Canglang
Pavilion, located south
of Suzhou city, is the
oldest garden among the
existing classical
gardens of Suzhou as
well as one of the four
most famous gardens in
the city (the others
are: Lion Grove, Humble
Administrator’s Garden
and Garden for Lingering
In). The garden used to
be a private garden of a
prince of the Five
dynasties (907-960).
During the Northern Song
dynasty, the scholar Su
Zimei built a pavilion
in this garden and named
it Canglang Pavilion.
The garden has been
rebuilt for many times
and the most of the
present garden
buildings, simple and
plain, date from the
Qing dynasty.
Covering an area of
10,656 sqm, the garden,
carefully arranged
around the mountains and
connected by a long
roofed walkway, features
a range of man-made
mountains inside the
garden and waterscapes
outside. Proceeding past
the pure expanse of
water over a zigzag
bridge of stone and
through the entrance,
one comes to the garden
and catches sight of
man-made mountain
covered with age-old
trees and bamboo,
running from east to
west.
Canglang Pavilion, in
the shape of a square,
stands at the top of the
mountain with a parallel
couplet from a Song
poets on its stone
pillars reading: "The
refreshing breeze and
the bright moon are
priceless, the nearby
water and the distant
mountains strike a
sentimental note." A
double- corridor built
by the canal lies to the
north of the garden,
unifying waterscapes
outside the garden and
"mountain scenery"
inside in one breath.
Enlightened Way Hall
(Mingdao Hall), located
to the south of the
mountains, is the major
building of the garden.
It was said to have been
a site for delivery of
lectures during the Ming
dynasty. Surrounded by
verdant trees, it
appears simple but
dignified.
Except its mountains and
water, the garden is
also famous for its
unique latticed windows.
There’re about 108 kinds
of latticed windows with
impressive designs,
possessing extremely
high artistic value.
They, uniquely designed
and elaborately made,
enjoy high reputation
among all the gardens in
Suzhou. |