[2025 Shanghai Attraction] Travel Guide for Xu Guangqi Memorial Hall (Updated Jul)

The New Year is coming, and it's time to go out and take a walk. To avoid the crowds, I chose a lesser-known place to visit—Guangqi Park. Here, you can find the tomb of Xu Guangqi, the Xu Guangqi Memorial Hall, and a stele corridor, sculptures, and relics related to Xu Guangqi. The park is full of history and stories, and it's a beautiful place with few people. I highly recommend it! Xu Guangqi (1562–1633), courtesy name Zixian, art name Xuanhu, was a famous scientist, astronomer, and agricultural scientist of the Ming Dynasty. He was well-versed in both Chinese and Western knowledge, and he collaborated with the Italian missionary Matteo Ricci to translate books such as Euclid's Elements, laying the foundation for Western mathematics and astronomy in China. He is known as the first Chinese person to open his eyes to the world in the past 400 years. 🌈 Highlights: ✅ Guangqi Park is a memorial garden. In 1988, Xu Guangqi's tomb was listed as a third batch National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit, and the Xu Guangqi Memorial Hall is a national science education base. You can learn about the story of Xu Guangqi in detail. ✅ At the entrance of the cemetery, there is a pair of stone huabiao (ornamental columns) with carvings of mythical beasts and the symbols of a first-rank official of the Ming Dynasty, cranes, and auspicious clouds. The base is a Sumeru pedestal. The couplet on the archway behind the huabiao summarizes Xu Guangqi's life achievements. He was not only a first-rank civil official but also a Catholic, so there is both a tombstone and a cross in front of his tomb. The inscription on the tombstone was written by the famous mathematician Su Buqing and reads "Tomb of Xu Guangqi of the Ming Dynasty." The tomb is a generational burial. ✅ The park is full of winding paths and lotus ponds with fish, and the environment is solemn. It's a great place for leisure, fitness, exploring history, and taking kids. 🎫 Tickets: Free 🚗 Transportation: Bus 205, 830, 732, 93, Metro Line 9, etc.

Guangqi Park was formerly known as Nandan Park. It was built in the 14th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty (1641). It was renamed to its current name in 1983 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Xu Guangqi's death. The main building in the park is Xu Guangqi's tomb. In modern times, Shanghai became a center for the introduction and dissemination of Western science and a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and the West. This was inseparable from Xu Guangqi, a scientific pioneer who was well-versed in both Chinese and Western knowledge and integrated the past and the present. "Xujiahui" was also named after him. Xu Guangqi (1562-1633), whose courtesy name was Zixian and pseudonym was Xuanhu, was a famous scientist, astronomer and agricultural scientist in the Ming Dynasty. He was born on April 24, 1562. In 1604, he passed the imperial examination and became a Hanlin Academy student. He soon entered the research fields of academic and scientific research, and made important contributions, especially in astronomy, mathematics, water conservancy and agriculture. Xu Guangqi had a profound influence in fields such as astronomy, mathematics, water conservancy and agricultural science. He collaborated with Italian missionary Matteo Ricci to translate books such as "Elements of Geometry" and "The Principles of Measurement", laying the foundation for Western mathematics and astronomy in China. He also participated in the compilation of the Chongzhen Calendar, which improved the Chinese calendar. In the field of agricultural science, he presided over the compilation of "Complete Book of Agricultural Administration", a detailed agricultural encyclopedia, which is still regarded as one of the most complete agricultural encyclopedias in ancient China. Xu Guangqi was not only an outstanding scientist, but also a pioneer of cultural exchange in China. He was hailed as "the first person in cultural exchange between China and the West." His life had a profound impact on the development of Chinese science, technology and culture, and he is highly respected by later generations. Guangqi Park is a city pocket park, small but very meaningful. It is the birthplace of Xujiahui and the starting point of China's move towards science. It is very worthwhile to spend half an hour to learn about this history. [Tips] The park is located at the intersection of Nandan Road and Wending Road, just a stone's throw away from Exit 1 of Xujiahui Metro Station.

Address: No. 17, Nandan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai Introduction: Xu Guangqi was born in 1562. He was the Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion in the Ming Dynasty. He studied astronomy, calendar, mathematics and firearms under Matteo Ricci, and presented several calendar and mathematics works he had researched to Emperor Sizong of the Ming Dynasty. This memorial hall displays Xu Guangqi's life, and their tomb is not far from the memorial hall. It is a great place for a family visit. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:00-16:30 Tickets: Free Travel experience: The Xu Guangqi Memorial Hall is located in Xuhui District, Shanghai, and is a free attraction. It is located next to Xu Guangqi's tomb. After visiting Xu Guangqi's tomb, you can visit the memorial hall next to it to get to know this ancient scholar better. Understand his contribution to the country. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 #LocalTourism #GoodPlacesForFamily #familytravel #Shanghai #XuGuangqiMemorialHistoricalSite