Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Garden

Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Garden was officially opened in 2008. A perfect miniature of a traditional Chinese landscape painting, Lan Yuan encapsulates the essence of nature and was built to take you on a journey to a greater understanding of history, culture, heritage and tradition.

Fifteen years on, we celebrate the dedication and mahi of the Dunedin Chinese Garden Trust and Chinese community. The two groups sought to create a fitting way to recognise the Chinese people who first came to Otago during the 1860s goldrush and later established some of the city’s businesses. This played a large part in making Dunedin New Zealand’s leading commercial centre.

The garden’s components were prefabricated and assembled in Shanghai on a site identical to the one in Dunedin, then dismantled and transported here and reconstructed by artisans and supervisors. The Dunedin Chinese Garden Trust handed the garden to the Dunedin City Council to manage and ensure its continued authenticity and integrity as a lasting footprint of Chinese identity and culture.

Our 15th anniversary celebrations will combine festivities with Chinese National Day and the garden’s annual Moon Festival – traditionally a time of hope and renewal, gatherings, sharing of food and entertainment. For this we welcome you to a day of music, performances, activities and more.

Information on this celebration will be made available on the Lan Yuan website.