Qinghui Garden in Shunde — a district of Foshan — is often cited as the finest classical garden in Guangdong and the best example of the Lingnan garden style. Built and expanded from the Ming dynasty onward, it combines formal elements borrowed from Suzhou gardens with a distinctly southern informality: the buildings are lower, the water more prominent, and the plantings more lush. Unlike the Suzhou gardens, it is rarely crowded.
The approach from the street is through a narrow gateway that opens into a series of progressively larger spaces, each framing the next. The covered walkways use different flooring patterns in each section, and the carving on the window screens is extraordinarily fine. The garden is in Shunde district, about forty-five minutes from central Foshan by metro and bus, and is best combined with a meal in Shunde — which gives you a reason to stay the afternoon.