The Canglang Pavilion (; Suzhou Wu: Tshaon laon din, ), variously translated as the Great Wave Pavilion, Surging Wave Pavilion, or Blue Wave Pavilion, is one of the Classical Gardens of Suzhou that are jointly recognized as a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

. It is located at 3 Canglangting Street in

Suzhou, Jiangsu Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trad ...

China.

History

The Canglang Pavilion was built in 1044 CE by the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

poet Su Shunqin (1008–1048), on the site of a pre-existing imperial flower garden c 960 CE. It is the oldest of the

gardens in Suzhou, keeping its original Song dynasty layout.Suzhou, 2009 The name is derived from a verse in the poem ''

Fishermen A fisher or fisherman is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishers and fish farmers. Fishers may be professional or recreati ...

'' by

Qu Yuan Qu Yuan ( – 278 BCE) was a Chinese poet and politician in the State of Chu during the Warring States period. He is known for his patriotism and contributions to classical poetry and verses, especially through the poems of the '' ...

(ca. 340 BCE-278 BCE), a poet from the southern state of Chu during the

Warring States period The Warring States period () was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the Qin wars of conquest ...

, in his book '' Songs of the South'', "If the Canglang River is dirty I wash my muddy feet; If the Canglang River is clean I wash my ribbon".Yuan, 2004 This verse alludes to an honest official who removes himself from politics rather than act in a corrupt manner. Su Shunqing choose this to express his feelings after his removal from office. After his death the garden passed through many owners and fell into disuse until 1696 CE when it was restored by Song Luo, the governor of Jiangsu Province. In 1827 ownership was transferred to governor

Tao Zhu Tao Zhu (; 16 January 1908 – 30 November 1969) was a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party . Biography Born in Qiyang, Hunan, Tao Zhu was Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee and Commander of the ...

and again in 1873 ownership was transferred to governor Zhang Shusheng. In 1955 the garden was opened to the public and in 2000 it was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Monuments.

Design

The 1.6 ha garden is divided into two main sections. The garden is sited on a branch of the Fengxi Stream which forms a lotus pond. The garden has 108 windows each one with a unique design.

References

Citations

Sources

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External links

Classical Gardens of Suzhou

's official website on