heavenly heart
There were quite a few good parks in Changsha when I lived there. From what I can see on Open Street Map, my favourites are all still there.
One of my favourite parks was Tianxin Park - 天心公园, which I am choosing to translate as "Heavenly Heart Park". It shouldn't be difficult to find out what the park name really refers to, but I'm choosing to stick with my translation. You can see it here on Open Street Map. Assuming that map is up to date, my favourite part of the park still stands, and that is a remnant of the old city wall.
Tianxin Park has its own website and a new name: 湖南天心阁 Hunan [the name of the province] Heavenly Heart Pavillion. And WOW! 30 yuan to get in to the park during the day! 58 yuan at night! I was not paying that much way back in 1999 to 2000. There's a lot to be said for inflation, isn't there?
The park obviously has some history, with that section of city wall and pavillion dating back to the 1368 - 1398 reign of the Ming Dynasty emperor Hongwu.
I used to go out there on the occasional weekend, through the intense bustle of the city, in the park gates, and suddenly it was all quiet and peaceful. I'd climb up the city wall and look through the pavilions. There were historic photos of the park and its neighbourhood on the walls. I'd climb to the highest of the pavillions, and take in the view. The land sloped gently down to the river bank, allowing a view over the rooftops of the historic district immediately below the park out across the river. Orange Island separated the Xiang River into the main channel on the near side, and the narrower western channel on the far side of the island. The occasional boat would be chugging up or down the river. The river always had that quietly powerful look of large rivers. On the far bank Yuelu Shan rose, TV tower on the top. I the late afternoon the sun would be settling slowly into the haze, putting Yuelu Shan into silhouette and casting on orange glow onto the river surface. It was a magically serene view, a view that settles the mind and gives you the calm needed to face the bustle and hubbub of the city on the way home.