Suzhou Garden in China

1. Classical Gardens of Suzhou
A group of gardens in Suzhou region, Jiangsu province, China

2. Index
• Group Introduction
• Introduction about Suzhou garden
• List of Gardens
• Map
• History
• UNESCO
• Details about Gardens
• Conclusion

3. Group Introduction
Md Lutfur Rahman
[201839080026]
Monir_Akash
[201839080029]
Dipu Roy
[201839080005]
Md Rashidul_Rajib
[201839080021]

4. Introduction
Classical Chinese garden design, which seeks to
recreate natural landscapes in miniature, is
nowhere better illustrated than in the nine
gardens in the historic city of Suzhou. They are
generally acknowledged to be masterpieces of
the genre. Dating from the 11th-19th century, the
gardens reflect the profound metaphysical
importance of natural beauty in Chinese culture
in their meticulous design.

5. List of Gardens
Humble Administrator’s
Garden
Lingering Garden
Master of the Nets Garden
Mountain Villa with Embracing
Beauty
Couple’s Retreat Garden
Garden of Cultivation
Great Wave Pavilion
Lion Grove Garden
Retreat & Reflection
Garden

6. Map of
Suzhou
Gardens

7. History
Suzhou, a city to the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, enjoys a
worldwide reputation for its delicate and classical gardens. Most of the gardens were
built for private use by aristocrats and rich businessmen and date back to the sixth
Century BC. Their design went through an active period during the Ming Dynasty
(1368-1644). By the time of the latter years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a large
number of classical gardens were spread across Suzhou as well as its suburbs. Ten of
them are still in a good state of preservation, including the Humble Administrator's
Garden (Zhuo Zheng Yuan), the Lingering Garden (Liu Yuan), the Master of Nets
Garden (Wang Shi Yuan), the Villa with Embracing Beauty (Huanxiu Mountain Villa),
the Canglang Pavilion (Blue Wave Pavilion), the Lion Grove Garden (Shizilin), the
Garden of Pleasance (Yi Garden), the Couple's Retreat Garden (Ou Yuan) and others.
The first four of these exhibit a typical character of classical gardens such as structure,
style, cultural attainment, aesthetics and arrangement of the furniture. For this reason
they have been included in UNESCO's World Heritage List since the end of 1997.

8. World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area which is chosen by the UNESCO as having
cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance, and is legally protected by
international treaties. The sites are judged important to the collective interests of humanity.
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou are a group of gardens in Suzhou region, Jiangsu province,
China, which have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The elegant aesthetics and subtlety of these scholars' gardens and their delicate style and
features are often imitated by various gardens in other parts of China, including the various
Imperial Gardens, such as those in the Chengde Mountain Resort. According to UNESCO, the
gardens of Suzhou "represent the development of Chinese landscape garden design over
more than two thousand years," and they are the "most refined form" of garden art.

9. Details about Gardens
Eulogized as one of the Four Most Famous Gardens of
China (the other three are Summer Palace of Beijing,
Imperial Summer Villa of Chengde and Lingering Garden of
Suzhou), the Humble Administrator’s Garden is the largest
as well as the most famed in Suzhou and contains almost all
the features of classical Suzhou gardens. Has been
inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997,
One of the Classical Gardens of China, Lingering
Garden of Suzhou is celebrated for ingenious layout
of architectures and a great deal of rare rocks. It was
inscribed in the first batch of cultural relics
protected under the nation in 1961 and in the
World Heritage List in 1997.

10. The Garden of Master-of-the-Net is the one with
most artistic features and cultural values. It is a
typical private garden composed by residence and
gardening. Listed as the protected cultural site under
the province in 1963 and under the state in 1982, the
garden was recognized as a World Heritage Site in
1997.
Occupying 2,000 square meters, Mountain Villa with
Embracing Beauty integrates the traditional art of
buildings, garden, sculpture, literature and lime-
carving together. There is no good scenery out the
garden could be borrowed, so it is rather difficult to
garden. However, the gardener place stress on piling
rockery. The Lake Stone Rockery which displays every
technique and effect used in Chinse gardens is
referred as the treasure of rockeries.

11. The Couple Garden is surrounded by the river on its
three sides. The whole garden contains the East
Garden and West Garden which represent an
affectionate couple living there in seclusion. Yellow
Stone Rockeries in the East Garden is the theme of the
Couple Garden. The imposing rockeries in the garden
can be compared with the real mountains.
The Garden of Cultivation is a small-scale mountain
and water garden with an aesthetic design of Ming
Dynasty style. Unlike other gardens in Suzhou, most
of the owners of this garden are learned and
cultured schoolers who always sought a
sequestered and artless life. Therefore, the Garden
of Cultivation enjoys clear composition with
elements of elegance and simplicity, never being
stuck-up or gorgeous.

12. Conclusion
Tracing back to the 11th century ago, Suzhou gardens
reflect the deep focus on natural beauty. With
meticulous design, they succeed in recreating natural
landscape in miniature. Apart from scenery of
“Mountain and Water”, the profound Chinese history
and culture are also inlaid in the gardens. In the
classical gardens of Suzhou, even the flowers, grasses,
bricks and stones are telling the happiness, pity and
sorrow in the long history.