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Suzhou gardens
The document provides an overview of classical gardens in Suzhou, China. It notes that there are over 100 gardens in Suzhou, and the author has visited around a dozen. The gardens of Suzhou are considered representative of Chinese classical gardens overall, and have influenced garden design in other places. Key elements discussed include the use of rockeries, ponds with running water, carefully arranged plants, and an emphasis on creating perfect picturesque scenes from any viewpoint within the gardens.
Suzhou gardens
- 2. 苏州园林据说有一百多处， It is saidthere are more than one hundred classical gardens in Suzhou, China;
- 3. 我 到 过 的 我 不 到 过 过 的 十 不 多 过 处 十 多。 处 。 I had But I visited a dozen of them… them only had only visited a dozen of
- 4. …and some inother places. 其他地方的园林我也到过一些。
- 5. 倘若要我说说总的印象，我觉得苏州园林是我国各地园林的标本， As to mygeneral impression, I think that Suzhou garden is a representative for all classical gardens in China.
- 6. 晋祠 Jinci garden,Shanxi Province 各地园林或多或少都受到苏州园林的影响。 Gardens in other places have more or less been influenced by Suzhou.
- 7. 因此，谁如果要鉴赏我国的园林，苏州园林就不该错过。 Therefore, one wholikes to appreciate Chinese classical garden, Suzhou is the first option.
- 8. 各设 各计 不者 同和 。匠 师 们 因 地 制 宜 ， 自 出 心 裁 ， 修 建 成 功 的 园 林 当 然 Taking measures suited to the local conditions, garden designers and craft masters carried out their project with their own conception. A successfully built garden is certainly different to another.
- 9. 可是苏州各个园林在不同之中有个共同点，似乎设计者和 匠师们一致追求的是：务必使游览者无论站在哪个点上， 眼前总是一幅完美的图画。 It seemed asif all garden designers and craft masters pursued a fundamental idea: no matter where a tourist stands, there would always be a perfect and aesthetical picture in his sight.
- 10. 布为 局了 ，达 到 这 个 目 的 ， 他 们 讲 究 亭 台 轩 榭 的 To achieve their goal, they were fastidious about the arrangement of pavilion, platform, veranda and pavilion terrace,
- 11. 合讲 ，究 假 山 池 沼 的 配 fastidious about the combination of rockery and pond,
- 12. 讲究花草树木的映衬， fastidious about thefoil of flowers, grass and trees,
- 13. 讲究近景远景的层次。 and fastidious aboutthe arrangement of distant view and nearby view.
- 14. 总之，一切都要为构成完美的图画而存在，决不容许有欠美伤美的败笔。 To sum up,all elements in a classical garden would be used to create a perfect and aesthetical painting without any defeat.
- 15. 图园而他 中里他们 ”，们惟 的没的愿 。有 成 游 一绩览 个实者 不现得 心了到 里他“ 想们如 着的在 口愿画 头望图 说，中 着游” “览的 如者美 在来感 画到， They only wished visitors would obtain an aesthetical perception as if they had been to a picture; and their achievement had realized their wish. No one who had come to a Suzhou Garden wouldn’t think or speak ‘as if they had walked through a picture’.
- 16. 我国的建筑，从古代的宫殿到近代的一般住房，绝大部分是对称的，左边怎么样，右边也 怎么样。 Chinese architectures, from ancient palace to modern residence, most of them are symmetrical; what the left part is, so do the right part.
- 17. 苏州园林可绝不讲究对称，好像故意避免似的。 But Suzhou gardensdon’t stress symmetry at all. It seems as if they had deliberately prevented symmetrical arrangement.
- 18. 东边有了一个亭子或者一道回廊，西边决不会来一个同样的亭 子或者一道同样的回廊。 If thereis a pavilion or a corridor at east, there would never be a similar one at west.
- 19. 趣画这 ，，是 是不为 不是什 讲美么 究术 ? 对画我 称，想 的而， 。园用 林图 是画 美来 术比 画方 ，， 美对 术称 画的 要建 求筑 自是 然图 之案 Why? Take painting for analogizing, symmetrical architecture is a pattern drawing, but classical garden is an aesthetic painting. Aesthetical painting requires natural delight, not symmetry.
- 20. 苏 州 园 林 里 都 有 假 山 和 池 沼 。 There must be rockery and pond in Suzhou classical gardens.
- 21. 假山的堆叠，可以说是一项艺术而不仅是技术。 It may bedescribed rockery pilling is rather an art than a technical work.
- 22. 游在或 览乎者 者设是 攀计重 登者峦 的和叠 时匠嶂 候师， 忘们或 却生者 苏平是 州多几 城阅座 市历小 ，，山 只胸配 觉中合 得有着 身邱竹 在壑子 山，花 间才木 。能， 使全 May be range upon range of mountains, may be several small hills assorted with bamboo, flowers and trees, it depends on designer and craft master’s rich experience and magnanimity, which enable tourists to forget Suzhou city during, and to feel as if they have stayed among mountains.
- 23. 至于池沼，大多引用活水。 As to ponds,most of them introduce running water.
- 24. 有些园林池沼宽敞，就把池沼作为全园 的中心，其他景物配合着布置。 Some garden’s pond is quite broad; it is then taken as the center of the whole garden, assorted with other sceneries.
- 25. 水面假如成河道模样，往往安排桥梁。 If the shapeof the water surface likes a stream, bridge is usually installed.
- 26. 假如安排两座以上的桥梁，那就一座一个样，决不雷同。 If there aretwo bridges or more, the bridge style should be different to each other; no similar bridge would be installed.
- 27. 为然池 了。沼 取还或 得在河 从那道 各儿的 个布边 角置沿 度几很 看块少 都玲砌 成珑齐 一的整 幅石的 画头石 的，岸 效或， 果者总 。种 是 些高 花低 草屈 ：曲 这任 也其 是自 Stone bank at pond or stream edge is seldom to be piled neatly; it is always piled curvedly in varied height as natural. Several exquisite stones may be laid there with some planted flowers and grass, in order to obtain an effect that the sight would become a beautiful picture viewed from any angle.
- 28. 池沼里养着金鱼或各色鲤鱼， There are goldenfish and carp with different color bred in pond.
- 29. 夏秋季节荷花或睡莲开放， Lotus flowers andwater lily would be blossoming in summer.
- 30. 游览者看“鱼戏莲叶间”，又是入画的一 景。 The sight-‘fishesswimming among lily leaves’ is also an excellent scenery for painting.
- 31. 这生苏 就姿州 一。园 年落林 四叶栽 季树种 不与和 感常修 到绿剪 寂树树 寞相木 。间 也 ，着 花眼 时在 不画 同意 的。 多高 种树 花与 树低 相树 间俯 ，仰 Tree plantation and trimming of Suzhou gardens would also focus on the mood for a picture. Bended or lifting, tall and short trees are mingled together to appear their lively posture. Hardwoods and evergreens are planted neighborly, and so do the flowers of different blossom seasons; so they would be never lonely all the year round.
- 32. 树没 ：有 因修 为剪 依得 据像 中宝 国塔 画那 的样 审的 美松 观柏 点， 看没 ，有 这阅 是兵 不式 足似 取的 的道 。旁 No pine or cypress would be trimmed as a pagoda; no trees would be planted along a path as a parade; it is not preferable from Chinese aesthetical judgment.
- 33. 有几个园里有古老的藤萝，盘曲嶙峋的枝干 就是一幅好画。开花的时候满眼的珠光宝 气，使游览者感到无限的繁华和欢悦，可是 没法说出来。 There are ancient wisterias in some gardens; the flexed and bony branch itself is an excellent topic of a painting. It seems as if bedecked in jewels in blossom season. Visitors would fell an inexpressible sense of prosperous and joy.
- 34. 游览苏州园林必然会注意到花墙和廊子。有墙壁 隔着，有廊子界着，层次多了，景致就见得深 了。 To visit Suzhou garden, visitors would inevitably pay attention to lattice walls and corridors. There are walls for partitioning and corridors for setting boundary; and thus the view depth would increase with increasing of the arrangement.
- 35. 实可 际是 是墙 隔壁 而上 不有 隔砖 ，砌 界的 而各 未式 界镂 ，空 因图 而案 更， 增廊 加子 了大 景多 致是 的两 深边 度无 But there are carved pierce works of different pattern on the wall and most corridors 。 所 are supported by columns only. As a matter of fact, the partition has not kept 依 傍 partitioned and the boundary has not set a boundary; it would further increase the 的 view depth. ，
- 36. 有几个园林还在适当的位置装上一面大镜子，层次就更多了，几乎可以说把整个园林翻了 一番。 Some gardens haveput a large mirror at a suitable position; so the sight depth would become more and the garden scenery almost to be doubled.
- 37. 游览者必然也不会忽略另外一点，就是苏州 园林在每一个角落都注意图画美。 Visitors would notignore that Suzhou gardens pay attention to sight beauty at every nook and corner.
- 38. 阶 砌 旁 边 栽 几 丛 书 带 草 。 There are bundles of book wrapping grass (popular name of Ophiopogon Japonicas or Mondo) planted along a step way;
- 39. 墙 上 蔓 延 着 爬 山 虎 或 者 蔷 薇 木 香 。 mountain climbing tiger (popular name of ivy) is climbing up a wall.
- 40. 竿如 竹果 子开 或窗 几正 棵对 芭着 蕉白 。色 墙 壁 ， 太 单 调 了 ， 给 补 上 几 It may be too monotony if an opened window is just opposing a white wall, several bamboo or palm trees would be added.
- 41. 诸如此类，无非要游览者即使就极小范围的局部看，也能得到美的享受。 Such andsuch would simply enable visitors to enjoy beauty even viewing a local and minute space.
- 42. 苏州园林里的门和窗，图案设计和雕镂琢磨功夫都是工艺美术的上品。 Pattern design andcarving skill of doors and windows inside of Suzhou gardens are all top art crafts;
- 43. 大致说来，那些门和窗尽量工细而决不庸俗，即使简朴而别具匠心。 all of themwere worked with great care and never be vulgar; showing an ingenuity craftsmanship even if the work was simple and frugal.
- 44. 四扇，八扇，十二扇，综合起来看，谁都要赞叹这是高度 的图案美。 Looking at a four, eight or twelve-leaf door or window, everyone would praise its beautiful pattern design.
- 45. 摄影家挺喜欢这些门和窗，他们斟酌着光和影，摄成称心满意的照片。 Photographers like themmost; they consider light and shadow to catch satisfactory photos.
- 46. 苏 州 园 林 与 北 京 的 园 林 不 同 ， 极 少 使 用 彩 绘 。 Different to Beijing classical gardens, Suzhou gardens are seldom to use color drawing.
- 47. 梁 和 柱 子 以 及 门 窗 大 多 漆 广 漆 ， 那 是 不 刺 眼 的 颜 色 。 Most of the beams, columns, doors and windows are painted with Canton lacquer which is not dazzlingly bright.
- 48. 墙壁白色。 Walls arewhite.
- 49. 白墙 色壁 对白 衬色 。。 有 些 室 内 墙 壁 下 半 截 铺 水 磨 方 砖 ， 淡 灰 色 和 The lower part of some in-door walls would be paved with terrazzo tiles; the light grey color would contrast the white.
- 50. 起屋 人瓦 们和 安檐 静漏 闲一 适律 的淡 感灰 觉色 。。 这 些 颜 色 与 草 木 的 绿 色 配 合 ， 引 Roof tiles and eaves are all pale white in color; harmonized with the green of grass and trees, these colors would set a calm and relaxed tone.
- 51. 花 开 时 节 ， 更 显 得 各 种 花 明 艳 照 眼 。 It would further enrich the scenery during blossom season.
- 52. 可以说的当然不止以上这些，这里不再多写了。 There are morewhat I might narrate; but I am not going to write here anymore.
- 53. 苏州园林* Suzhou Classical Gardens* 叶圣陶 Ye Shengtao** 苏州园林据说有一百多处，我到过的不过十 It is said there are more than one hundred classical gardens in Suzhou, China; I had only visited a dozen of 多处。其他地方的园林我也到过一些。倘若 them and some in other places. As to my general 要我说说总的印象，我觉得苏州园林是我国 impression, I think that Suzhou garden is representative for 各地园林的标本，各地园林或多或少都受到 all classical gardens in China. Gardens in other places have more or less been influenced by Suzhou’s. Therefore, one 苏州园林的影响。因此，谁如果要鉴赏我国 who likes to appreciate Chinese classical garden, Suzhou is 的园林，苏州园林就不该错过。 the first option. 设计者和匠师们因地制宜，自出心裁， Taking measures suited to the local conditions, garden 修建成功的园林当然各各不同。可是苏 designers and master contractors carried out their project with their own conception. A successfully built garden is 州各个园林在不同之中有个共同点，似 certainly different to another. But all different Suzhou 乎设计者和匠师们一致追求的是：务必 classical gardens possess a common feature. It seemed as if all garden designers and master contractors pursued a 使游览者无论站在哪个点上，眼前总是 fundamental idea: no matter where a visitor stands, there 一幅完美的图画。为了达到这个目的， would always be a perfect and aesthetical picture in his 他们讲究亭台轩榭的布局，讲究假山池 sight. To achieve their goal, they were fastidious about the layout of pavilion, platform, veranda and pavilion 沼的配合，讲究花草树木的映衬，讲究 terrace, fastidious about the combination of rockery and 近景远景的层次。总之，一切都要为构 pond, fastidious about the foil of flowers, grass and 成完美的图画而存在，决不容许有欠美 tree, and fastidious about the arrangement of distant view and nearby view. To sum up, all elements in a classical 伤美的败笔。他们惟愿游览者得到“如 garden are used to create a perfect and aesthetical picture 在画图中”的美感，而他们的成绩实现 without any defeat. They only wished visitors would obtain 了他们的愿望，游览者来到园里，没有 an aesthetical perception as if they had been to a picture; and their achievement had realized their wish. No one who 一个不心里想着口头说着“如在画图中” had come to a Suzhou Garden wouldn’t think or speak ‘as 的。 if they have walked through a picture’.
- 54. 我国的建筑，从古代的宫殿到近代的一般 Chinese architectures, from ancient palace to modern 住房，绝大部分是对称的，左边怎么样， residence, most of them are symmetrical; what the left 右边也怎么样。苏州园林可绝不讲究对 part is, so do the right part. But Suzhou gardens don’t 称，好像故意避免似的。东边有了一个亭 stress symmetry at all. It seems as if they had deliberately 子或者一道回廊，西边决不会来一个同样 prevented symmetrical arrangement. If there is a pavilion or a corridor at east, there would never be a similar one 的亭子或者一道同样的回廊。这是为什么 at west. Why? I think, take painting for ?我想，用图画来比方，对称的建筑是图 analogizing, symmetrical architecture is a pattern 案画，不是美术画，而园林是美术画，美 drawing, but classical garden is an aesthetic painting. 术画要求自然之趣，是不讲究对称的。 Aesthetical painting requires natural delight, not symmetry. be rockery and pond in Suzhou gardens. It There must 苏州园林里都有假山和池沼。假山的堆 may be described rockery pilling is rather an art than a 叠，可以说是一项艺术而不仅是技术。或 technical work. May be range upon range of 者是重峦叠嶂，或者是几座小山配合着竹 mountains, may be several small hills assorted with bamboo, flowers and trees, it depends on designer and 子花木，全在乎设计者和匠师们生平多阅 master contractor’s rich experience and 历，胸中有邱壑，才能使游览者攀登的时 magnanimity, which enable visitors to forget Suzhou city while climbing, and to feel as if they have stayed among 候忘却苏州城市，只觉得身在山间。至于 mountains. As to ponds, most of them introduce 池沼，大多引用活水。有些园林池沼宽 running water. Some garden’s pond is quite broad; it is then taken as the center of the whole garden, assorted 敞，就把池沼作为全园的中心，其他景物 with other sceneries. If the shape of the water surface 配合着布置。水面假如成河道模样，往往 likes a stream, bridge is usually installed. If there are two bridges or more, the bridge style should be different to 安排桥梁。假如安排两座以上的桥梁，那 each other; no similar bridge should be installed. Stone 就一座一个样，决不雷同。池沼或河道的 banks of ponds or streams are seldom neatly bordered;
- 55. 齐整的石岸，总是高低屈曲任其自然。还 they are always piled curvedly in varied height as natural. Several exquisite stones may be laid there with 在那儿布置几块玲珑的石头，或者种些花 some flowers and grass planted around, in order to 草：这也是为了取得从各个角度看都成一 obtain an effect that the sight should become a beautiful picture viewed from any angle. There are 幅画的效果。池沼里养着金鱼或各色鲤 golden fish and carp of different color bred in pond. 鱼，夏秋季节荷花或睡莲开放，游览者看 Lotus flowers and water lilies would be blossoming in summer. The sight-‘fishes swimming among lily leaves is “鱼戏莲叶间”，又是入画的一景。 also an excellent topic for painting. 苏州园林栽种和修剪树木也着眼在画 Tree plantation and trimming of Suzhou gardens would also focus on the mood for a picture. Bended or 意。高树与低树俯仰生姿。落叶树与 lifting, tall and short trees are mingled together to 常绿树相间，花时不同的多种花树相 appear their lively posture. Hardwoods and evergreens 间，这就一年四季不感到寂寞。没有 are planted neighborly, and so do the flowers of 修剪得像宝塔那样的松柏，没有阅兵 different blossom seasons; so they would be never lonely all the year round. No pine or cypress would be 式似的道旁树：因为依据中国画的审 trimmed as a pagoda; no trees would be planted along a 美观点看，这是不足取的。有几个园 path as a parade; for it is not preferable from Chinese 里有古老的藤萝，盘曲嶙峋的枝干就 aesthetical judgment. There are ancient wisterias in some gardens; the flexed and bony branch itself is an 是一幅好画。开花的时候满眼的珠光 excellent topic of a painting. It seems as if bedecked in 宝气，使游览者感到无限的繁华和欢 jewels in blossom season. Visitors would fell an 悦，可是没法说出来。 inexpressible sense of prosperous and joy. 游览苏州园林必然会注意到花墙和廊子。 To visit Suzhou garden, visitors would inevitably pay attention to lattice walls and corridors. There are walls
- 56. 有墙壁隔着，有廊子界着，层次多了，景 forpartitioning and corridors for setting boundary; and thus the view depth would increase with increasing of 致就见得深了。可是墙壁上有砖砌的各式 the arrangement. But there are carved pierce works of different pattern on the wall and most corridors are 镂空图案，廊子大多是两边无所依傍的， supported by columns only. As a matter of fact, the 实际是隔而不隔，界而未界，因而更增加 partition has not kept partitioned and the boundary has not set a boundary; it would further increase the view 了景致的深度。有几个园林还在适当的位 depth. Some gardens have put a large mirror at a 置装上一面大镜子，层次就更多了，几乎 suitable position; so the sight depth would become more and the garden scenery almost to be doubled. 可以说把整个园林翻了一番。 游览者必然也不会忽略另外一点，就是苏 Visitors would certainly not ignore that Suzhou gardens pay attention to sight beauty at every nook and corner. 州园林在每一个角落都注意图画美。阶砌 There are bundles of book tying grass (popular name of 旁边栽几丛书带草。墙上蔓延着爬山虎或 Ophiopogon Japonicas in China) planted along a step way; mountain climbing tiger (popular name of ivy) 者蔷薇木香。如果开窗正对着白色墙壁， climbing up a wall. It may be too monotony if an opened 太单调了，给补上几竿竹子或几棵芭蕉。 window is just opposing a white wall, several bamboo or palm trees would be added. Such and such would simply 诸如此类，无非要游览者即使就极小范围 enable visitors to enjoy beauty even viewing a local and 的局部看，也能得到美的享受。 minute space. 苏州园林里的门和窗，图案设计和雕镂琢 Pattern design and carving skill of doors and windows inside of Suzhou gardens are all top art crafts; all of them 磨功夫都是工艺美术的上品。大致说来， were worked with great care and never be vulgar; 那些门和窗尽量工细而决不庸俗，即使简 showing an ingenuity craftsmanship even if the work was 朴而别具匠心。四扇，八扇，十二扇，综 simple and frugal. Looking at a four, eight or twelve-leaf
- 57. 合起来看，谁都要赞叹这是高度的图案 dooror window, everyone would praise its beautiful 美。摄影家挺喜欢这些门和窗，他们斟酌 pattern design. Photographers like them most; they 着光和影，摄成称心满意的照片。 consider light and shadow to catch satisfactory photos. 苏州园林与北京的园林不同，极少使用彩 Different to Beijing classical gardens, Suzhou gardens are seldom to use color drawing. Most of the 绘。梁和柱子以及门窗大多漆广漆，那是 beams, columns, doors and windows are painted with Canton lacquer which is not dazzlingly bright. Walls are 不刺眼的颜色。墙壁白色。有些室内墙壁 white. The lower part of some in-door walls would be 下半截铺水磨方砖，淡灰色和白色对衬。 paved with terrazzo tiles; the light grey color would contrast the white. Roof tiles and eaves are all pale 屋瓦和檐漏一律淡灰色。这些颜色与草木 white in color; harmonized with the green of grass and 的绿色配合，引起人们安静闲适的感觉。 trees, these colors would set a calm and relaxed tone. It would further enrich the scenery during blossom 花开时节，更显得各种花明艳照眼。 season. 可以说的当然不止以上这些，这里不再多 There are more what I might narrate; but I am not going 写了。 to write here anymore. Translated by Pei Zhenquan© •The article(Chinese text) was written as a preface for * 本文系《苏州园林摄影集》一书的序 ‘Photo collection of Suzhou Gardens’ published in 言，1979年出版。 1979. **Ye Shengtao (1894~1988) Born in Suzhou, a famous writer, educator and social activist.
- 58. 谢谢欣赏 Thanks for Enjoying 英文翻译 Translated by Pei Zhenquan 编辑 Edited by zqPei www.slideshare.net/zqpei