Daguan Park

Among shady walks and pools, Daguan's focal point is Daguan Lou, a square, three-storeyed pavilion built to better the Kangxi Emperor's enjoyment of the distant Western Hills and now a storehouse of calligraphy extolling the area's charms.

The most famous poem here is a 118-character verse, carved into the gateposts by the Qing dynasty scholar Sun Ran, reputed to be the longest set of rhyming couplets in China.

In 1696, Wang Jiwen, the governor of Yunnan, carried out a largescale construction of a two-story pavilion.

Since the Daguan pavilion was built, men of letters coming from far and near in the country have often gathered here, composing and reciting poems.

Among them, the Long Couplet written by Sun Rangweng has for many years enjoyed the highest reputation around the world.