拙政园

The Lotus Pavilion
The Lotus Pavilion is a waterside pavilion with a parabolic roof and outstretched eaves. As a waterside structure, half of the pavilion is on the bank while the other half, supported by several stone pillars, projects over the pond. Facing an expanse of water, the pavilion is an ideal place for tourists to view lotuses in blossom in summer. Along the banks are a long line of slim willows, and in the pond stand the graceful lotuses.
深泉无声亭影怜
The Hall of Millet Fragrance
In the north of the eastern section sits the Hall of Millet Fragrance. The spacious five-bay structure has a light and clear-cut look. In the past there were paddy rice fields outside the garden’s enclosing walls, and the Chinese character “shu” in the name refers to the rice in south of the Yangtze River. Therefore, it suggests that, sitting in the hall, the owner could enjoy the delightful scent of the ripe rice
The Far Away Looking Pavilion
Main Scenic Spots
1. 兰雪堂 The Hall of Orchid and Snow 2. 芙蓉榭 3. 天泉亭 4. 秫香馆 The Lotus Pavilion The Celestial Spring Pavilion The Hall of Millet Fragrance The House of Sweet- Smelling Rice The Far Away Looking Pavilion The All Blue Pavilion
General Layout
Covering 51,950 sq.m,the Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest of all classical gardens in Suzhou . It is centered upon the broad expanse of a pond, making up about one fifth of the total area. With well spaced buildings, the garden landscape and water scape are simple, extensive and natural, possessing the traditional appearance of the Ming Dynasty. It consists of four parts: the eastern, central, western parts and a dwelling quarter. The dwelling quarter is filled with typical Suzhou architectures which used to be residential houses for the administrator and his family, which now serves as the e x h i b i t i on h a l l s o f t he M u s e u m o f t h e Ga r d e n s . As a gem of the gardens in the area south of the Yangtze River and a masterpiece of the Ming-style gardens, The Humble Administrator's Garden retains various artistic forms such as painting,calligraphy,architecture, carving and gardening,reflecting the great influence of the profound Chinese culture and traditional arts.
Honors
全国重点文物保护单位 Cultural Relics of National Importance under the Protection of the State 全国特殊游览参观点 Special Tourist Attraction of China 国家AAAA级旅游景区 National Tourist Attraction of Grade AAAA 世界文化遗产 World Cultural Heritage
5. 放眼亭 6. 涵青亭
The Hall of Orchid and Snow
清 独 风 洒 兰 雪 间 地 天 立
Though small in size, the hall has three bays in width. A screen in the very middle of the central bay cuts the space into two halves. On the southern side of the screen is the lacquer carving “ A Panoramic View of the Humble Administrator’s Garden” which helps the visitor to acquire a general idea about the layout and scenic spots. With a stress on fragrance and purity of the orchid and snow, the name connotes the owner’s morality and noble character. The former owner Wang Xinyi often invites his scholarly friends to chant poems or verses in the hall.
Eastern Section
The east section lies directly inside the main entrance. On the west is a hill with lush green trees , surrounded by zigzagging waters on all sides. A large area of lawn and a number of hills and pools are integrated with the buildings. The eastern garden is spacious in layout while the environment there is open and fresh, which is indeed an excellent work of Suzhou gardens.The scenic spots keep comfortable distances from one another to impress the visitor with both the natural beauty and t h e a r t i s t i c d e l i c a c y.
The Celestial Spring Pavilion
At the center of the lawn stands the Celestial Spring Pavilion, a double-eave structure with an octagonal roof. It accomodates in the center of its floor an ancient well named the Celestial Spring ,which is older than the Ming garden. Hence the name of the pavilion.
History
The Humble Administrator's Garden was originally built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was initially a private garden of a former government official named Wang Xianchen. It was said he intended to build a garden after retirement and just do some gardening work like planting trees and vegetables there, which was said to be the life of a humble man by him. Hence is the name of the garden. The garden was built upon the sites of the old residence of the Tang-dynasty scholar Lu Guimeng and the Yuan-dynasty Dahong Temple. It is a treasure house of arts of architecture, calligraphy, carving, painting, and bonsai. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1997.