The main structure of the second phase of the Shixiang Garden renovation project has recently been topped off, paving the way for the project to be completed by the end of August. The new garden will serve as the main venue for the second Lingnan Painting and Calligraphic Art Festival. Upon the completion of the 55-million-yuan second-phase renovation project, Shixiang Garden will become a showcase of the Lingnan school of painting.

Shixiang Garden was first built on the shore of the Yao Creek in Haizu District more than a century ago. The current renovation project includes the construction of a pier on the creek and the planting of flame trees and willow trees to restore the garden’s ancient feel.

The project also includes the construction of an ancestral hall-style art exhibition hall which will depict the life and accomplishments of the students of renowned ancient painters Ju Cao and Ju Lian and their art inheritors and will showcase the legacy of the Lingnan school of painting over the past century.