Central Park and Bijia Shan

This article was originally published on February 11, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

Bijia Shan park sign featuring a pen

New York's Central Park is the heart of Manhattan. Running four kilometers long and one wide, it offers a much-needed breathing space for the citizens.

Shenzhen's Central Park is approximately the same size, virtually bisecting the main part of the city. With the addition of Bijia Shan, it reaches from the foothills in the north all the way down to Binhe Boulevard (and Binhe, meaning "Riverside," is the southernmost major route through the city).

Bijia Shan Park

Bijia Shan (Penholder Mountain) is a nicely-developed area, and one of the city's major elevations. It's a reasonable climb with great views from each of its three peaks. (These three together, by the way, resemble a traditional penholder, which gives the park its name.)

Boating lake with Bijia Shan in the background

Coming down, you'll find a nice boating lake and plenty of open space for football, kite-flying, and other activities. On a recent visit, I also saw a blow-up play castle open for kids.

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Central Park

A sculpture in Central Park given to Shenzhen by the city of Nuremberg, Germany

Continuing south, cross Sungang Road and walk east to Central Park's gate. Meander south through groves and open lawns (crossing several large roads), and find a statuary collection down near Shennan. The busy Hua Qiang Bei shopping area parallels this part of the park to the east.

A monument to medical workers in Central Park

Cross Shennan, and jog west to find an area of the park that stretches down to Binhe and features a pavilion on the shores of a beautiful pond. This area is popular with singers, erhu players, and other performers of cultural treasures.

Next time you're in the center of town, stop in and take a breath!
GPS Info:

• Central Park = 22.5428, 114.0785
• Bijia Shan = 22.56377, 114.08179

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Click on the links to see the maps:

• Central Park
• Bijia Shan