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West Garden, Suzhou

West Garden (Xi Yuan) is situated west of the Lingering Garden. The West Garden is laid out a shapely plan, and consists of the Jiezhuanglu Temple and a pond for freeing captive animals. It was originally built during the Yuan Dynasty and embraces such buildings as the Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, and the Tripitaka Pavilion. With more than 700 years history, it presents factually a garden style temple now. The small and delicate style of Suzhou gardens offered West Garden the implied and cultural flavor.

The whole garden centers on the Pond for Freeing Captive Animals. The Mid-lake Pavilion stands erect in the center of the pond. In the pond there is a big soft-shelled turtle that is bred in the Ming Dynasty. Visitors like to take a rest leaning on the railings and throw food to seduce the turtle to come up.

The West Garden consists of studies, pavilions and garden courts. One enters the garden and gets a glimpse of limestone mountains with caves connected up with each other below and an undulating wall above, which encloses and divides space. The small and delicate style of Suzhou gardens offered West Garden the implied and cultural flavor.