Soong Chingling's Mausoleum

  • Things to Do
  • Parks & Gardens
Photograph: courtesy Yang Xiaozhe
21 Songyuan Lu Free

Though it might seem odd to suggest lazing around in a graveyard on a sunny day, this is actually one of the more beautiful and peaceful little parks in town, with a shady tree-lined glade where you can lie on the grass free from pesky security guards shouting at you. But it’s also worth a visit to see the graves.

Soong Chingling’s imposing marble statue is beautiful but the highlight is the northwestern corner of the park, where a host of 20th-century artists and other cultural figures are buried under life-sized statues. These include Zhang Leping, the creator of the iconic Sanmao cartoon (the beloved street urchin is featured too), painter-designer-director Chen Yifei and traditional painter Xie Zhiliu, whose gravestone makes him look like a gangster in dark glasses.

Venue name: Soong Chingling's Mausoleum
Contact:
Opening hours: 8.30am-4.30pm daily
Metro: Hongqiao Lu
English address: 21 Songyuan Lu, near Hongqiao Lu, Changning district
Chinese address: 长宁区宋园路21号, 近虹桥路