Beautiful things are all around us as long as we take the time to find them. At the foot of Yuexiu Mountain in Guangzhou's Yuexiu District, there is a tranquil and beautiful old street perfect for walking—Yingyuan Road (应元路).

Yingyuan Road has a total length of 1,381 meters, connecting Jiefang North Road to the west and Xiaobei Road to the east. The famous Yuexiu Mountain, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Yuexiushan Stadium, and century-old Guangzhou No. 2 High School are all on this road.

Yingyuan Road's captivating beauty often leaves pedestrians in awe. Much of this is due to its stunning natural features, such as tall kapok trees, greenery, and Hong Kong orchid flowers, which bloom for a month every spring. The road winds its way around the blue-tiled houses and vintage red-brick buildings. At certain parts of the place, pedestrians can turn onto the road for unparalleled views of the mountain.

The street view of Yingyuan Road in Guangzhou's Yuexiu District.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.

The road is notable for the "Hundred-step Stairs" in Yuexiu Park. Visitors can climb up the mountain along a stone staircase until they see the Sun Yat-sen Monument on the hilltop. Further along the mountain road is the 1,100-meter-long ancient city wall of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), as well as the Zhenhai Tower, Five Goats Statue, and other Guangzhou landmarks that locals have visited countless times.

Yuexiu Park.

Yingyuan Palace Path (应元宫道).

Five Goats Statue.

The colorful street is brimming with history. Yingyuan Road was built in 1952, named after Yingyuan Palace and Yingyuan Academy. There is the oldest existing well in Guangzhou—Yuewang Well (粤王井), also known as Nine Eyes Well (九眼井). The well, according to legend, was dug more than 2,000 years ago by order of Zhao Tuo, King of Nanyue. Now, the well is still there for visitors to see. It is located in the Guangdong Science Museum, directly opposite today's Sanyuan Palace (三元宫), the oldest Taoist temple in Guangdong.

Yuewang Well.

Sanyuan Palace.

In the late Qing Dynasty, Wang Kaitai, an official of Guangdong Province, founded Yingyuan Academy at the foot of Yuexiu Mountain, which was the highest institution of learning in Guangzhou at that time. In the second year of its establishment, a student from the academy won first place in the imperial competitive examination. At present, Guangzhou No. 2 High School, a key school in Guangzhou, is located on the former site of Yingyuan Academy. Passers-by can hear the sound of children reading inside the school.

A stone tablet at the entrance of Guangzhou No. 2 High School, with the word "Ying Yuan (应元)" engraved on it.

Guangzhou No. 2 High School.

Yingyuan Road CITY WALK Guide

Location: Take the Guangzhou Metro and get off at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station on Line 2, then use Exit C.

Attractions: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Sanyuan Palace, Hundred-step Stairs, Five Goats Statue, Sun Yat-sen Monument, Zhenhai Tower, Ming Dynasty City Wall.

Recommended restaurants:Beiyuan Restaurant (北园酒家), Huixingyuan (汇兴源), Zhuxi Restaurant (竹溪家宴), Changmingai Soup (长明爱炖品皇), Dongchuan Restaurant (东川饭局).