Shanghai has always been a cosmopolitan city, a melting pot of East and West. In the French Concessions district of Shanghai is an example of such a combination – Chinese gardens with Western mansions owned by a Qing dynasty official. Inside Lilac Gardens houses one of the best Cantonese restaurant in Shanghai.

A restaurant hidden away in the lovely Lilac Gardens, Xian Yue Hien serves up excellent Cantonese cuisine. At its best for outdoor dim sum lunches next to the lawn in the spring and autumn months.

Lilac Gardens 丁香花园

丁香花园是上海滩最负盛名、保存最为完好的老洋房之一。丁香花园的盛名，不仅在于其建筑本身，还在于洋房主人身份的传奇色彩。此园副西洋花园官邸建筑与中国江南园林于一体，园中建有三幢西式花园别墅，其中1号楼即为李鸿章和丁香居住的丁香楼，2号楼为19世纪后期美国式的别墅建筑。该处现为丁香花园，被列为上海市优秀近代建筑保护单位。

这座花园传闻是晚清北洋大臣李鸿章的私家花园，后来传给了他庶出的幼子李经迈。另一种传闻是丁香花园原是英国泰兴洋行大班（经历）林克劳夫的住所，后来卖给了李鸿章最小的儿子李经迈。但不管哪个传闻。都和李经迈有关。我们暂且按第一种说法演绎。从19世纪60年代后期起，作为洋务派首领的李鸿章，在上海开办近代化的军事工业、纺织工业及航运业，如江南制造局、机器织布局、轮船招商局等，经常住在上海，随从而行的是他的宠妾丁香，李鸿章便委托盛宣怀在上海为她置办一笔不动产。盛氏心领神会，便在海格路（今华山路）购置2.67公顷土地，特聘美国建筑大师艾赛亚-罗杰斯来沪设计。罗杰斯是现代化建筑的开创者之一，善于将卫生、消防、暖气等新设备与建筑艺术结合。他建造了一座新颖的别墅和美式大花园，园内种植了许多丁香丛，人们称之为丁香花园。

如今，这紫藤缠绕、巨龙盘踞的庭院，这满园春色、馥郁芬芳的丁香，依然在诉说着那古老而浪漫的传说。

Owner Li Hongzhang

This historical compound was once the Shanghai residence of Li Hongzhang 李鸿章. Li Hongzhang, Marquess Suyi, was a Chinese politician, general and diplomat of the late Qing dynasty. He quelled several major rebellions and served in important positions in the Qing imperial court, including the Viceroy of Zhili, Huguang and Liangguang.

Although he was best known in the West for his generally pro-modern stance and importance as a negotiator, Li antagonised the British with his support of Russia as a foil against Japanese expansionism in Manchuria and fell from favour with the Chinese after their defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. His image in China remains controversial, with criticism on one hand for political and military mistakes and praise on the other for his success against the Taiping Rebellion, his diplomatic skills defending Chinese interests in the era of unequal treaties, and his role pioneering China’s industrial and military modernisation. He was presented the Royal Victorian Order by Queen Victoria. The French newspaper Le Siècle described him as “the yellow Bismarck.”

French Concession

While there are technical borders to the area formerly governed by the French in  Shanghai, the “French Concession” of today is an amorphous neighbourhood that is a favourite of the city’s foreign residents. While it is mostly within the Xuhui district, residents will sometimes include parts of Jing’an and Luwan in their mental maps of the Former French Concession. The area seems frozen in time, characterised by quiet, tree-lined avenues, French-style villas, interesting boutiques, lively bars and quaint cafes that are not typical of China. All of these mix and mingle with local life as Chinese markets  and lane-house communities are peppered throughout. Denizens of the Former French Concession can spectate a mahjong game on the street or get their bike checked at a tiny bike repair store on the way to their refurbished apartment tucked away among Chinese family homes.

Appetisers

四喜烤麸 Baked bran

清远白切鸡 Qingyuan soft-boiled chicken

家乡牛展 Hometown braised shank

山寺桂花香 Osmantheus mountain yam

凉拌海蜇头 jellyfish tossed in sesame vinegar

凉拌草头 cold dressed Indian aster

目鱼大烤 grilled cuttlefish

Main Courses

爆鳝段 crispy eels

白灼海虾 boiled shrimps

扬州煮干丝 Yangzhou style shredded bean curd

三鲜云腿烩竹笙 bamboo fungus with mushroom in stock

干煸四季豆 French beans with minced pork

五色腰果牛肉粒 beef with cashew nuts and five colour vegetables

芡实甜豆冬瓜 Gorgon fruit with sweet peas and winter melon

清蒸老虎斑 steamed grouper

扇贝王 scallops with garlic vermicelli

鸡油炒豆苗 pea sprout with chicken oil

Dessert

酒酿丸子 glutinous rice ball in sweet wine lee

酥皮香芋蛋挞 天鹅酥 egg tart in yam crust, char siu pastry

ShenYueXuan 申粤轩
No.849 Huashan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai
徐汇区华山路849号丁香花园内
Tel : 021-62511166

Date Visited : Aug 2018