Lingering Garden – Superb craftsmanship in harmony with nature
Suzhou, a city with a 4,000-year history, gave birth to some very colorful Wu gems. Suzhou silk, Kun Qu and elegant gardens are all precious in Chinese cultural heritage. Probably the most famous of them is the Lingering Garden, one of China's four exquisite gardens.
Located outside Changmen gate in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, the Lingering Garden was commissioned by an impeached official Xu Taishi in 1593 as a private garden. Built and designed by a stonemason named Zhou Shicheng, it was initially called East Garden and was expanded over generations into what we see today. The garden covers roughly 23,300 square meters and has four themed sections, each of which has unique characteristics that allow you to experience landscape, pastoral scenes, forest and garden in one place.
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Lingering Garden (Suzhou, China)
The Lingering Garden Tour / 留园 / 留園 is a renowned classical Chinese garden located at 338 Liuyuan Rd. Suzhou (留园路338号). In 1997, it was recognized with other classical Suzhou gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The garden also stores two UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Arts; Pingtan (评弹) and Guqin music.
Lingering Garden is located outside the Changmen gate (阊门) of Suzhou, Jiangsu province. It was commissioned by Xu Taishi (徐泰时), an impeached and later exonerated official in 1593 CE. Stonemason Zhou Shicheng (周时臣) designed and built the East Garden (东园) as it was initially called. The East Garden became famous in its day when the magistrates of Wu and Changzhou County both praised the design of Shi Ping Peak, a rockery constructed to resemble Tiantai Mountain in Putao.
Ownership passed to Liu Su, another official in 1798 CE. After extensive reconstruction, he renamed it Cold Green Village after a verse, clean cold color of bamboo, limpid green light of water. Keeping with that theme, he added pine and bamboo groves. He was an avid collector of Scholar stones and added 12 more to the garden housing them in the stone forest. It was also at this time the Celestial Hall of Five Peaks was built. The garden soon acquired the nickname Liu Yuan from the owner's surname. From 1823 CE the garden was open to public, and became a famed resort.
Ownership passed to Sheng Kang, a provincial treasurer of Hubei in 1873 CE. He repaired the damaged caused to the garden by the chaos of the Taiping. After three years the reconstruction was complete in 1876 CE, and the garden was renamed to Liu Yuan (留园). The name, while homophonous to an older name, connotes leisure and is thus pays tribute to the former owner as well as the resort period of the garden. It was at this time the Auspicious Cloud Capped Peak stone was moved to its current location. The garden was inherited by Sheng Xuanhuai from his father, he abandoned the garden in 1911 and it fell into disrepair
During Sino-Japanese War, the garden was abandoned again, and it even degenerated into breeding zone for army's horses. After establishment of the People's Republic of China, Suzhou government took over and renovated the garden. It was reopened to the public in 1954. In 2001 the garden was added to the UNESCO Word Heritage list, and remains a major tourist destination.
Since its creation the Lingering Garden has been well received by critics and has inspired artists. The East Garden is described and praised in Sketches of Gardens and Pavilions by Yuan Hongdao (magistrate of Changzhou County), ...It is the best of its kind south of the Yangtze River. It was also described in the work Notes on the Hou Yue Tang by Jiang Yingke (magistrate of Wu County). After the East Garden was transformed into the Lingering Garden it was again praised by Yu Yue in his Notes on Lingering Garden, The rockeries plants pavilions towers and halls are among the best in Wu County.
The 23,310 m2 garden is divided into four distinctly themed sections; East, Central, West, and North. The Central area is the oldest part of the garden. Buildings, the primary feature of any Chinese garden, occupy one third of the total area. A unique feature this garden is the 700 m covered walk which connects them. The built elements of the garden are grouped by section. The ensemble of structures in the central garden encircles a pond and grotto main feature. The grotto is constructed of yellowstone granite and was created by the noted artist Zhou Binzhong. The eastern section of the garden is arrayed around the cloud-capped peak stone. A central courtyard is ringing by buildings. Behind the Old Hermit Scholars' House is the Small Court of Stone Forest, a collection of Scholar stones and connected minor courtyards. The western section is mostly natural containing only a few pavilions, a large artificial hill, and a Penzai garden.
The Lingering Garden,Suzhou,China
The Lingering Garden is originally a classical private garden, it is one of the four most famous gardens in China. Possessing typical Qing style, it is well-known for the exquisite beauty of its magnificent halls, and the various sizes, shapes, and colors of the buildings. In 1997, the garden was recorded on the list of the world heritage by UESCO.
The Lingering Garden in Suzhou, China
The Lingering Garden (LiuYuan) is honored as one of the four most famous gardens in Suzhou, China, and has been listed as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site. The Lingering Garden occupies more than 3 hectares and is one of the largest classic gardens in Suzhou. The garden is best known for its rockery and water ponds. It is divided into four parts. In the middle is the Cold Green Villa which is the most prominent site in the garden compound. The garden is dotted with ponds and has many viewing spots for tourists. Suzhou is renowned for its beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens which have contributed to its status as a great tourist attraction. Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Suzhou has also been an important centre for China's silk industry and continues to hold that prominent position today.
Lingering Garden, Suzhou
Suzhou is often called the Garden City because of its numerous beautiful private gardens. Lingering Garden is one of the better known gardens of Suzhou. This very short video will give the prospective traveler an idea of Lingering Garden's look and feel.
LINGERING GARDEN (LIU YUAN) - SUZHOU, JIANGSU PROVINCE - CHINA
Occupying an area of 5.8 acres (about 23,300 square meters), the Lingering Garden is located outside Changmen Gate in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Originally a classical private garden, it is one of the four most famous gardens in China. Possessing typical Qing style, it is well-known for the exquisite beauty of its magnificent halls, and the various sizes, shapes, and colors of the buildings. In 1997, it was recorded on the list of the world heritage by UESCO.
With a history of more than 400 years, the Lingering Garden has changed hands several times. Each owner did his best to perfect it. The garden was first built in 1593 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) by a retired official named Xu Tai. During the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), it was bought by Liu Shu. As a calligraphy lover, he carved masterpieces on both sides of the corridors of the buildings. He had also collected unusually-shaped stones in the garden. The succeeding owners followed his model when doing restoration work. Almost demolished in the 1930s, the garden was repaired sponsored by the government and then opened to the public.
Lingering garden Suzhou-Ultimate walking tour with all details
Lingering garden Suzhou-Ultimate walking tour with all details
No after effect or talking, keep things original and real, I've been there and I share with you exactly the same as what I view with my eyes...
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Lingering Garden (Chinese: Liu Yuan) is a renowned classical garden located to the northwest of Suzhou. In 1997, the garden, along with other classical gardens in Suzhou, was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Covering an area of 2.3 hectares, The garden was built in 1583 by Xu Taishi, a bureaucrat of the Ming court, as his private residence. It is the best preserved of all the Suzhou gardens. It is also one of the 4 most famous gardens in China, the other three being the Summer Palace in Beijing, the Mountain Summer Resort in Chengde, and the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou.
The entire garden is divided into four scenic areas - the center, the east, the west, and the north and covers an area of two hectares. It is said poems give us a picture. But in this case the garden gives us a poem, as reflected in the landscape design. Suzhou's classic gardens reflect the ancient Chinese proverb that says: in Heaven there is Paradise; on earth, Suzhou. That proverb is indicative of the ancient Chinese desire to create a version of Heaven here on earth, by controlling and perfecting nature. The bonsai or Chinese Penjing is the ultimate manifestation of this desire to control and mimic nature. The Lingering Garden is truly heaven on earth.
The Lingering Garden. Suzhou, China. November 2016.
Suzhou's Lingering Garden. China. Natural sound. Videographed by Barbara Burke.
LINGERING GARDEN (LIU YUAN) - SUZHOU, JIANGSU PROVINCE - CHINA
Occupying an area of 5.8 acres (about 23,300 square meters), the Lingering Garden is located outside Changmen Gate in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Originally a classical private garden, it is one of the four most famous gardens in China. Possessing typical Qing style, it is well-known for the exquisite beauty of its magnificent halls, and the various sizes, shapes, and colors of the buildings. In 1997, it was recorded on the list of the world heritage by UESCO.
With a history of more than 400 years, the Lingering Garden has changed hands several times. Each owner did his best to perfect it. The garden was first built in 1593 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) by a retired official named Xu Tai. During the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), it was bought by Liu Shu. As a calligraphy lover, he carved masterpieces on both sides of the corridors of the buildings. He had also collected unusually-shaped stones in the garden. The succeeding owners followed his model when doing restoration work. Almost demolished in the 1930s, the garden was repaired sponsored by the government and then opened to the public.
The Lingering Garden in Suzhou China
Day 6 of Splendid China 9 days Beijing-Suzhou-Hangzhou-Shabghai trip with China Travel Service (china tour.com)
Lingering Garden Suzhou
Lingering Garden is a classical Chinese garden located in Suzhou. Once a private garden, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Listed Site. Background music is Reflections by MK2.
Lingering Garden / 留园 / 留園 (Slideshow)
The Lingering Garden Tour / 留园 / 留園 is a renowned classical Chinese garden located at 338 Liuyuan Rd. Suzhou (留园路338号). In 1997, it was recognized with other classical Suzhou gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The garden also stores two UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Arts; Pingtan (评弹) and Guqin music.
Lingering Garden is located outside the Changmen gate (阊门) of Suzhou, Jiangsu province. It was commissioned by Xu Taishi (徐泰时), an impeached and later exonerated official in 1593 CE. Stonemason Zhou Shicheng (周时臣) designed and built the East Garden (东园) as it was initially called. The East Garden became famous in its day when the magistrates of Wu and Changzhou County both praised the design of Shi Ping Peak, a rockery constructed to resemble Tiantai Mountain in Putao.
Ownership passed to Liu Su, another official in 1798 CE. After extensive reconstruction, he renamed it Cold Green Village after a verse, clean cold color of bamboo, limpid green light of water. Keeping with that theme, he added pine and bamboo groves. He was an avid collector of Scholar stones and added 12 more to the garden housing them in the stone forest. It was also at this time the Celestial Hall of Five Peaks was built. The garden soon acquired the nickname Liu Yuan from the owner's surname. From 1823 CE the garden was open to public, and became a famed resort.
Ownership passed to Sheng Kang, a provincial treasurer of Hubei in 1873 CE. He repaired the damaged caused to the garden by the chaos of the Taiping. After three years the reconstruction was complete in 1876 CE, and the garden was renamed to Liu Yuan (留园). The name, while homophonous to an older name, connotes leisure and is thus pays tribute to the former owner as well as the resort period of the garden. It was at this time the Auspicious Cloud Capped Peak stone was moved to its current location. The garden was inherited by Sheng Xuanhuai from his father, he abandoned the garden in 1911 and it fell into disrepair
During Sino-Japanese War, the garden was abandoned again, and it even degenerated into breeding zone for army's horses. After establishment of the People's Republic of China, Suzhou government took over and renovated the garden. It was reopened to the public in 1954. In 2001 the garden was added to the UNESCO Word Heritage list, and remains a major tourist destination.
Since its creation the Lingering Garden has been well received by critics and has inspired artists. The East Garden is described and praised in Sketches of Gardens and Pavilions by Yuan Hongdao (magistrate of Changzhou County), ...It is the best of its kind south of the Yangtze River. It was also described in the work Notes on the Hou Yue Tang by Jiang Yingke (magistrate of Wu County). After the East Garden was transformed into the Lingering Garden it was again praised by Yu Yue in his Notes on Lingering Garden, The rockeries plants pavilions towers and halls are among the best in Wu County.
The 23,310 m2 garden is divided into four distinctly themed sections; East, Central, West, and North. The Central area is the oldest part of the garden. Buildings, the primary feature of any Chinese garden, occupy one third of the total area. A unique feature this garden is the 700 m covered walk which connects them. The built elements of the garden are grouped by section. The ensemble of structures in the central garden encircles a pond and grotto main feature. The grotto is constructed of yellowstone granite and was created by the noted artist Zhou Binzhong. The eastern section of the garden is arrayed around the cloud-capped peak stone. A central courtyard is ringing by buildings. Behind the Old Hermit Scholars' House is the Small Court of Stone Forest, a collection of Scholar stones and connected minor courtyards. The western section is mostly natural containing only a few pavilions, a large artificial hill, and a Penzai garden.
Kunqu opera comes to Suzhou gardens
Ancient melodies heard in iconic Chinese garden! Kunqu, the cradle of all Chinese operas, has come to the Classical Gardens of Suzhou. Serenaded by the opera, the gardens are now giving a different offering...
Garden of Pleasance or Yi Yuan (Suzhou, China)
The Garden of Harmony or Garden of Pleasance / 怡园 or Yi Yuan is a classical Chinese garden located in Suzhou. The garden was built in the late Qing Dynasty in late 19th century (built by Go Wenbin, an official of the early years of the Guangxu Reign of the late Qing Dynasty), and is the most recently built Suzhou gardens. The garden was originally a private garden built by Go Wenbin, an official of the early years of the Guangxu Reign of the late Qing Dynasty. It has been described as one of the most representative Suzhou gardens, comprising a garden, a lotus pond, residences, artificial villages and ancestral halls. Because the garden incorporates all the elements of the various Suzhou gardens, it is sometimes regarded as an agglomeration of Suzhou's garden culture.
LINGERING GARDEN (LIU YUAN) - SUZHOU, JIANGSU PROVINCE - CHINA
Occupying an area of 5.8 acres (about 23,300 square meters), the Lingering Garden is located outside Changmen Gate in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Originally a classical private garden, it is one of the four most famous gardens in China. Possessing typical Qing style, it is well-known for the exquisite beauty of its magnificent halls, and the various sizes, shapes, and colors of the buildings. In 1997, it was recorded on the list of the world heritage by UESCO.
With a history of more than 400 years, the Lingering Garden has changed hands several times. Each owner did his best to perfect it. The garden was first built in 1593 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) by a retired official named Xu Tai. During the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), it was bought by Liu Shu. As a calligraphy lover, he carved masterpieces on both sides of the corridors of the buildings. He had also collected unusually-shaped stones in the garden. The succeeding owners followed his model when doing restoration work. Almost demolished in the 1930s, the garden was repaired sponsored by the government and then opened to the public.
หลิวหยวน สวนสวยแห่งเมืองซูโจว (Lingering Garden, Suzhou)
Lingering Garden, Suzhou, China
Bonsai section of the Lingering garden Suzhou
The Northern section of the Lingering Garden in Suzhou consists of many Bonsai trees and a lily pond. Background music is Open Sea Morning by Puddle of Infinity.
ZHENGZHOU - Henan Museum: SUZHOU - Lingering Garden & Grand Canal
“Beautiful places are almost alive! When you visit them, you can feel their breaths!” - Mehmet Murat
Our final day in Zhengzhou ended with a visit to China’s oldest museum - Henan Museum - a history and archaeology museum that is home to many relics including dinosaur bones and fossils; bronze vessels; and pottery and porcelain wares from the various dynasties in China’s history. It was interesting to learn that some relics had been unearthed during recent construction works in the local area.
Following our museum visit we then boarded our coach to transfer to Zhengzhou Railway Station for our high-speed train ride to Suzhou. We farewelled James our tour guide and obediently teamed up with our Aussie co-travellers and hastily manoeuvred ourselves (and luggage) on to the train. Although we had already completed one high-speed train ride, our excitement could not be contained when this train recorded a speed of 350km/hr …. WOW!!!
After our 4.5hr trip, we finally arrived at Suzhou Railway station and promptly exited the train and proceeded to haul our luggage through the terminus to search for our diligent Cruise 1st flag-waving tour guide …. BINGO we had found him! Joe calmly directed us to a cavalcade of waiting coaches.
After settling in to our hotel room, we decided to explore the nearby restaurants for our dinner options. It was here that we utilised some expert Pictionary skills and the odd ‘game’ of Charades to successfully communicate our order with the patient and friendly staff. Our order promptly arrived, and the staff eagerly waited for confirmation that we were satisfied with our meals. They were impressed to see two big smiles with an accompanying thumbs up.
Next morning, we visited the famous Lingering Garden – a renowned classical Chinese garden that is recognised as a World Heritage Site. There is much to explore at Lingering Garden, and we moseyed through the themed sections admiring the diversity of buildings, towering trees, fantastic rockeries, ponds and beautiful Bonsais.
Our next quest was to “Venice of the East”, where we embarked on a short cruise boat ride on a tributary (city moat) of the ancient Suzhou Grand Canal. As we cruised past several old city gates, fascinating bridges and weathered buildings, we were fascinated to learn this section of the Canal was built in 852AD. Joe provided us with an expert commentary and explained numerous interesting facts and history about the canal and the surrounding area. DID YOU KNOW? The Grand Canal is the longest (1776km) as well as the oldest canal or artificial river in the world!
China is known for its silk, so of course a visit to the Silk Spinning Factory was in order and ended with the small purchase of some comfy silk socks and jocks. Afterwards, we boarded our coach for a 2hr coach ride to our next destination - Hangzhou. With grumbling tummies, we eagerly ventured out to explore the nearby restaurants and shops for some dinner. We eventually agreed on a quaint restaurant, and much to the amusement of the helpful staff, we courageously selected our meals from the photos on the board.
We happily settled into our hotel room and celebrated our unforgettable adventures!
Time to hit the road!
Michelle & Michael – The travel addicts
Discovering... the Classical Gardens of Suzhou: Venice of the East
Suzhou: City of a hundred gardens. Come with us to discover the exquisite Classical Gardens of Suzhou in the Venice of the East #DiscoverChina