Portland, OR. Move over pumpkins, the Lan Su Chinese Garden is welcoming fall with its Chrysanthemum Festival. The garden kicks off a month of floral programming in November with “Nights of the Golden Flower”, November 3-5th. This is the return of the popular chrysanthemum floral design showcase at the Chinese garden after a 4-years hiatus. (Photo credit Jeff Day Photography)
This juried floral art showcase and competition is headlined by floral artist Donald Yim with participation by over a dozen local floral artists. Ticketed guests will be treated to a special weekend of live music, floral design demonstrations, and large-scale illuminated floral art displays to enjoy in the garden after dark.
During November, Lan Su are visitors are invited to take part in floral art workshops, plant cultivation talks, horticulture tours, and delight in the garden adorned with Chrysanthemums. In traditional Chinese culture, the Chrysanthemum is considered one of the “four gentlemen” of plants (along with plum blossoms, orchids, and bamboo) and a symbol of autumn and perseverance.
Lan Su Chinese Garden Located at 239 NW Everett Street, Lan Su Chinese Garden is one of Portland’s greatest treasures. A tranquil oasis in the heart of the city, Lan Su is a powerfully inspiring experience that takes you through time, offering a window into Chinese culture, history, and way of thinking. Lan Su Chinese Garden opens 10 am – 4 pm, Sunday through Saturday starting Oct. 15th. Admission is $14.00 with reduced rates for students and seniors. Admissions are available at www.lansugarden.org.
Portland, OR. Lan Su Chinese Garden is open for visitors. Masks are required for all visitors to the garden aged 5 and older, regardless of vaccination status. Zhong Qiu Jie (中秋節), a.k.a. the Mid-Autumn Festival, is considered one of the most important Chinese holidays. Traditionally taking place on the fifteenth day of the eight-month of the lunar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival is usually on or close to the time of the “Harvest Moon” when the moon appears at its fullest during the autumnal equinox. During the weekend of September 18th and 19th, the garden will be adorned with countless hanging lanterns. There will be a lantern-making activity, storytelling, chopstick challenge, and calligraphy demonstration. This daytime festival is free with garden admission or membership.
The garden is also offering a virtual tour so people can enjoy images of the garden from the comfort of their homes. The botanical garden featuring rare plants native to China, decorative stonework & a tea shop is located at 239 Northwest Everett Street. The garden takes up an entire block of the city’s historic Chinatown district.
Events and concerts are offered, year-round like the Takohachi drummers.
The garden is also encouraging contactless visits. An app has an audio tour and a series of interactive scavenger hunts, photo challenges, and multiple-choice trivia questions. with the help of the following:
Musicians like OregonKotoKai regularly perform at the garden.
The garden is getting ready for a benefit fundraiser. The virtual event will coincide with the celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday when the family is reunited to share stories, eat mooncakes, and gather under the moon.
The Lan Su Chinese Garden is an authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden built by Suzhou artisans, that brings together art, architecture, design, and nature in this 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition. It’s an inspiring, serene setting for meditation, quiet thought and tea served at The Tao of Tea in the authentic teahouse at Tower of Cosmic Reflections, as well as public tours of the grounds led by expert horticulturalists.
The mission of Lan Su Chinese Garden is to cultivate an oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony to inspire, engage and educate our global community in the appreciation of a richly authentic Chinese culture.
Lan Su Chinese Garden is one of Portland’s greatest treasures and most interesting sites to see while visiting Portland. A result of a collaboration between the cities of Portland and Suzhou, our sister city in China’s Jiangsu province that’s famous for its beautiful Ming Dynasty gardens, Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou and is one of the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China.
Much more than just a beautiful botanical garden, Lan Su is a creative wonder — a powerfully inspiring experience based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition that melds art, architecture, design, and nature in perfect harmony.
Last spring, Executive Director Elizabeth Nye released a statement against Asian hate:
Amidst the hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, our hearts break for our brothers and sisters of the AAPI community. We want to make our voice very clear— Lan Su is standing united with the Oldtown Chinatown community to strongly condemn racial intolerance and violence. This is no place for hate.
Built on the friendship between Portland and our sister city, Suzhou, China, Lan Su has always been an inclusive haven in Oldtown that inspires cross-cultural connections. From the planting of a single osmanthus tree to the raising of countless red lanterns, the garden has become the perfect backdrop for stories to be told, history to be learned, and diversity to be celebrated.
On the path to grow and evolve as a nonprofit organization, we are always learning with our community and listening carefully to your voices. Share your opinions with the garden by e-mailing us at [email protected].
Walking through Portland’s Oldtown-Chinatown arch, you would be greeted by an inscription that reads “四海一家”, which means “One family from the Four Seas” in Chinese, a heartfelt wish to everyone, wherever they have traveled from, to find their community here in peace. A wish that we hope you can join us, to make happen.
Portland, OR. In celebration of the Year of the Dog, Lan Su Chinese Garden is partnering with local non-profit animal rescue organizations to bring you the Year of the Dog Fair on February 17th & 24th. If you visit the garden, LexiDog Boutique & Social Club will be offering free onsite pet sitting. In accordance with the Chinese lunar calendar, you are a “Dog” if you were born in 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, or 2018.
On the first day of Chinese New Year, families & businesses roll oranges and coins over the threshold of their front door, ensuring that prosperity will flow all year long!
You can learn more about Chinese New Year during Lan Su’s two-week celebration featuring lion dances, martial arts, calligraphy, family-friendly craft activities and more.
Festivities will take place February 16th, through March 4th.
PLEASE NOTE: The Year of the Dog Fair is located in the parking lot at NW 3rd Avenue and Flanders Street, one block north of the garden. The Year of The Dog Fair is free and open to the public, however entry to the garden requires membership or admission. Dogs are not allowed inside Lan Su Chinese Garden. Only service animals are permitted. Onsite pet sitting, provided by LexiDog Boutique & Social Club, is available during the Year of the Dog Fair (February 17 & 24, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.) only and is based upon availability. Learn more about Lan Su’s Year of the Dog Fair »
Please note: For the safety of visitors, volunteers, and staff, entry may be limited at peak times of visitation to meet fire code regulations. Expect lines at times on opening day and weekend days. Plan for the most auspicious visit by purchasing admission tickets ahead of time and arriving early for your favorite activities.
Here’s more information about the Chinese Zodiac – 2018 Year of the Dog
Occupying the 11th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the Dog symbolizes character traits such as loyalty, compatibility and kindness. Dogs frequently offer kind words and useful advice, always listening and lending a shoulder when necessary. Ensuring others are happy is more important to the Dog than wealth, money or success.
The Dog’s Strengths
Dogs are determined individuals; always wanting to master a new subject before moving on and always finishing what they start. Dogs value friendships; they’re loyal, honest, trustworthy and reliable and have strong morals and ethics.
A well-kept, organized home is very important. Keeping a clean home and helping at work stems from the Dog’s need to be active and involved. Dogs spend money wisely, passing on luxury goods in favor of practical items. Dogs also prefer saving money to cover future expenses.
Coworkers can always count on Dogs to help out, especially if it means the Dog will learn something new or alleviate the workload of others. Dogs are seen as valuable employees. Good career choices for Dogs include: police officer, scientist, counselor, interior designer, professor, politician, priest, nurse, clerk or judge.
Portland, February 7th, 2016. The Oregon Historical Society (OHS), in partnership with local dragon dance teams, hosted a mile long parade to celebrate the Year of the Monkey. The parade started in Chinatown and finished at the Oregon Historical Society at 1200 SW Park Ave. One special attraction was 60-foot dragon that required 21 people to operate; it hadn’t been seen in public for at least 10 years. Oregon Historical Society is opening two new exhibitions including “Chinese American: Exclusion/Inclusion” and “Beyond the Gate: A Tale of Portland’s Historic Chinatowns,” that will open February 29th. (photo credit, Andie Petkus)
The Portland Lee’s Association Lion Dance Team has performed at thousands of events and is in demand throughout the year.
The parade started at NW 4th & Davis and moved through downtown Portland.
Kerry Tymchuk, the Executive Director of the Historical Society, connects with supporters at the celebration lunch.
The Monkey is ninth of the 12 animals in the recurring 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle. Every 12 years there is a Monkey year and 2016 is one of those years.
“Beyond the Gate: A Tale of Portland’s Historic Chinatowns,”
Coming up at the Oregon Historical Society from “Beyond the Gate: A Tale of Portland’s Historic Chinatowns.” Using both rare and seldom seen objects like Chinese opera costumes, theatrical sets, bilingual text, audiovisual media, and interactive visitor stations, Beyond the Gate tells a sprawling transnational story of contact and trade between China and the West, focusing on Portland’s Old (1850-1905) and New Chinatown (1905-1950).
The Lan Su two-week celebration is popular with families and individuals and features lion dances, glowing lanterns, cultural activities, and more. The celebration ends with four nights of Lantern Viewing Evenings when the garden is illuminated with colorful lanterns and lively dragon processions.
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