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Classic garden a place of rare tranquility
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BOASTING a history of more than 3,000 years, classic Chinese gardens are known for their landscaping and exceptional architectural styles. They have long been deemed cultural gems.
Built according to the principle of “being artificial, but equal to a natural wonder,” such gardens invariably promote the harmony that should exist between man and nature.
Among them, Yuyuan Garden is the largest and most prestigious one in Shanghai, boasting a history of more than 450 years.
The idea of building the garden was first conceived by Pan Yunduan in 1559. Pan was the son of Pan En, a minister of justice during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The son decided to create a garden shortly after he failed the imperial examination.
Pan picked the family’s vegetable garden in the northeast of the Old City of Shanghai as the site for the project. But soon after construction began, Pan was appointed chief secretary of remote Sichuan in southwest China. The garden was not completed until Pan returned to Shanghai nearly 20 years later.
But before Pan died he had squandered most of his wealth and had to sell his lands and properties to make ends meet. His granddaughter’s husband inherited Yuyuan Garden.
Through the years it changed hands several times and was used as the British army’s headquarters during the First Opium War (1840-42) and the Small Swords Society during the Taiping Rebellion (1851-64).
It also suffered severe damage during these occupations and later was further ruined by Japanese invaders in 1942.
It was not until the late 1950s that the garden was fully repaired by the Shanghai government.
Like other classic Chinese gardens, Yuyuan Garden — listed as a key historical site under state protection in 1982 — is known for its miniature landscapes comprising ponds, rocks, trees and flowers.
It also houses a variety of halls, pavilions, towers and bridges.
The garden is enclosed by a long white wall with five dragons made of black tiles crawling along its top.
In the center of the garden stands a very precious rock from nearby Taihu Lake. Known as Yulinglong, or Exquisite Jade, the rock weighs about three tons and is reputed to be one of the top three ancient “Taihu Rocks” in the Yangtze River Delta.
Another attraction in Yuyuan is the zigzag bridge spanning a large lotus pond. Called Jiuqu Qiao, or Nine-Bend Bridge, it leads to the garden’s entrance. In the middle of the pond and next to the bridge is a teahouse popular with visitors.
Among the buildings in the garden, Dianchun Hall, or the Spring Heralding Hall, was once used by the leader of the Small Swords Society as its headquarters.
It was first built in 1820 by a merchant from Fujian Province.
In addition to richly painted beams and doors and windows decorated with vivid wood sculptures, the hall faces a small stage, which stands partly in the surrounding water.
On the walls that divide the gardens into different scenic areas, there are a number of lattice windows. Such ornamental windows are frequently employed in Chinese gardens to create the effect of “each window having its own view” and “one scenic view in another.”
In the garden, there are also a few waterside pavilions which provide visitors a place to rest and take in the sights. Partly built on stilts in the water, they are also an ideal location to look at lotus flowers when in season or watch the fish leisurely swimming in the pond.
Waterside Pavilion
Waterside pavilions are common in classic Chinese gardens. Built partly on stilts in the water, a waterside pavilion is designed to provide travelers or visitors a place to rest and take in the surrounding sights.
On the water side, there is usually a long bench with a low railing, where people can sit and gaze at the water plants such as lotus flowers or watch fish swimming in the pond.
Such pavilions usually feature gable and hip roofs with flying eaves and richly decorated windows extending all the way to the floor.
They are also designed with salient horizontal lines in order to create harmony with the surface of the water.
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