the park’s landscapes, on the one hand, reflects the direction of modern culture development to make it advanced and on the other hand follows closely the historical pulse to reflect the rich historical and cultural heritage and simple folk customs of the Fenhe River. A unique landscape has been created by combining history effectively with modern civilization. Here are some examples:

I. The Origin of Life

The Square of Life Origin is paved with bluestones. The central pattern of the Square is a double helix composed of 99 pieces of circular marble, symbolizing the space of living in the Galactic System and the life genetic symbol of DNA reflecting the unity between the universe and micro organisms. The pattern is identical to the traditional Chinese Taiji pattern, embodying a profound meaning. The square adopts a square and circle as its main composition elements. It features a simple and concise format, thick and heavy materials, embodying the mysterious theme of the round sky and square land.

II. Sand Beach and Green Water

The Sand Beach and Green Water is a landscape that integrates rich modern life with profound historical allusions. Sand has been spread manually on one side of the water reservoir and the mother-child statue in the sands highlights the theme of the Fenhe River as a Mother River. On the irregularly designed Square stands a miniature landscape that goes similarly with the flowing direction of the Fenhe River in Taiyuan. On the front part of the waterscape, three pieces of natural stones are combined with a chessboard stone, embodying the historical allusion of “San Xian Lun Xue (Three Sage Talking about Study)” – symbolizing the three celebrities of Shanxi origin Gu Yanwu, Bo Shan and Yan Ruoqu who sit up straight before the chessboard talking about the world. The meandering stream extending from here flows into a pool whose shape is similar to the map of Taiyuan city. The stream, pebble, waterfowl sculpture and the beach together form a fun, lively and vivid landscape. During holidays, tourists play happily picking up stones or playing with sand or flying kites here to have fun with water and enjoy the endless joy of returning to nature.

III. Yan Qiu and Fenhe River Evening Ferry

Yan Qiu was built to reproduce the historical story of Yan Qiu Ci authored by the Jin Dynasty’s literary giant Yuan Haowen. According to historical records, Yun Haowen went to take an exam in Bingzhou in the year of Taihe Yichou (1205) when he met a hunter who captured two wild geese, one dead and one escaped from the hunter’s net. The one that had escaped cried sadly without leaving the dead one and finally threw itself to the ground to die. The poet was moved. He bought the two birds from the hunter, buried them beside the Fenhe River and identified their tomb with piled stones, which were called “Yan Qiu” and then wrote down the famous “Yan Qiu Ci”.

Fenhe River Evening Ferry, which is a stream away from Yan Qiu, is one of the eight scenes of ancient Jinyang. Today it reappears in the newly built Fenhe River Park with a tall stone memorial standing at the riverside in a dignified manner. It represents the ancient wharf. In the evening, if you look far from the dock leaning on the railing, you will see such scenes as the sun setting, the sky full of rosy clouds, the water clear and clean and the birds flying back home. While experiencing the scene of the ancient people returning with their boat during sunset, one can not help thinking of the future.

IV. Jin Fen Guyun Square

Jin Fen Guyun Square is a square with the theme of commemorating the ancestor Tai Tai, a person who first governed the Fenhe River. (Fen God) Tai Tai’s statue stands high on a base in the center of the Square, surrounded by fountains and flower beds, looking grave but without losing their liveliness. Adjacent to the square is a small sunken square on both sides of which a drum-shaped stage is arranged respectively. Drum is homophonic with the Chinese character “Gu” and is a reflection of Shanxi’s drum culture. From the pronunciation to the shape, all this reflects the designer’s great originality.

V. Cereal Garden

Though it is not very large, the Cereal Garden is full of pastoralism. With several simple elements – rows of millets, a few vegetables and beans, a grinding stone, a stone trough, a farmhouse gatehouse, a bamboo fence and three cow sculptures – it vividly outlines a beautiful rural picture. Place yourself in it, and you will feel fully relaxed and fulfill the dream of living a rural life.

In Fenhe River Park there are many other scenic spots, and regardless of their size or content, each reflects the designer’s original views of the history and culture of Shanxi. Some scenic spots are heavy with color, using a lot of elements to form a landscape and represent a theme; others are treated lightly, just using a typical element to embody the theme and creating the feeling of “being always charming either with light or heavy makeup”. Take the sundial at the Sun Platform, the keyboard design at the Musical Altar and the drama mask at the Li Yuan Yu Yin spot for example. They are all punch lines. They are concise and generalized, making visitors moved by what they see.

Address: No. 6, Binhe East Road, Taiyuan

Tel: 0351-4045561