Classical Gardens of Suzhou, Humble Administrator's Garden
Classical Chinese garden design, which seeks to recreate natural landscapes in miniature, is nowhere better illustrated than in the nine gardens in the historic city of Suzhou. They are generally acknowledged to be masterpieces of the genre. Dating from the 11th-19th century, the gardens reflect the profound metaphysical importance of natural beauty in Chinese culture in their meticulous design. As a famous Chinese historic and cultural city, Suzhou has classical gardens which can date back to the 6th century in spring period. With the economic development of South China during the period from Jiajing years of Ming Dynasty to Qianlong years of Qing Dynasty, Suzhou entered a heyday to build gardens. Both the officials and landlords devoted a lot to build gardens by large scale. According to the historical book, the gardens at that time were as much as 300.
Classical gardens of Suzhou are usually residential gardens, small and exquisite, elegant and enjoyable. Its interior design emphasizes the interior finish work and plans are used as the main decoration, while various types of sculptures are used to decorate the exterior, with people and animals as the main subjects. Among all the present classical gardens of Suzhou, the four major gardens of Suzhou (Langcang Pavilion, Lion Grove Garden, Humble Administrator s Garden and the Lingering Garden) are most representative for their style of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty. Besides, Wangshi Garden also enjoys a high fame.
Humble Administrator's Garden
The Humble Administrator's Garden, covering about 52,000 sq. meters (12.85 acres), is the largest and most renowned among the classical gardens of Suzhou. Due to its unique designs and ethereal beauty, the garden has garnered many special honors. The Humble Administrator's Garden was originally built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was initially a private garden of a government servant. It was said he intended to build a garden after retire when he could do some gardening work there, which was said to be the life of a humble man by him. Hence is the name of the garden. The garden was created upon the old relics of a resident and a temple. Water feature is the main background and its natural landscape includes small forests, hills and rock formations. It also has man-made pavilions, halls and parlors. And this garden is representative of the Ming Dynasty building style. The garden consists of Eastern, Central and Western sections as well as some residences of the former owners.
In recent years, the Humble Administrator's Garden has been the site of many floral exhibitions. Every spring and summer, the garden hosts the Azalea Festival and the Lotus Festival. There are bonsai shows in the aptly named Bonsai Garden (Penjing Yuan) in the Western Section while precious Chinese stones are shown in the Elegant Stone House (Yashi Zhai) in the Central Section. Many of the other classical gardens of Suzhou are also worth visiting.