Lan Su Chinese Garden | Free Days

What you need to know

Great Eight Free Days
January 2-9, 2011
Lan Su Chinese Garden Begins 2011 with Free Admission for All Visitors

To kick off 2011 and a year full of events, Lan Su Chinese Garden will open Sunday, January 2, through Sunday, January 9, with no cost for admission (general admission is regularly $8.50). The garden shop expands into a garden pavilion to offer a dazzling display of Chinese New Year items in preparation for the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit on February 3.

The walled compound was constructed by Chinese workers using authentic materials and plants – more than 500 tons of rock were imported from China in the construction. The park opened in 2000 and quickly became one of Portland’s must-see attractions. If you’re strolling around Old Town and Chinatown, or the nearby Pearl District, and looking for a spot to relax and harmonize with nature, this is a perfect option. you can also relax inside at the two-story teahouse, which is operated by Tao of Tea.

You can find one day out of the eight to hop on down, right? Lan Su is open every day 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can also escape the cold with tea in the cozy teahouse, which keeps garden hours and does not require reservations.

Why Eight Days?
The Number Eight in Chinese Culture. In China, the character for eight sounds similar to the character meaning ”prosper” or ”wealth.” In regional dialects, the characters for eight and ”fortune” are also similar. The number eight is viewed as so auspicious that being assigned a number with several eights is considered very lucky. The Beijing Olympics opened on 8/8/08; the United Airlines Flight from San Francisco to Beijing is flight 888; and many new buildings in China have 88 floors.