Unlike a typical Suzhou garden where a web of pathways precludes the necessity for walkers to double back on themselves, Huilong Pond features many dead-ends. They probably reflect the number of times the garden has been redesigned, expanded and rebuilt over the centuries.

The garden was originally built to adorn the Confucian Temple. In 1928, the local government renovated the pond, temple, hill and Kui Star Hall. In 1937, much of the garden was destroyed during the Japanese invasion. It lay deserted for almost 30 years before authorities initiated a three-year renovation project in 1976.

In 1980, a second three-year restoration project was undertaken.

Many old architectural structures from other areas in Shanghai were relocated to the garden.

A few steps away from the Kui Star Hall on the eastern lawn is an ancient opera stage built in 1889 and moved to the site from Zhabei District (now Jing'an District) in 1976.

The 135-square-meter stage is architecturally interesting. It is decorated with woodcarvings of phoenixes, suns and 12 scenes in relief of ancient mythologies, all framed in gold. The stage's golden domed roof is painted with 440 birds and is said to provide perfect acoustics.

Gourd-shaped Bihe Lake covers about 1,000 square meters in the garden. It is decorated with rockeries and a small waterfall. The lakeside pavilion, built in the early 1500s, was relocated to the garden in 1977. A stone well in the pavilion used to offer fresh water for passers-by, but today it's dry.

Yi'an Hall is the main building in the garden's north. It was built in 1885 and moved from the district's Hai'erqiao area to Huilong Pond in 1981.

A 3-meter-tall rock from Taihu Lake stands in front of the courtyard. Pockmarked with pores and holes from decades of water weathering, it has become a standard for judging a Taihu rock.

Xizhao Kiosk is located west of the Yi'an Hall, linking to the northern lawn. On a rainy day, it's a peaceful refuge, and it is also popular for viewing sunsets.

On the other side of the northern lawn, there is a stone pagoda, 4 meters high, carved with Buddha statues on three sides and a sutra on the fourth. The pagoda was discovered near the southern gate of the old Jiading city wall and relocated to the garden in 1980.

Not far away are Suiyu (Broken Jade) Hall and Suiyu Spring, both featuring rockeries and maple trees. The spring water rippling out of a small cave sounds like tinkling pieces of jade.

Address: 299 Tacheng Rd, Jiading District

Opening hours: 6am-5pm

Admission: 5 yuan

How to get there: Take Metro Line 11, get off at North Jiading Station, and then take Jiading Bus No. 13, 9 or 68 to the garden.