Suzhou - Zhuo Zheng Yuan (Humble Administrator's Garden) 蘇州 - 拙政園

One could call  Zhuo Zheng Yuan - Humble Administrator's Garden, "representative" of the Jiang Su style gardens in China.  It is generally referred to as one of the four great Chinese Gardens.

The work on Humble Administrator's Garden started in 1510, by a retired Imperial Envoy and poet of the Ming Dynasty, Wang Xiancheng.  Wang worked together with the renowned artist, Wen Zhengming 文徵明, reflecting upon the hermit lifestyle which Wang longed to lead, much in the same manner as Tao Yuanming 陶淵明.

Humble Administrator's Garden carries a theme of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and has pavilions and scenic spots arranged around the 4 seasons.  Physically the garden is divided into the East, Middle and West Gardens - all together the garden is about 13.4 hectares.  Humble Administrator's Garden was inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.

Humble Administrator's Garden has such fame (together with the famous novel written in 1759, Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢 by Cao Zueqin 曹雪芹, making reference to the garden as its backdrop), I had high expectations.  The gardens were beautiful, and rich with techniques of garden making, but we did not find much clues regarding architecture and its interrelation with nature; more so because of the garden's vast dimension, "architecture" and "garden" tend to be quite stand-off-ish from each other.

entry gate of Humble Administrator's Garden

this is my favourite place in the garden. The way the corridor touches the water is so delicate and beautiful, not only pleasant to look at, but interesting to walk upon

the corridor then climbs up to reach the pavilion gently, wraps itself around as if supported by the Taihu rocks...

More readings on Humble Administrator's Garden:

TAO - Terebess Asia Online

Wangjianshuo's blog

Wikipedia

Suzhou Museum - I M Pei

After seeing -and impressed by- many of the gardens in Suzhou (see HERE), I had high hopes for I M Pei's Suzhou Museum.  Especially having seen his Luce Memorial Chapel in Taiwan.

The Suzhou Museum is all about modern interpretation of the traditional methods utilised in Chinese garden-making.  Whilst the Suzhou Museum employs some of the techniques and elements - such as pond, rockery, diminishing of perspectives, view borrowing...and more..... - the entry, the first point one encounters, already makes a very Westernised decision by exposing people directly to the view beyond.

Beautiful building..... but the liveliness and strength evident in Luce Chapel was nowhere be found.

at the entry forecourt to the museum. sophisticated proportion and material selection was very calming

entry forecourt

automatic doors to entry airlock, when closed, formed some interesting illusional effect together with the oriental suggestion by utilising the circles.

entry porch. when the doors opened (comparing the last photo) the view was taken through the building, directly to the view outside the building opposite the entry. Which was something quite so contradicting to the traditional Chinese garden philosophy - which is suggestive, and a lot of play with imagination by manipulating what is shown and disguised. The moment these doors opened the build-up on approaching the building was instantly questioned.

inside of the museum.  beautiful skylight effects.

looking directly up at one of the skylights

ceiling detail inside the museum gallery rooms. lined fully with timber, the gallery rooms were warm and and elaborated, formed a strong contrast to the architecture itself.

window element reminiscent of the traditional gardens

view of the entry building from the internal courtyard

internal courtyard with formal elements of pond, bridge, and rockery. Can you see the difference comparing with other gardens such as Huan Xiu Shan Zhuang (“Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty”) or Master of Nets Garden?   By the way one has to cross the bridge to circulate from one side to the other side of the Museum.

More reading on Suzhou Museum:

Suzhou Museum official site

Wangjiangshuo's blog

World Architecture News

Suzhou - Huan Xiu Shan Zhuang 蘇州 - 環秀山莊

Can I be more impressed by ancient wisdom and mastery?

Huan Xiu Shan Zhuang ("Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty") is a tiny garden.  In fact it is a part garden remained after partially demolished.  It is located inside the Embroidery Museum, and when I was lost on my way there, no locals (including taxi driver) could help me with direction because they have never heard of it.  But I am speechless.

Wikipedia has a good summary of a description, probably the best I would be able to phrase it to someone who has never been:

The 2,180 m² garden is composed along a linear axis with three main elements: a grotto called Autumn Hill, and Flying Snow Pool, fed by a waterfall called Flying Snow Spring, and a main hall. The rock work in this garden displays every technique and effect used in Chinese gardens. In addition, it is a recreation of the five important mountains of China, and shows a mastery of creating a sense of vast space in a small area.

The rockery within the garden is the work of Ge Yuliang (戈裕良), some nicknamed "Master of Rockery" in China.  Although the Garden itself could be dated back to Jin Dynasty (around 300CE), it was  Ge's involvement with the rockery in 1807CE set the garden's reputation.  The garden was inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.

Suzhou - CangLang (Surging Wave) Pavilion 蘇州 - 滄浪亭

"If the Canglang River is dirty I wash my muddy feet; If the Canglang River is clean I wash my ribbon" - The owner of the Canglang Pavilion quoted this verse from Songs of the South and derived the name of the garden he resided in after the his removal from office.  The verses alluded to the manner in politics - one rather be honest and be removed from office rather than behave in corrupted manner to fit in.

Canglang Pavilion was built in 1044 CE.  It is the oldest garden with literature, recording its existence back from Tang Dynasty.  Due to its longggggg history, there were 32 essays written about the Pavilion, rendering it one of best recorded garden.  It was once "flattened" during Civil War, and rebuilt to re-establish its "outlook" (not the actual building fabric as such).  Canglang Pavilion was incribed on UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000.

If "man-made nature" was an abrupt summary of Chinese Garden philosophy, then Canglang Pavilion could be representing just that.  The critical mass of "time" the garden has encapsulated can be experienced in every corner, with all vegetation taking its own shape and form, whether or not originally intended.  I am curious to know, to what extent was the current form of the garden "designed"?  What is distinguishing between the "intended" and "unintended"? Maybe it is not important.