清朝时为两江总督署花园。太平天国时在这里建东花园，与西花园（煦园）相对称。当年有石舫、湖泊、假山，以及楼台亭阁等。在清军攻破天京时被毁。国民政府时期曾是行政院的一部分。2002年根据史料复建了原东花园的一部分。

As a garden attached to Liangjiang Governor-general's Yamen in Qing dynasty, Fu Yuan became a part of the East Garden during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In the garden, there had been a stone-boat on the pond, many rockeries, pavilions, kiosks and balconies at that time. Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed by the Qing imperial troops when the Heavenly Capital fell. Today's Fu Yuan Garden was rebuilt in 2002 according to the historical materials.