A special treasure within the Botanical Garden is the Chinese Garden Qian Yuan, a classical southern Chinese scholar's garden donated to the Ruhr University in 1990 by our partner university, the Tongji University of Shanghai.
When this fragile construction turned out to have suffered severe damage from our harsh climate within a few years, the Chinese Garden Society was founded in 2000 to prevent the imminent razing of the building and to collect donations for its renovation. After the Garden was reopened in October 2001 the Society remained in existence and now pursues two important goals:
Spring is here and our traditional guided tours through the Chinese Garden will soon be starting. The regular tours will begin at 3 pm on the third Saturdays of the summer months, i.e. on May 18, on July 20 and on August 17. The tours start at the entrance of the Chinese Garden. The June tours will be a day late, because as part of the Botanical Garden's Summer Fest on Sunday, June 16 we will be offering several shorter tours in the course of the day.
As always, the tours do not cost anything, but we are always glad to receive donations to support our work. Booking is not required, but attendance will be limited so that everyone can see and hear the guide. On each date there will be two guides, so that two groups can be taken in short succession.
Our Society now has a well maintained presence on Instagram. The account chinesischergarten_bochum has about 700 subscribers and new photographs are constantly being posted. When you can't visit the Chinese Garden in person, this is a good alternative way to experience its flair and inhale its atmosphere.
In the German-Chinese book Qian Yuan – Chinesische Gartenkunst in Bochum, the architect Prof. Zhang Zhenshan lets us partake of his thoughts while designing the Chinese Garden all the way through to its completion. Numerous drawings, explanations and fascinating details are complemented by stirring photographs. With great charm the book imparts well-founded insights into the art and philosophy of Chinese gardens.
The Society has purchased the remainder of this edition and the book is for sale at the reduced price of only 10 euros, either at the Campus Shop (Unishop) in the lobby of the administration building of the Ruhr University (Building UV) or from the secretariat of the Botanical Garden. Mail orders can only be filled by the Botanical Garden for an additional 5 euros for postage.
Our society is as old as this century, but it can only continue its work if we can attract new members. If you are as enchanted by the Chinese Garden as we are, please join the society and help us to preserve this place of rest and harmony and keep it in the public view.
You can download the double-sided German membership application with a data privacy declaration below. After filling it out and signing it, please send it to: Der Chinesische Garten e.V. , c/o Botanischer Garten der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany.
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We are a recognized charity which furthers art and culture. Donations for these purposes can be deducted from taxable income for the German income tax. The bank receipt or a bank statement are acceptable proof for donations up to € 300 and for larger donations we will send you a receipt on the prescribed official form.
Donations can be made by bank transfer to the German bank account shown above (click on the picture to enlarge it).
Eberhard Koch, Wolfgang Stuppy and others
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Last update: Apr 12, 2024
