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Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden
Categories: Local Flavour Arts & Entertainment Botanical Gardens Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Local Flavour, Botanical Gardens, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
578 Carrall StVancouver, BC V6B 5K2
Neighbourhood: Chinatown
(604) 662-3207
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 10 am - 4:30 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
45 reviews for Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden
45 reviews in English
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Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've never been to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen gardens in the day time. BUT consider this a review for the Halloween garden play.
It was billed as a scary, halloween haunted gardens and I was super ready to be scared senseless, but it wasn't quite like a haunted house. It was more a haunted story.
Without giving it away, which I won't you walk through the gardens and experience an ancient Chinese story. HELL YES.
It was awesome. I think the gardens are probably pretty awesome, but the halloween scary is AWESOME. -
Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Gotta know your roots!!!
I'm talking about the Garden and not the park that everyone thinks is the garden. The park is free for everyone, but the side entrance is the real doors into the garden.
The garden is way better than the park. Inside is a very traditional Chinese garden; old school corridors, rooms, and arch ways. There are actual artifacts like old Chinese money, clothing, and jewelry,
There's a place where you can practice your Chinese Calligraphy and also a gift shop with some neat stuff.
Check this place out if you get a chance and I heard this place got special events happening here from time to time. (lantern festival, Chinese New Year, etc) -
Review from Nick L.
9/29/2011
Nestled in Chinatown is this little gem.
As par for the course, it's FREE!
It's a nice place to slowly wander round and enjoy the shrubery and architecture. It's well maintained and worth a gander. It won't take up too much of your time either. -
Review from Macey W.
1/26/2012 1 photo
The free side of the park is a nice and calm sanctuary away from the bustling Chinatown. There are really great portrait photo ops here, especially in the gazebo with the gorgeous cityscape. I come here about twice a year, and one time they amped up the park a bit: in the pond were floating words that were upside down, so the reflection in the water was the correct reading! This was very cool.
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Review from Erica S.
1/16/2012
For a quick breather, stop by and visit this beautiful garden. Try to find the "Everything is Going to Be Alright" sign. :-)
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Review from Amy T.
7/23/2011
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a garden located in Chinatown. I love visiting when I want to step into another world and immerse myself in its beauty.
Another idea - you can rent this garden for weddings. I had my wedding ceremony here and I loved every minute of it. I still look through my pictures and think about how gorgeous it was. I've also dealt with a lot of wedding coordinators and Sasha was the most easygoing and helpful person. She was an absolute pleasure to deal with and made planning so much more simpler.Listed in: Wedding Venues
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Review from Jon M.
8/21/2011
This is the "pay" side of the garden, which includes a tour explaining the plants, architecture, and overall aesthetics of Chinese gardens.
+ Very beautiful
+ Great location for taking photos.
+ The China town area outside the garden is great to explore.
(TIP) Don't wander north 2 streets from this location, as it's where *all* of Vancouver's shady homeless people seem to hang out. It's a very creepy and scary place. (Hastings Street) -
Review from Katrina D.
7/19/2011
I don't really have any other Chinese Gardens to compare this to, as I've only been to Japanese Gardens, but I enjoyed our 20-minute visit here. I only went to the free public garden, and that itself was very serene.
I saw big koi fishes in the pond, ducks, turtles, and beautiful bamboos, lily pads, and other plants. It was a nice stroll. I wanted to toss the people feeding the ducks bread inside the water! So horrible for the ducks and fish. It was also easy to maneuver a double-strolled around the paths.
If you're around the area, stop by! -
Review from David L.
3/20/2011 ROTD 9/26/2011
For those who want to experience a bit of China without travelling to China, head to Chinatown to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. The appearance, atmosphere, and size of the garden is very much exactly like what you will experience in Classical Chinese Garden in China. You'll see plum trees which blossom when the weather warms up in the Spring. There is also a pond with lily pads and lotus plants. If you look carefully, you'll spot some turtles. There are koi fish in the pond too.
There is also an area filled with bamboo. I don't think there's any other place in B.C. where you'll find so much real living bamboo in an actual garden. There are willow, gingko and a few maple trees too. All of the exotic looking rocks were shipped directly from China.
What's also really special about this garden? During the construction, no nails, powertools, or screws were used at all. It's really a genuine old school Classical Chinese Garden.
The atmosphere is really quiet and peaceful whenever I'm here. The entire garden was built with the principles of Feng Shui. -
Review from Kymberli C.
I have no idea if you need to pay to come in, but we walked in and no one yelled at us so I figured it was okay. There was a wedding they were setting up for so we just wandered around without getting in their way. It's really pretty with a nice pagoda in the middle, trees with pink flowers (I don't think they were cherry blossoms.), bonsais and a lot of other beautiful flowers. There's also pond with lilypads and koi fishes. It's a nice place to walk through or just sit back and relax on one of their benches. It's very soothing and calming to be here.
Listed in: Vancouver in 1.5 days...
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Review from Peter T.
5/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
A lovely Chinese style garden, just a step inside of Chinatown. Makes a nice change from the bustle outside on the street. You are really transported somewhere else.
There are two parts, the free public garden and paid admittance part. I do recommend paying to see the full garden and getting the informative tour, which explains many of the classical Chinese design features that were incorporated into the gardens. -
Review from Teena D.
3/19/2011 14 photos
The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden Society, incorporated in 1981, is a self-sustaining, not-for-profit organization with the mandate to maintain and enhance the bridge of understanding between Chinese and Western cultures, promote Chinese culture generally and be an integral part of the local community.
Funding for the Garden came from all levels of Canadian government, private individuals, corporations and the Chinese government. Vancouver's Chinese Garden was built in 1985-1986 using the time honored principles and techniques of the original Ming dynasty garden. Fifty-two master craftsmen from Suzhou China, working with Canadian counterparts, completed this landscape masterpiece within a year. The intricate halls and walkways are constructed with precise joinery and without the use of nails, screws or glue. The Garden opened on April 24, 1986.
Based on the principle of collaborative design, the Garden compliments the adjacent public park; enhancing the view in both places. For the architect, the botanist, the student of history, the lover of beauty, the Garden provides insights into the subtle wonders to be found within the walls of this living treasure.
We got there just in time for the 1:30pm tour with Johnathan who was quite knowledgeble. The gardens are based on the principles of yin and yang. The archways and walkways are cool. Rubbing the bats on some of the windows is supposed to be lucky ... so we rubbed 'em.
It's an interesting museum to check out. I learned a lot and found it to be a serene place. -
Review from Johnny W.
3/2/2011
One of the few places that I felt compelled to check out while I was up in Vancouver last year, the Sun Yat-Sen garden is like a miniaturized version of the grandiose imperial gardens that can be found in places like Beijing. Despite the lack of a massive plot of land though, the willows that line the small pond, along with the bridges and bamboo scattered through the garden make this a fairly scenic, photographic, and surprisingly wheelchair-accessible place to check out.
Make sure to head in via the front entrance as to not miss out on the giant tiled zodiac artwork on the ground. And, with the free section covering what seemed like 80-90% of the whole venue, I'm not sure what extra value is added by paying aside from a guided tour (and I'm not one for being led around listening to boring facts anyway!) -
Review from Elvis A.
8/20/2011 9 photos
This garden though small is very well maintained. The place is so green and has lovely bonsai trees. I would recommend it to people who haven;t seen this type of garden before for sure as you feel like you are in the far east. Now for thee downside I think it is overpriced as I was almost done through the whole place in 30 min. Nice place to go on sunny day for sure. Plenty of Koi fish and other wild life.
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Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
3/10/2011
The Chinese Garden(Free portion) reminds me of TVB shows where Chinese Scholars converse in deep meaningful hypothetical verbal poetry. Either that or just chill, sip Tea and flirt with a few Ladies passing by...
This park also reminds me of a park in Ginza, Tokyo which is as tranquil, picturesque and obviously Asian which makes it somewhat unique within the Canadian borders. Aside from watching Black Birds fly by, everything else was aesthetically pleasing to get away from the big metropolis.
The reason I state a park in Ginza was the fact that it too had some TALL city towers in the background which reminds you that you are not too far away from the BUSY society but far enough to relax and let nature and the scenery takes it course as you dream away to somewhere across the Ocean.
There's also resemblance from a smaller Garden in Taipei, Taiwan due to the small Pond that I was unlucky to miss as it was slushed over during early March. Once again I'm comparing to Asian but remember this is Vancouver which in a sense speaks to the large amount of Chinese population that resides in this city and represent the Chinese culture. -
Review from Jena J.
Vancouver, BC
8/12/2011
i love this garden... but it could be way bigger
bigger=better -
Review from Vincci L.
6/11/2010 4 photos
Awesome little getaway spot from the hustle and bustle of the city. Located within Chinatown, this garden is seperated into the free section, and a paid admission section which includes a guided tour.
We toured the free section, and I was very impressed. I felt like I had escaped the city, and was in a whole tranquil world. A large pond makes up the center piece of the park, with a gondola right by the pond, inhabited by turtles and koi.
A path allows you take a leisurely stroll around. Beautiful landscaping and a great place to take pictures. A great place to relax, escape to the garden!! -
Review from Chris Q.
12/3/2010 1 Check-in Here
I came here in the beginning of winter with my family visiting from California. The garden is a delight to have in the middle of the urban environment. This place has some exotic bamboo and nice walkways that take you over the various ponds.
We visited the gift shop afterwards and was greeted by a nice couple that was happily knocking off prices on various merchandise we were interested in. I picked up a nice sectional painting set for $130 CDN compared to the $380 sticker price. All proceeds from the sales go towards the upkeep of the garden. If I had more cash, I would have taken home a few scaled down terra cotta soldiers they had on display. -
Review from Amy Y.
9/20/2010
Beautiful lotus flower pond and surrounding areas. Beautiful bamboos. Very picture worthy in those area.
Other than that it's not very well kept (expect homeless squatting at the corners and overflowing trashcans) and the pond breeds a lot of little insects that hover around your head. The gift store's also a joke selling useless junk that has little aesthetic or cultural value.
It's nice for a walk through since it's free but I dont have the urge to come back here again. -
Review from Keane L.
10/6/2009
The irony of their selling Mao clocks and lunch boxes in a memorial for Sun Yat-Sen makes me giggle. And the Chinese propaganda they had in the cultural center was just amazing. *Picture of boy with arm in air* Caption: "Boy loves his country so much he salutes while being pulled out of the rubble." Uh huh...
Beautiful garden. Mostly free admission.Listed in: Vancouver!
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Review from roxmarie g.
6/25/2009 2 photos
The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden was completed in 1985. It's composed of a public garden and a "scholar's garden" you can access for about ten bucks.
The scholar's garden really evokes a sense of what it may have been like to exist as a classical Chinese scholar and how important an environment can be for deriving peace and inspiration. On both small and large scales, every angle of this little garden seems to be thought out completely in terms of the balance it presents and evokes.
This garden contains several very beautiful bonsai trees - in China it's called penjing - which are over 100 years old.
We really enjoyed walking through and reading about each spot, then just letting go and experiencing it. We found ourselves sitting and chatting for long periods, and it was really relaxing. This is a great spot to go to for anyone who is touring - an interesting and thought-provoking respite.
The area it's in borders on Chinatown and also the area edging Gastown which is filled with drug-addled street folk. -
Review from Lisa L.
Vancouver, BC
3/28/2011 2 photos
What a beautiful haven in the middle of the city. Great way to experience a Chinese garden without traveling to China. Especially nice given the neighbourhood and the noise just outside the garden walls.
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Review from Shekinah S.
1/9/2010 7 photos
The Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is an oasis of tranquility and beauty, bordered by bustling Chinatown and also some very sketchy areas. I was intrigued by the description I saw in a tour book: Chinese and Canadian craftsmen worked together, taking great pains to replicate an authentic Ming dynasty classical garden. Using traditional materials and an ancient technique, the halls and walkways were constructed without using nails or screws. The design of the garden is based on the harmony of four main elements of rock, water, plants, and architecture. And harmony is achieved, even in the midst of a major city.
The entrance is a little confusing. We saw a sign that said admission was $10, but no one to collect any fee. We finally figured out that the park is free, but the garden is a guided tour deal. We only saw the public park, but after reading other reviews, the tour, architecture, and exhibits would be enough for me to come back and donate $10 to a local nonprofit.
The park was a little smaller than I expected, but still lovely. It wasn't busy when we were there so we didn't feel rushed or crowded. I imagine some of the tranquil effect would be lost if you came on a busy day. Photo ops abound, and we took plenty of pictures of the flora and fauna and structural features. Nothing fancy, pretty simple and could use a bit of sprucing up. The large pond is home to koi and turtles, so that was fun. Also funny to watch a man feeding them in front of a sign that said "Don't Feed The Animals." Don't expect a lavish and manicured garden and you won't be disappointed by this little gem in Vancouver's Chinatown.Listed in: Arts & Education, Best o' The West, Party Planner
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Review from Tori T.
5/9/2011
As far as tourist attractions go, this place was a bit of a rip-off. Sure it's pretty and calming and relaxing, etc. but I honestly wished I hadn't wasted my money to hear some Chinese woman tell me semi-interesting, semi-boring facts about the Chinese garden. Perhaps, it works better as a non-tourist attraction. A place where locals may grab a packed lunch and sit in tranquility. But, certainly not that interesting for a tourist. Boring tour, boring gift shop, boring "free" miniature paper cup of hot tea.- Wish I had that hour of my life back!
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Review from Noa G.
Vancouver, BC
10/21/2008
Vancouver's Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is a must-see, especially if you are a visitor to the city, as so much of Vancouver's past and present is tied to Asian roots and culture.
The garden is constructed in an authentic Ming Dynasty-style, and is renowned as the first of its type built since the late 15th century. Traditional materials from Suzhou, the Garden City of the People's Republic, were used in the construction. It was built with only carefully arranged rocks, wood, plants and water, all without using screws, nails or power tools. The principles of yin and yang opposites, such as light and dark and rough and smooth, are a strong element in this garden's design.Listed in: Like a tourist...
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Review from Megan S.
1/9/2009 1 photo
Paradise! This place is an oasis, a haven, heavenly...
Not sure why ponds and lily pads have such a strong effect, but they just do. The atmosphere is wonderful here, and I've always found that people are quiet and respectful of others here. It's a great place to get away, do some thinking, meditating, refocusing of the mind, or get a few cool photos.
This is a place that I take all of my out of town visitors. -
Review from Chloë E.
Vancouver, BC
11/19/2008
Taking a tour is a must if you pay admission to this mini, perfect paradise.
The garden is structured as a garden for a scholar from the Ming dynasty: complete with study and courtyards. There are plants to see year-round, with constantly changing shades of green and blooms. Everywhere you can hear running water.
In the intricately carved wooden leak windows, find hidden shapes and meaning. And expect to see bats everywhere. No, not flying around and getting caught in your hair (thankfully), rather incorporated into the garden designs. Bats are a Chinese good luck symbol.
If you lack enough time to fully appreciate the garden and catch a tour (give yourself a good hour plus time to have tea after the tour), wander instead through the public park to the east. Not nearly as fantastic and the plants far less carefully placed, you'll enjoy the large colorful koi and pretty walkways. Definitely a runner up, but still lovely. -
Review from Colin S.
11/2/2010
This garden provides a wonderful escape from the hustle of Vancouver as well as providing a great example of a classical Chinese garden home. Take the time to notice the details - that is where the magic of the garden is.
The price is worth it given the amount of upkeep that goes into the garden. This is readily apparent when you compare the garden to the public Chinese park that abuts the garden. The public park is nice, but is not subjected to the the same level of workmanship. -
Review from Dave K.
2/2/2010
Ummmm, was that it? Sorry, but this was a zen fail for me. I was expecting more, and it didn't seem like the place was as well maintained as it could have been. (Maybe because it was wintertime? But if it sucks so hard in winter, why do they keep it open?)
We did two circuits of the place to make sure we hadn't missed something. I saw a small turtle - that was pretty good (add one star for the turtle).
Before you pay your money, take a stroll around the free section of the garden (on the eastern side). Then if you say to yourself, "Wow! I really really need to see more of this place, I crave some complimentary green tea, and I've got this $10 note that I was meaning to get rid of", then go right ahead.
Otherwise, you might want to give this a miss and continue on to Stanley Park, Van Dusen or Lighthouse Park (West Van) for your taste of serenity. -
Review from Sheila W.
BC
12/2/2008 4 photos
My friend was leaning over to check out a huge frog in the pond in the centre of this garden and her sunglasses fell off her head. The frog came over and clung on to them, making it pretty difficult to retrieve them. A staff member came out of nowhere with a net and scooped up the glasses. How he even knew we needed a net is beyond me - he was there in a flash. It was unexpected and fantastic service in a garden!
The actual garden is small if you compare it to VanDusen or Victoria's Butchart Gardens. You can circle around this one in five or ten minutes. It's free to do so and when the lily pads are in bloom it can be really, really pretty. There's a gazebo in the middle with benches and a few other quiet places to be at one with nature in the middle of the city. -
Review from O. Bilal O.
9/10/2010
Nice peaceful garden in the middle of downtown. Totally worth paying for a small tour in the garden.
For a moment I forgot about where and when I was (2010 Vancouver downtown!) -
Review from Cameron M.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2009
I'm going to go right ahead and agree with everyone regarding the difference between the Sun Yat-Sen park and garden. Head to the Park folks, head there.
It's not that I have anything against the garden per-se, but I've seen better traditional Chinese gardens and I've also seen plenty of free ones within the borders of this great province and nation of ours. This one does stack up pretty well, but it's quite small and unless you're really into the gardening style or horticulture in general I'd just stick to the park.
The park has many of the same plants, just a little less kept. It also has a great turtle and koi pond and, I'd argue is just as relaxing when there aren't a million people there. Something quite unique in the city. -
Review from Justin L.
3/21/2011
Beautiful classical Chinese garden. You'll feel more serene strolling through the grounds. I came here in the summer to watch a concert, part of the annual "Enchanted Evening" series. The Vancouver Piano Ensemble was performing on two pianos in one of the larger covered spaces that really wasn't all that large. So it was an intimated evening (and an enchanted one). A lovely summer activity. You can then continue your evening at the Chinatown night market around the corner.
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Review from Jack M.
1/26/2010
This place is frickin' COOL. It's this little classical Chinese Garden tucked away right alongside a busy street in a crummy downtown neighborhood. It's weird. One minute you're walking along this busy noisy urban street and the next - you're in this little paradise of a garden. Beautiful architechture, pretty plants, fish swimming in the ponds. It's tranquil.
The tour here is great too. The guide we had was just awesome. Her voice - man it gives me goose bumps. You ever get that from someone's voice? Wooo! I'm a sucker - anyhow- she was awesome and gave the tour and explained everything very well. There's a tiny museum area and a nice gift shop too. I really liked visiting this place. I'm glad we stopped in. -
Review from DVS A.
6/24/2010
Great spot but not worth paying. Lucky at first we thought there was a fee $20 (Story and Tea) but seeing everyone just walking in without paying made me realized the park is free.
Anyways Great Chinese Garden with Koi fishes swimming, prefect for taking pictures and it's free! -
Review from Tristan S.
1/23/2010
After reading rave reviews in several guidebooks, I expected a lot more. Maybe it was because of my raging migraine, but this place was just okay.
Sure, it's better than any Asian gardens I've seen in Indiana. But the water had a thick film of pond scum on it, and the place overall didn't seem very well-tended to. I bought some amazing gifts from one of the shops, but was nearly haggled to death to buy more. I'd give it another chance with a better-feeling head. -
Review from Amy C.
3/1/2011
Dr Sun Yat Sen was an important person in Chinese History. It's nice to see that he is Honored all over the world. I can't believe how beautiful this garden is.. and its FREE!! Well at least the Free section is.. HAHAHA.. Next time I go back I'll have to see the rest of it. :D
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Review from Heina D.
9/27/2010
This place is gorgeous, peaceful, serene, and mostly free. It's very picturesque and a great place to wander around and work off all that delicious, authentic Chinese food you just ate.
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Review from Jonathan K.
12/14/2008 1 photo
the gardens are small, but offer a tranquil escape from the city. we went in the heart of a cold snap and the gardens were covered with snow--still, an enjoyable experience, perhaps because it wasn't teeming with tourists?
it's a small slice of old-school chinese paradise. i don't think the paid admission is worth it, but then again we didn't wait for the guided tour since it was so cold. however, i'd imagine that if i visited during the summer and i needed a getaway from the getaway, the paid portion would fit the bill nicely--especially with the guided tour to point out things that i'm sure i'd miss.
the free side is definitely worth a visit--if you like it, go for the paid side as well. you can't go wrong either way. just being in the gardens and soaking in the atmosphere does wonders for the soul! -
Review from Brian L.
7/11/2010
I've been to many of these things before, and while this was nice, it was a bit smaller than the others I have been to. It's very relaxing and definitely gorgeous...I'm just not sure if it is really worth it. I'd rather save my money and go to the Sun Yat Sen park, which is next to this garden, and is free - but just as relaxing.
