On March 10, 2026, the exhibition "Listening to Herbs, Observing Trees: The Eastern Art of Living with Medicinal and Edible Plants" opened at Youxian Shanguan in Yunshi Yuan, Zizhuyuan Park.
Stepping into this space is not merely an encounter with herbs and trees, but the beginning of a dialogue across millennia. One party of the conversation is the Eastern wisdom crystallized in paintings, silk scrolls, and classical texts; and the other is your own innate quest for nature, health, and a beautiful life.
With its rustling bamboo shadows and elegant architecture, the mountain lodge naturally echoes the exhibition's theme of "coexistence of humans and plants", creating a unique atmosphere where nature and culture thrive together.
Since ancient times, the Chinese people have forged a profound bond with flora: plants serve as medicine to heal the body, as food to nourish life, and as objects of aesthetic appreciation.
This philosophy of "medicine and food sharing the same origin" has long transcended practical skills and evolved into a life philosophy for understanding the world and finding inner peace.
This exhibition takes classical paintings and ancient texts as its central narrative, presenting the understanding and utilization of plants by people of the past, allowing the artistic conception of paintings and the wisdom of classical writings to mutually illuminate one another.
The exhibition is carefully structured around a thematic journey: Knowing Plants—Using Plants—Living with Plants—Becoming One with Plants. This path guides visitors from tracing the understanding of flora on silk and paper, to experiencing the life philosophy of transforming plants for medicine and food, then to sensing the resonance between artistic conception and garden scenery within Zizhuyuan Park, and finally to exploring the inspiration this ancient wisdom offers for contemporary life.
The exhibition's brilliance lies in breaking down the barriers between cultural relics and everyday life. Here, no ancient painting or classic text remains a dust-locked exhibit. Instead, each piece integrates and coexists with the rustling bamboo, the gentle breeze, and the shimmering lotus leaves of Zizhuyuan Park, constructing a multi-dimensional, experiential realm that invites lingering and immersion.
As you leave the exhibition hall, you will carry away more than just knowledge of a few plants. You will depart with a renewed perspective on nature, a spark of inspiration to weave into your daily life, and a tranquil heart, gently soothed by the world of herbs and trees.
We warmly invite all visitors to slow down, awaken your senses, and step into Youxian Shanguan. Join us in immersing yourself within this vibrant, ever-renewing world of herbs and trees—a realm nurtured by art, classical texts, and the wisdom of life itself.
The exhibition will run until June 7, 2026.
Exhibition Venue: Youxian Shanguan, Zizhuyuan Park, No. 35 Zhongguancun South Street, Zizhuyuan Subdistrict, Haidian District, Beijing
Exhibition Period: March 10, 2026 – June 7, 2026
Opening Hours: Peak Season (April 1 – October 31)
Opening Hours: 08:00 – 18:00
Last Entry: 17:30
Off Season (November 1 – March 31)
Opening Hours: 08:30 – 17:30
Last Entry: 17:00
Closed on Mondays (except public holidays)
