Suzhou Gardens: Famous Treasure of Jiangnan

Author: Wang Lei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Suzhou is a renowned historical and cultural city in China, celebrated for its beautiful landscapes and exquisite classical gardens. It is often described as "The gardens of Jiangnan are the best under heaven, and the gardens of Suzhou are the best in Jiangnan." In 1985, Suzhou's gardens were ranked as one of China's top ten scenic spots. The gardens of Suzhou have their own artistic characteristics in terms of layout, structure, and style. The four classical gardens of Suzhou—Canglang Pavilion, Shizilin, Zhuozheng Yuan, and Liu Yuan—represent the artistic styles of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, respectively. Zhuozheng Yuan is the most representative garden of Suzhou, originally built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. The owner, Wang Xianchen, named it after the phrase "To build a house and plant trees, to water the garden and sell vegetables—this is also the governance of the clumsy" from Pan Yue's "Leisurely Residence" in the Jin Dynasty. Zhuozheng Yuan is divided into three parts: the East Garden, the Middle Garden, and the West Garden. The East Garden features alternating hills and ponds, with buildings such as Shuxiang Hall and Lansuetang. The West Garden has winding water surfaces and a compact layout, with pavilions and towers built near the mountains and water. The main building, the Mandarin Duck Hall, was where the garden owner hosted guests and listened to music, with exquisite furnishings. On sunny days, the view from the blue glass windows inside the hall resembles a snowy landscape outside. The "Yue Qing Tong Zu Xuan" in the garden is a fan-shaped pavilion. The two solid walls on the sides of the fan have two fan-shaped openings, one facing the "Mandarin Duck Hall," while the other window faces the Liting Pavilion on the mountain, with its roof perfectly matching the shape of a complete fan. The Middle Garden is the essence of Zhuozheng Yuan, with its overall layout centered around a pond. Pavilions, towers, and halls are all built near or directly over the water. One of the halls is a four-sided hall with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, offering a view of the surroundings. The interior is elegantly furnished. To the south of the hall is a small pond with artificial mountains, surrounded by bamboo and trees, creating a lush green landscape. To the north of the hall is a spacious platform connecting to the lotus pond. In summer, when the lotus blooms, a gentle breeze fills the hall with fragrance. The plaque "Yuan Xiang Tang" was written by Wen Zhengming of the Ming Dynasty. The northern part of the hall is the main scenic area, with two artificial mountains built in the pond. On the western mountain stands the "Xue Xiang Yun Wei" pavilion, where the couplet "The chirping of cicadas makes the forest quieter, and the singing of birds makes the mountain more secluded," written by Wen Zhengming, and the inscription "Mountain flowers and wild birds," written by Ni Yunlin of the Yuan Dynasty, are hung inside. On the eastern mountain is the "Dai Shuang Pavilion." A stream bridge connects the two mountains, with lush flowers and trees planted in the mountains and vines and shrubs scattered along the banks, creating a natural and rustic charm.