Suzhou, a city filled with literati atmosphere

Suzhou, located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province, has been called a paradise on earth by literati since ancient times, and was also marveled by Marco Polo as the "Venice of the East". I set foot in this city for the first time because I went out to study. The first impression when I first arrived was that there was less of a modern city atmosphere. It was considered a relatively typical second-tier city. There were not many people on the streets, and pedestrians were not walking at a fast pace. It can be seen that the usual pace of life is relatively leisurely. type. Use the free time between meetings and the day after the meeting to walk around various check-in attractions, taste various Suzhou snacks, and slowly experience the characteristics of this city.

The ancient city of Suzhou is located in a water network. The streets are built along the river, with water and land running parallel to each other. Slow down and walk on the streets, cross the stone bridges, listen to the Kun Opera Pingtan played in other people's houses, and feel the culture of the ancient capital of more than two thousand years, and the atmosphere of small literature and art emerges spontaneously. To experience Suzhou's "small bridges, flowing water, and people", you can go to Pingjiang Road or Qili Shantang. Suzhou is a small city, and all major attractions can be reached by subway. The transportation is quite convenient. Due to time constraints, this time I went to Qili Shantang, which is relatively close to the hotel.

In the second year of Baoli of the Tang Dynasty (825), the great poet Bai Juyi was transferred from Hangzhou to the governor of Suzhou. In order to facilitate Suzhou's water and land transportation, he dug a Shantang River from Huqiu in the west to Changmen in the east. Shantang River Hebei The road built is called "Shantang Street". The Shantang River and Shantang Street are about seven miles long, called "Qili Shantang". Since ancient times, Shantang Street has been known as "the most famous street in Suzhou". Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty traveled to the south of the Yangtze River in the Renwu Year (1762) and wrote "Shantang Xunsheng" with his pen when he went to Qili Shantang. Today, the imperial stele pavilion of Shantang Xunsheng is still well preserved. Emperor Qianlong had a special affection for Qili Shantang. After returning to Beijing, he built Suzhou Street in the back lake of the Summer Palace to imitate Qili Shantang.

Although the prosperity of the past is difficult to replicate, through the efforts of the government, a small river, several crescent-shaped stone bridges, and ancient houses with white walls and gray tiles on both sides have finally been restored. In the evening, red lanterns are hung out in the houses along the river. The red lights and the arch bridge are reflected in the river water, rippling gently, making you sigh: This is Suzhou.

When in Suzhou, you must see Suzhou Gardens. The more famous ones include the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Lion Grove Garden, and the Liuyuan Garden. Among them, the Humble Administrator's Garden is the representative of Suzhou's classical gardens and the first of the four famous gardens in China. The total area of ​​the park is about five hectares, which is only one-fiftieth of the size of the Summer Palace. However, it is also known as the mother of Chinese gardens and is listed on the World Cultural Heritage List, which shows how proud the design of the park is. .

The Humble Administrator's Garden was built in the early years of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty (early 16th century). Over its 500-year history, the Humble Administrator's Garden has had more than 30 owners. In addition to Wang Xianchen, the original owner who presided over the construction, later owners of the garden, including Li Xiucheng, the loyal king of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, all carried out major renovation and expansion projects and added details of decoration and minor repairs. This accumulated the largest existing garden in Suzhou today. A full view of the classical garden - Humble Administrator's Garden. But it is said that almost no official or wealthy person living in the Humble Administrator's Garden escaped the curse of being dismissed from office, having their property confiscated, or falling into ruin. Later generations had to conclude that it was because such a beautiful courtyard was only suitable for viewing from a distance, and staying in it was considered illegal. It was blasphemy, so there were more than thirty garden owners before and after, and no one was able to live in a miserable old age.

The whole garden is divided into three parts: east, middle and west. They are connected into one by water as a medium, and are interspersed with lush flowers and trees to separate each area into a complete and independent scenery. The most exciting part is the central area. All landscape designs are developed around Yuanxiang Hall, which is both the main building of the central area and the main building of the Humble Administrator’s Garden. It has two functions of extending outward and gathering inward in the landscape. Every move of hands and feet is a play, which can be said to be a scene with every step.

When you walk into the square-shaped gate of the Humble Administrator's Garden, the first scenic spot that catches your eye is a three-bay main hall hidden by the branches of two white-skinned ancient pines. This is the Humble Administrator's Garden. "Lan Xuetang". The word "Lan Xue" comes from a sentence by Li Bai in the Tang Dynasty, "In the independent world, the breeze scatters orchid snow." It symbolizes the noble sentiment of the owner, who is as free and unrestrained as the spring breeze and as clean as the orchid snow.

During the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty, the Humble Administrator's Garden was divided into two parts. The eastern part of the garden became the pastoral residence of Wang Xinyi, the minister, and Lanxue Hall is a scene in the garden. In those days, the place was full of flowers and trees, covered with balconies, full of guests, friends and guests, drinking and writing poems, and lingering here. Now there is still a plum blossom tree in full bloom, which reminds people of the old days when the moon was shining brightly and the literati gathered elegantly.

Entering the hall, you can see a large lacquer-carved screen in the middle. To the south is the "Panorama of the Humble Administrator's Garden", which is exquisite and beautiful. From the picture, the east, middle and west parts of the Humble Administrator's Garden are divided into Wall corridors are divided, and the garden styles are the same but different, each with its own merits.

The eastern layout is mainly composed of pinggang grassland, widely planted with flowers and trees, and equipped with mountains, ponds and pavilions. The space is open and has the characteristics of pine hills, mountain islands, bamboo docks and meandering water. The central part is the main body and essence of the whole garden. The winding water surface, various pavilions, bridges, corridors and pavilions, spacious and simple and elegant, make the garden "appear infinite and swaggering with endless spring." The buildings in the west are relatively dense. , the decoration is gorgeous and exquisite, which is different from the sparse ones in the east and central parts. The Humble Administrator's Garden is a private garden, so it is a combination of a house and a garden. The residence is located in the south of the garden, and the garden is scattered, flexible, and eclectic, emphasizing the pure natural beauty and the relationship between man and nature. Closeness and integration are a model creation of harmony between man and nature.

On the north side of the screen is a picture of green bamboo. According to the record of "Returning to the Garden and Living in the Fields" by Wang Xinyi, the owner of the garden, Lan Xuetang has "osmanthus trees on the east and west as screens, and behind it there are mountains like a picture, with plum blossoms planted vertically and horizontally. Besides the plum blossoms, there are bamboos, and the bamboos are neighbors, and the sound of Sanskrit sounds at dawn and dusk ", time comes from the bamboo", the environment is secluded. The extremely elegant paintings on the front and back make people stop here to discover and appreciate the rich connotation and ethereal beauty that the gardener gave to the Humble Administrator's Garden.

Standing by the lotus pond in the northeast of Lanxuetang, looking over you can see a building with a rolling shed built on the top of the water, which is the Furong Pavilion. The pavilion is a beautiful architectural form in ancient my country. It is built near the water based on the surrounding scenery and has flexible and changeable forms. Half of the Furong Pavilion is built on the shore, and half stretches out to the water. The spiritual space is suspended on the water waves. Standing by the water, it is beautiful and graceful. It is an excellent place to enjoy lotus flowers in the East Garden in summer.

The front of "Furong Pavilion" faces a pond of lotus (which can only be seen in the summer), and behind it is a high wall. The strong contrast between open on one side and closed on the other appropriately highlights the tranquility. atmosphere. The waterside pavilion in "Yiyuan" in Vancouver, Canada, is based on this design. If you walk to the door of Furong Pavilion and look to the west, you can see that the door frame of the waterside pavilion is equipped with a carved circular light shield. Through this circular light You can see the small bridge and flowing water in front of you, like a meticulous painting inlaid in a circular frame.

If you walk over and take a closer look, you can find a carved rectangular floor-to-ceiling cover installed on the door frame of this waterside pavilion. The river in front meanders, and many hibiscus plants are planted on both sides, drawing people in. Go into a peaceful, simple and natural realm. This is a common landscaping technique in Suzhou gardens, called "framed view". The owner of the park wants to use this technique to focus the guests' sights at the best angle, so as to achieve the most satisfactory effect when viewing. Frame scenery is a major feature of Suzhou garden architecture. Frame scenery can be seen in many buildings in the Humble Administrator's Garden. The scenery in the frame scenery is deliberately laid out by the designer, including the plants and buildings in the scenery. It is designed with themes, such as azaleas in spring, bamboo in summer, ginkgo in autumn, and plum blossoms in winter. The reflection pavilion is framed by the mountain pavilion opposite and the reflection in the lake, etc. It can be said that it is unique. ?

If to the east of the "Furong Pavilion", what we appreciate is mainly the simple beauty of natural beauty, then when we stand on the curved bridge facing the water pavilion in the west, we will be amazed at the beauty of the water pavilion. With rows of green willows and blooming flowers, the architecture of Furong Pavilion itself is elegant. The posture of the subject sitting calmly, with the corners yet flying lightly, the unity of contradictions in which the whole is extremely simple but the details are extremely sophisticated, wrote a wonderful preface to the Humble Administrator's Garden.

Walking through a crape myrtle lawn north of Furong Pavilion, you can see an octagonal pavilion with double eaves and pointed peaks standing majestically in the middle. This is the "Tianquan Pavilion". This Tianquan Pavilion has high eaves. The high cornices look like the tail of a phoenix, which is dynamic and beautiful, and is more conducive to lighting and ventilation. The exterior forms a cloister, which is solemn and simple, with sitting sills between the columns, surrounded by lawns and sparse flowers and trees.

The reason why the pavilion was named "Tianquan" is because there is an ancient well in the pavilion, which is said to be a relic of Dahong Temple in the Yuan Dynasty. The East Room of Dahong Temple was built by monk Yuze. There is a well in front of the room, which never dries up all year round. The water is clear and sweet, so it is called "Tianquan". At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the temple was destroyed, but Dongzhai still remained. The original owner of the garden bought the land including Dahong Temple and built this garden. Therefore, this ancient well, which has been flowing water for more than 700 years, can be said to be older than the Humble Administrator's Garden itself.

After passing the Tianquan Pavilion, you will see the spacious and bright four-sided hall located on the north wall of the garden, which is the Xiang Pavilion. "秫" refers to sticky rice and other grains, and "秫香" generally refers to the fragrance of grains. In ancient times, there were farmlands outside the walls here. During the harvest season, the autumn wind brought bursts of fragrance of grains, which was intoxicating. The fragrance of rice is the most pastoral feature and the most consistent with the theme of "returning to the countryside to live in the countryside". Therefore, when the garden owner Wang Xinyi in the Ming Dynasty built the garden, he once wrote: "You can look around from the building. Every time in summer and autumn, "Everyone is in the hope of planting rice in the fields." This is how the restaurant got its name.

The pastoral scene with fragrant flowers has been described in many literary works. The 60 poems "Pastoral Miscellany in Four Seasons" by Fan Chengda, a pastoral poet in the Song Dynasty, are the forerunners of pastoral songs of the four seasons. , among which there is "How can living in the world be like living in the mountains? New rice is forbidden to enter the city." Daoxiang Village in "A Dream of Red Mansions" is a typical example. The Xiangxiang Pavilion here is a combination of literary fiction and real scenes. The beautiful artistic conception is fascinating and gives people unlimited reverie. The scale of the Xiang Pavilion is much larger than that of an ordinary hall, and its scale is very consistent with the surrounding open garden. Facing the water and separated by mountains, the interior is spacious and bright. The 48 boxwood carvings on the long window skirt and the mezzanine board are exquisitely carved and rich in layers. They vividly represent ancient Chinese dramas and stories such as "The Romance of the West Chamber" and are lifelike. The decoration is simple and elegant, with a unique taste.

Wuzhu Residence is located at the east end of the central garden, adjacent to the "Yihong Pavilion". "Wuzhu Retreat" is the main viewing spot in the east of the central pool. It is a square pavilion with exquisite design and uniqueness. It is backed by a promenade, facing a wide pond, and planted with sycamores and green bamboos. The wonderful thing about the pavilion is that there are four circular openings in the white walls around it. The openings are in a circle, and the openings are within openings. From different angles, you can see the strange landscape of overlapping and interlaced circles, circles, and continuous circles. The four round doors are both transparent and elegant, forming a beautiful framed scene of four flower windows, small bridges, flowing water, lakes and mountains, and the clear charm of bamboos, embedding the scenery of Suzhou gardens throughout the year. The peach blossoms are red and willows are green in the south, the tender lotus sticks out in the west, the sycamores are in the autumn rain in the north, and the plum blossoms are in full bloom in the east, symbolizing eternity.

The plaque "Wuzhu Residence" in the pavilion is Wen Zhengming's handwriting. Hanging on both sides are the graceful official script couplets written by Zhao Zhiqian, a calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty, "Borrowing the cool breeze and the bright moon, watching the moving water and quietly watching the mountains." The couplet borrows the wind, moon, mountains and rivers of nature, reflecting the Confucian aesthetic psychology of "the wise enjoy water, the benevolent enjoy mountains" in "The Analects of Confucius? Yong Ye". The first couplet uses the clear breeze and bright moon to describe the infinite beauty of natural scenery, and the second couplet uses Leshan and water to reveal the role of garden beauty in cultivating sentiment. The contrast between movement and stillness, the virtual and the real, sublimates the landscape around the pavilion and reveals the humanistic connotation of the landscape. The fourteen simple words just highlight the restrained, meticulous, and stripped-down character of the Humble Administrator's Garden, while also saying everything It captures the characteristics of Wu culture in the south of the Yangtze River: the friendliness of the water town, the gentleness of Xiaojiabiyu and the extravagant tolerance in refinement. Everything is in the design, but no trace is left. It can be imagined that the conception was thorough, the calculation was precise, and the arrangement was reasonable.

There is a pool of clear water to the west of the Wuzhu Pavilion. Two small earthen islands in the east and west divide the pool surface and separate the north and south spaces. The hexagonal and pointed Waiting for Frost Pavilion is located on the earth mountain in the middle of the pond. It is named after the Tang Dynasty poet Wei Yingwu's sentence "I want to inscribe three hundred stones at the end of the book, and the Dongting must wait for the forest to be full of frost."

Citrus trees are planted all over the east and west mountains of Taihu Lake in Suzhou. With the frost in October, the citrus trees start to turn red and the mountains are covered with autumn colors. It is the best season in the south of the year. The name of the pavilion "Waiting for Frost" can arouse rich imagination. Orange trees are planted around the pavilion, which is the best place to appreciate the autumn colors.

"Snow Fragrance Yunwei Pavilion" is the highest point in the middle of the garden. Snow Fragrance refers to plum blossoms. Yunwei refers to the flourishing of flowers and trees. The pavilion is rectangular in shape and is located on the earth mountain in the west of the pool. It has a simple and light appearance. Plum blossoms are planted next to the pavilion, and the subtle fragrance floats. It is a good place to enjoy plum blossoms in early spring. It is the winter pavilion among the four pavilions. There are two plaques in the pavilion, "Snow Fragrance and Clouds" and "Among Mountain Flowers and Wild Birds", highlighting the surrounding green bamboo groves, lush forests, birds singing, and winding streams, which create a wild and wild artistic conception. There are also couplets written by Wen Zhengming on the pavilion pillars: "The noisy forest becomes quieter, and the bird-singing mountain becomes more secluded." This couplet is taken from the poem "Enter the Ruoye River" written by Liang Wang in the Southern Dynasties, using the idea of ​​sound in silence. , the artistic technique of using sound to express tranquility shows the garden artistic conception of static beauty.

Walking west from Xuexiangyunwei Pavilion, you will arrive at Hefeng Simen Pavilion for enjoying the summer scenery. This pavilion not only connects the north and south, but also divides the water area from east to west, making it a transportation hub in the central garden. It is connected to Konglang Liuyin Road in the west, where you can see the mountain tower, and in the south it is connected to Yiyuxuan. It is named because lotus flowers are planted all around. This is a hexagonal pointed pavilion, with a single eaves and raised corners, and a light shape. Weeping willows are planted all over the surrounding pond bank, and there is a plaque in the pavilion saying "Lotus Breeze Surrounds". There is a couplet in regular script on the east pillar, which reads: Lotus flowers on four walls and willow trees on three sides; half a pond of autumn water and one room of mountain. This is imitated from the famous couplet written by Liu Fenggao in the Lixia Pavilion of Daming Lake in Jinan, "Four sides are lotuses and three sides are willows, one city is filled with mountains and half is a lake". When you are there, you will feel the breeze blowing even if there is no wind, and you will imagine a pond full of lotus flowers even if you don't have flowers. Spring willows, summer lotuses, autumn water, and the reflection of the mountain in the pond in winter can be said to have scenery in all seasons, and the scenery is alternately virtual and real. The scenery is relevant to the topic and is the finishing touch of the plaque.

Walking past the Lotus Wind Pavilion and looking northward, you will see the Jianshan Tower, a pavilion built near the water. It is a two-story building. The upper floor is called "Jianshan Tower" because you can see the mountains in front of it. In Tao Yuanming's famous line "Pick chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely see Nanshan", the name of Jianshan Tower is taken from his poem, which reveals It embodies the leisurely and poetic mood of the gardener. The lower level is called "Lotus Pavilion", named after lotus flowers planted in the pond in front of the pavilion.

Looking from the north of the building, the Jianshan Tower is like a dragon's head, the climbing corridor is like a dragon's body, the corners are like a dragon's horns, the cave door is like a dragon's mouth, the curved bridge is like a dragon's whiskers, and the cloud wall is like a dragon's mouth. Became the dragon's tail. The shape of the dragon is related to the loyal king Li Xiucheng of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It is said that this was the office of the loyal king back then. The furnishings downstairs are simple and elegant, with a large writing desk and a grand master's chair in the middle, with coffee tables and backrests on both sides. It looks like King Zhong is planning a major military event with his generals.

This building is surrounded by water on three sides and overlooks the mountains in the southeast. The upper "Jianshan Building" has lithe shells and closed windows, the lower "Lotus Champs" has floor-to-ceiling windows, and the outer corridor along the water is equipped with the King of Wu's chair. This is also an excellent place to enjoy lotuses in summer. When you take a rest, you can watch the swimming fish up close, appreciate the lotus flowers in the middle, and in the distance, the picturesque scenery of the garden slowly unfolds before your eyes. In spring, the garden is full of fresh greenery and colorful purples and reds; in summer, the wind blows gently and the fragrance of lotus flowers bursts; in autumn, the reeds on the pond are blown by the wind, and the chill is bleak; in winter, the house is full of warm sunshine, and the snow scenery is pleasant.

Xiangzhou and the "Lotus Breeze Pavilion" face each other across the water. You can overlook it from Xiaofeihong across the water. Seen from a distance, "Xiangzhou" looks like a boat moored on the pond. When you are in it, you have the feeling of boating on the water. You can feel the owner's spiritual pursuit of wild sailing and physical and mental seclusion. This stone boat is composed of five typical garden buildings: small bridges, platforms, pavilions, waterside pavilions, and pavilions. The structural shape is unique: the small stone bridge is connected to the shore, like a springboard on the bow; The platform that extends into the water is open to the water on three sides and surrounded by elegant low railings, giving people the feeling of a terrace near the water. The ship is divided into three parts. The front cabin is a tall square pavilion with a high, open and elegant shape; the middle cabin is low, imitating a waterside pavilion, and the continuous window lattice on the half wall is simple and unpretentious; the aft cabin is the highest, imitating a pavilion, with two floors that can be climbed up Looking into the distance. The three parts are staggered in height and proportion, and complement the spacious and open landscape. ? Walking into Xiangzhou, you can see when you look up that the word "Xiangzhou" on the plaque is Wen Zhengming's handwriting. Taking the poetic meaning of "Fragrance floating on Du Ruozhou" by Xu Yuangu of the Tang Dynasty, the poem "The Songs of Chu" says: "If you pick up Du Ruo from Fragrance Island, you will give birth to a daughter."

Du Ruo is a vanilla, here the lotus is compared to a vanilla, which expresses the ideals and sentiments of the literati. In ancient times, vanilla was often used to describe noble people. Here, the lotus landscape is used as a metaphor for vanilla.

Among the many stone boats in Chinese classical gardens, Xiangzhou in the Humble Administrator's Garden can be regarded as the most beautiful one. Standing on the bow of the boat, the surroundings are open and bright, full of beautiful scenery, which is refreshing. The sun is scorching hot, but the wind blows here, making it cool and refreshing.

After leaving Yiyuxuan and walking along the winding corridor, you can reach Xiaofeihong on the corridor bridge. The railings of the bridge are cross-shaped in vermilion, and the reflection in the water is like a rainbow. When the breeze comes, the shadow of the bridge rises and falls, as if flying, hence the name "Little Flying Rainbow". The bridge above the blue waves divides the pool into two, making the pool appear more secluded and the water appear deeper. This is the only covered bridge in Suzhou gardens.

Xiao Canglang, Zhi Qing Yi Yuan and Jing Shen Pavilion are connected to the south of Xiao Fei Hong, forming a cool and quiet courtyard combination. Now it is designated as "Ya Shi Zhai", which focuses on displaying various types of ornamental stones such as Kunshi, Taihu Stone, Marble, Lingbi Stone, China's four famous stones, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the charm of stone culture.

The water surface in this area is characterized by its deep twists and turns. Looking north from the sill of Xiaocanglang, one can see the silhouettes of Xiangzhou and Yiyuxuan, the reflections of Hefeng Pavilion on all sides, and the scenery as far away as Jianshan Tower. It is the most layered view between the north and south in the central part of the garden. Where the scene is.

Yuanxiang Hall, the main building of the Central Garden. ? Yuanxiang Hall is surrounded by mountains and pools. It is three rooms wide and has long windows on all sides. It has no columns, is open and bright, has an exquisite structure, and faces water and mountains. It is a typical Jiangnan garden hall with a distinctive Ming Dynasty style. When Wang Xianchen first built the garden, this place was a Ruoshu Hall. The bluestone roof foundation and lotus-covered stone pillar foundations under the corridor still seem to be relics of the Ming Dynasty.

When you come to the south side of Yuanxiang Hall, you can see a plaque hanging in the middle of the hall with the three words "Yuanxiang Hall" on it. It is named after "The fragrance is far away and has a clear meaning" in Zhou Dunyi's "Ai Lian Shuo" in the Song Dynasty. The sentence "as clean as the lotus" has a lofty meaning. It is a portrayal of the character of Chinese literati who advocate elegance, keep themselves clean, use lotus to express their feelings, and use lotus to cheer up. "The lotus leaves touching the sky are infinitely green, and the lotus flowers are uniquely red when reflecting the sun." There are fields of lotus leaves in the North Pond of Summer Hall. The wind blows against your face and the fragrance is sent far away. It is the best place to appreciate lotus in the garden.

The furnishings in the hall are elegant and exquisite, with gorgeous and solemn Qing-style furniture and complicated carvings. The surroundings are decorated with long, transparent and exquisite glass floor-to-ceiling windows, with neat specifications and exquisite patterns. The window lattice is transparent, and the surrounding scenery is panoramic, like a long landscape scroll. On the southeast side of Yuanxiang Hall, there is a clear well with sweet water that never dries up for hundreds of years. It is said to be the 31st scene of the Humble Administrator's Garden, the "Jade Spring", which was inscribed by Wen Zhengming of the Ming Dynasty.

Looking around in Yuanxiang Hall, you will see blue waves near the water, mountain stone pavilions, and yellow stone rockeries. From the mountains and rocks in the distance to the faint water waves nearby, they form wonderful pictures. No matter in midsummer, severe winter, foggy morning, moonlit night, spring dawn or autumn evening, Yuanxiang Hall is the best place to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the four seasons in the garden. There is a peony garden in the east of the hall, a lotus pond in the north of the hall, and an osmanthus in the west. Lin, there is a yellow stone rockery in the south of the hall, with different scenery and different interests throughout the year.

In the central garden, in addition to the Frost-waiting Pavilion for enjoying the autumn scenery, the Snow Fragrant Cloud Pavilion for enjoying the winter scenery, and the Lotus Breeze Pavilion for enjoying the summer scenery, there are also spring peonies on the earth and stone mountain in the south of the pond. The blooming embroidered pavilion. This rectangular pavilion with three open sides and a white wall is elegant in shape. Xiuqi Pavilion also has a rectangular empty window on the wall to borrow the scenery. Climbing the pavilion and looking around, the scenery in the garden is as brilliant as brocade. You can not only overlook the beautiful mountain scenery in the north of the pool across the water, but also have a panoramic view of the spring red and summer green in the loquat garden. The Xiuqi Pavilion is the spring pavilion among the four pavilions for appreciating four-season plants in the central garden. Peonies are planted in the flower bed at the foot of the mountain. In March, the peonies are in full bloom, with the fragrance of jade beads, and are charming and charming. In addition, there are large maple poplars and century-old juniper trees on the mountain. Ancient and famous trees form a refreshing and elegant picture. The four pavilions in the central garden for admiring the seasonal beauty of plants give rise to the artistic conception of "the sceneries of the four seasons are different and the joy is endless", which is pleasing to the eye.

Songfengshui Pavilion is also known as "the place where you listen to the wind of pines". It is a place where you can watch pines and listen to the waves. This water pavilion has a pointed square roof, a closed space, and is entered and exited through a small door in the corridor. The remaining three sides adopt a half-wall and half-window structure.

The roof eaves are extremely large, and the cornices rise particularly high, showing a graceful, elegant and light style. The entire building does not follow a regular south-north direction, but is tilted at a 45-degree angle and lofted over the water. It is protected from the sun and ventilated, and is most suitable for viewing in summer. There are several black pine trees planted on the side of the pavilion. When the wind blows, the pine branches are swaying, and the pine waves sound. It is full of color and sound. It is a unique landscape.

The sound of the pine wind here is used to enhance the poetic and picturesque atmosphere of the garden. In the pavilion, there is a cursive plaque with the words "A Pavilion with Autumn Moon Roaring Pine Wind" written by the Qing Dynasty calligrapher Zha Shibiao, highlighting the full autumn moon here. In the water pavilion, the autumn wind blows into the ancient pines, the pine wind whistles, and the scenery is quiet and wonderful.

Pine, bamboo, and plum are known as the "three friends of winter" in traditional Chinese culture. Pine trees do not wither despite the cold and stay green all year round. The ancients described them as people with noble moral sentiments. The vigorous and clumsy posture of pine is often depicted in pictures, and it is also one of the main tree species in Chinese gardens.

The Reflection Building is located in the west of the Humble Administrator's Garden. It is a two-story building standing near the pond. The Reflection Tower and Yiliang Pavilion, facing each other across the water, use the water surface as a space to view each other. Looking south from the Reflection Tower, you can see Yiliang Pavilion nestled in the greenery. Looking from another angle from Yiliang Pavilion to the north, you can see the Reflection Tower reflected in the clear water. The two look at each other, showing the graceful beauty of Su-style gardens that change scenery with each step. Different directions give people different feelings of beauty, so it is named after Gao Pian's poem of the Tang Dynasty, "The tower reflects into the pond."

The downstairs floor is the "Wen Yi Shen Zhai", which was built by the owner of the garden to express his admiration for Wen Zhengming and Shen Zhou. Wen Zhengming and Shen Zhou were both famous calligraphers and painters in the Ming Dynasty. There are portraits of Wen Zhengming and Shen Zhou on the scroll stones embedded on the two walls of the room, as well as "Wang's Humble Administrator's Garden" written by Wen Zhengming. There are six ginkgo wood screen doors in the middle. The screen doors are carved with "Rootless Bamboo Pictures" and inscriptions by Zheng Banqiao, one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou. They are rare and precious masterpieces.

Fucui Pavilion is located on the mountain across the water to the northwest of Liting, and is the highest point in the whole garden. This is an octagonal, double-story building with windows on all sides, allowing you to look out from the pavilion. The so-called floating green means green water, green mountains and blue sky. A poem written by Su Shi of the Song Dynasty in "Hua Yin Ji Zi You" said: "Three peaks have passed the sky, and the sky is green, and the four rows of leaves look at the sun shining on the door." It means that after passing the three peaks by boat, the sky seems smaller, as if it is floating in the distance. On the green mountains; because the boat was moving, I looked at different window views through the windows on the boat. Unknowingly, the sun gradually tilted. This is the visual impression when looking up at the pavilion on the top of the mountain from the bottom of the mountain. It highlights the towering pavilion and its location on a hill with green trees. During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Fucui Pavilion was the watchtower of Prince Zhong's Mansion and a place where sentries stood guard. It was three stories high at the time, but was rebuilt to two stories during the garden restoration period.

Walking past Fucui Pavilion to the south, there is Liuting Pavilion, which faces a pond on two sides and has a platform in front. The name of the pavilion comes from the poetic meaning of "leaving lotuses to listen to the sound of rain" by Li Shangyin of the Tang Dynasty. In late autumn, when the rain hits the withered lotuses, you can lean on the railing here and listen to the sound of pitter-patter. This pleasant and clear sound on the water has a unique feeling of cold and desolate poetry. The flying cover and fan in the pavilion are carefully and exquisitely carved, making it the most beautifully decorated building in the garden. The flying cover is hollowed out from ginkgo wood and decorated with patterns of pine, bamboo, plum and bird. The composition is well-proportioned and the technique is exquisite. It embodies the meaning of "three friends when the weather is cold, and joy is on the eyebrows". The cloud dragon pattern on the fan is a relic from the palace of Prince Zhong of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. On the front of the pattern, a three-clawed dragon stares angrily, lifelike, surrounded by clouds and mist, and the shape is very vivid. To the south of Liuting Pavilion is a platform facing the water. Along the stream, you can see the Pavilion. The far-reaching smoke waves form a wonderful contrast with the Pavilion, and you can see each other's reflections in the water.

Along the path, you can see a pavilion like an unfolded folding fan under the cover of trees. This is the very unique "who is sitting with you". The pavilion is built along the water, and the pavilion is cleverly built into a fan shape. Looking from a distance, you can see that the roof, door, window opening, stone table, stone bench, ceiling, lampshade, plaque on the wall, and half column are all shaped like a fan. , so it is also called "Fan Pavilion". Su Dongpo wrote the poem "Who are you sitting with? The bright moon, the breeze, me", hence the name "Who are you sitting with?" It shows the aloof temperament of the garden owner who is connected with the landscape and desires transcendence.

The unique structure also gives this "Whose Pavilion I'm Sitting with" a unique perspective? The water in front echoes the half-pavilion with a different cave sky. Looking from the fan-shaped empty window in the pavilion, the Li Pavilion In the frame, an unintentional picture is formed; looking inside and outside the door frames on both sides of the pavilion, one side faces the Thirty-Six Yuanyang Pavilion, and the other side can see the reflection of the wave center in the reflection tower. Being in it is full of interest. People in the pavilion can lean on the railings and enjoy a 270-degree view, and they can also become the scene in the painting.

The most interesting thing is to stand on the water corridor across the water from the Xuan and look back. The fan-shaped roof of the Xuan is just connected with the top of the Li Pavilion on the hill behind, cleverly forming an inverted large folding fan. The dome of the Li Pavilion is the handle, the ridge tiles on the pavilion are the fan bones, and the roof of the pavilion with whomever is sitting is the fan surface. This kind of layout that uses the roofs of pavilions and pavilions to form a complete folding fan is a pictographic and freehand space processing technique that breaks through the ordinary style and is unique.

The main buildings of the Western Garden of the Humble Administrator's Garden are the Thirty-six Mandarin Duck Pavilion and the Eighteen Mandala Pavilion. This hall is a kind of mandarin duck hall in ancient architecture. It looks like a building from the outside, but inside, partitions and hangings are used to divide the hall into south and north parts. The beams are made of flat ones on one side and round ones on the other. , which seems to be formed by merging the north and south entrance halls. The Eighteen Mandala Flower Pavilion in the south is suitable for keeping warm in winter and spring, while the Thirty-six Mandarin Duck Pavilion in the north is suitable for enjoying lotuses and enjoying the coolness in summer.

Chinese classical gardens are concentrated residences,