The representative of Private Gardens South of theYangtze River

Compared with royal gardens, private gardens south of the Yangtze River have the following characteristics:

(1) Smaller scale, generally ranging from several mu (1 mu =0.0667 hectare) to a dozen mu or so. The main conception of landscape gardeners is, within a limited scope, to use implicit, rising and falling, twists and turns and hinting methods to stir up people's subjective re-creation; creating a natural setting that seems to be deep and endless; expanding people's feelings about the actual space.

(2) Most of them are centered on the water surface, with structures scattered about, constituting many scenic spots.

(3) Cultivating one's mind and improving one's character, and enjoying leisure and comfort freely are the main functions of the garden.

(4) Owners of the garden are mostly scholars and men of letters, who can write poems and draw pictures, and are good at making comments. Their gardening style is pure, lofty, elegant and free from conventions, and is taken as their highest pursuit, brimming with a strong scholarly style.

The Zhuozheng Garden inSuzhou, founded in the fourth year(1509) under the reign of Emperor Wuzong of theMing Dynasty, is a big garden south of the Yangtze River- The appearance of the extant garden was formed mainly in the lateQing Dynasty(at the end of the 19th century). The garden is divided into three parts - east, middle and west, the middle being the main part. The middle part is in a horizontal rectangular shape. There are lots of water surfaces which are also long and horizontal. The east and west mountain islands stand out of the water, and the water surface is separated into several blocks by small bridges and dikes.

Several small arms stretch out of the pond. The coastline is Curved and natural, conveying the meaning of endlessness.Many plots of land are set aside on the southern bank where there is a concentration of structures. The entrance from the residence to the garden opens in the middle part of the southern wall.