A World of Flowers: Spring at the Guangfulin Cultural Relics Site in Shanghai
☘️This March, in Songjiang, Shanghai, I highly recommend a visit to the Guangfulin Cultural Relics Site.
🔆Not only is it the root of Shanghai, boasting a unique underwater museum, but it also features a collection of distinctive architecture. As spring arrives and the winter sweet blossoms fade, cherry blossoms, rapeseed flowers, and pear blossoms bloom one after another, creating a vibrant, flower-filled world.
▪️Cherry Blossoms
Primarily concentrated along the path leading to Zhiye Chan Temple, near Pingshun Pavilion, and around Bone Needle Square. There's also a small cherry blossom grove in front of the square. The cherry blossoms along the river are especially beautiful, with the arched bridge as a backdrop and willows as companions, forming a picturesque scene. The cherry blossoms in front of Pingshun Pavilion are lush and vibrant, and the path along the pavilion, lined with cherry blossoms, is also stunning.
▪️Rapeseed Flowers
Located in the agricultural exhibition area, the scale seems smaller than before. From a distance, the rapeseed flowers appear as a golden expanse, but upon closer inspection, they reveal a variety of colors, including milky white, golden yellow, flesh pink, and orange.
▪️Pear Blossoms
Right next to the rapeseed flowers are the pear trees. They haven't fully bloomed yet, typically flowering between March and April, and reaching peak fruiting in 6–7 years. However, the area is currently cordoned off, so it's unclear if it will open later.
🏯About the Architecture
The scenic area also features Jixianfang, Chenghuang Temple, Guandi Temple, Chen Zilong Memorial Hall, Zhiye Chan Temple, and Huangting Pavilion.
📍3260 Guangfulin Road, Songjiang District, Shanghai
🚇Songjiang Bus Routes 15, 24, 99, etc.; for self-driving, park at the North Gate. (Parking fee: CNY 10/hour)
⏱9:00–17:00
💰Free entry; indoor exhibitions CNY 70 (combined ticket for four museums). Boat tours are also available.