Attractions >> Jiangsu >> Suzhou Attractions

Lingering Garden, Suzhou

Occupying an area of 23,300 square meters (about 5.8 acres), the Lingering Garden (Liu Yuan, in pinyin) is located outside Changmen Gate in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. It is one of the four renowned gardens in Suzhou, it is called Liu Yuan, or Lingering Garden. It was first built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and was rebuilt by a Qing official. Its Taihu Lake rocks boost its reputation both at home and abroad.

Lingering Garden is one of the four most famous gardens in China. The garden is celebrated for its artistic way of dealing with the spaces between various kinds of architectural forms, illustrated most vividly by the careful and precise placement of windows along covered walkways, designed to provide selected perspectives. Buildings make up one third of the total area of the garden, the hall of which is the most remarkable in Suzhou. The garden is separated into the middle, eastern, northern, and western sections. The eastern section features mainly halls and courtyards. The imposing Wufengxian (Five-Peak immortals) Hall is the largest hall of all the Suzhou gardens. The western section is dotted with vegetation whereas the northern section is reminiscent of a peaceful countryside.