Couple's Retreat Garden (;
Suzhou Wu: Ngeu yoe, ) located in
Suzhou
Suzhou is a major prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province, China. As part of the Yangtze Delta megalopolis, it is a major economic center and focal point of trade and commerce.
Founded in 514 BC, Suzhou rapidly grew in size by the ...
city,
Jiangsu
Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...
province,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
is a famous classical Chinese garden. It is recognized with other classical
Suzhou gardens
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou (; Suzhou dialect, Suzhounese (Romanization of Wu Chinese, Wugniu): ''sou1-tseu1 yoe2-lin2'') are a group of gardens in the city of Suzhou, in Jiangsu, China, which have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. ...
as a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.
History
The original garden was built by Lu Jin, prefect of Baoning district, in 1874. It was purchased by Shen Bingcheng, the magistrate of
Susong. who rebuilt it in its current form. He also changed the name to the Couple's Garden Retreat. This name refers to the garden's two parts and alludes to a couple. It is recognized with other classical
Suzhou gardens
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou (; Suzhou dialect, Suzhounese (Romanization of Wu Chinese, Wugniu): ''sou1-tseu1 yoe2-lin2'') are a group of gardens in the city of Suzhou, in Jiangsu, China, which have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. ...
as a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.
Design
The 0.33 ha garden is divided into an east and west section by the residential core in the middle; an unusual composition for a classical garden.
[Suzhou, 2009] The eccentric design is continued in the form and details of many of the garden buildings, especially the Taoism Tower. The garden is located in the intersection of canals and is surrounded by water on three sides. It is accessible directly from the canal by boat. The West garden is composed of several structures grouped around a small grotto and a Library annex. It is structurally joined to the central residence. East Garden is the main garden of the complex. It consists of a grotto and pond ringed by a covered walkway that connects the structures. A smaller fruit orchard annex is attached.
File:Couple garden unknown structure one.jpg, Couple's Porch
See also
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Chinese garden
The Chinese garden is a landscape garden style which has evolved over three thousand years. It includes both the vast gardens of the Emperor of China, Chinese emperors and members of the imperial family, built for pleasure and to impress, and t ...
*
Suzhou
Suzhou is a major prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province, China. As part of the Yangtze Delta megalopolis, it is a major economic center and focal point of trade and commerce.
Founded in 514 BC, Suzhou rapidly grew in size by the ...
Notes
References
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External links
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Classical Gardens of Suzhou UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
's official website on
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.
Couple's Garden Retreatat Asian Historical Architecture.
{{Classical Gardens of Suzhou
Classical Gardens of Suzhou
Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Jiangsu