Lion dance performances are held at the Foshan Ancestral Temple. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A garden of grace

The final stop is Qinghui Garden in Shunde district of Foshan. First built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and expanded over generations, it presents a Lingnan garden style that blends Chinese tradition with subtle Western influence.

Its ingenious layout — often described as "a large garden enclosing smaller gardens" — weaves pavilions, halls, water features and greenery into an intimate, layered composition. Neither as monumental as northern gardens nor as delicately lyrical as those in eastern China, Qinghui Garden possesses a distinct character of its own.

At its core lies the old garden, centered on a tranquil pond where lotus flowers rise gracefully from the water. Details like shell-inlaid "bright tiles" and carved moon gates of blue brick bear the unmistakable imprint of Lingnan craftsmanship, combining aesthetic refinement with auspicious symbolism.