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Lingering Garden or Liu Yuan — Brilliant Qing Style Suzhou Garden

Lingering Garden, also known as Liu Yuan in Suzhou, stands as an exceptional representative of the classical private Southern Style garden of the Qing Dynasty (1636 — 1912).

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Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lingering Garden is renowned for setting exquisite sceneries in limited spaces, realizing the concept of 'A Different View For Each Step,' and perfectly showcasing the aesthetic of elegant intellectuals.

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Additionally, the garden is celebrated for its brilliant use of beautiful natural stones from Taihu Lake, a valuable decorative material in Chinese culture.

Lingering Garden or Liu Yuan of Suzhou, Photo from Official Site of Lingering Garden.

Lingering Garden or Liu Yuan of Suzhou, Photo from Official Site.

History and Name Changes of Lingering Garden

 

In 1593, a retired official named Xu Taishi first built the garden with the help of a rockery master and artist Zhou Shichen. 

 

Xu Taishi was a talented scholar and a brilliant designer who had previously been involved in restoring and constructing royal palaces and mausoleums. 

 

He named his masterpiece Eastern Garden or Dong Yuan, which was once quite famous for its beauty, and had been recorded and eulogized by many intellectuals. 

Arch Door and Idyllic View of the Lingering Garden, Photo from Official Site of Lingering Garden.

Arch Door and Idyllic View, Photo from Official Site. 

The garden gradually fell into disuse after Xu Taishi passed away. 

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In 1794, another intellectual and artist Liu Shu bought and renovated the garden and renamed it Hanbi Shanzhuang.

 

Liu Shu carved many famous poems and articles, including his work, on the walls of a long corridor and placed more valuable Taihu Lake stones in this garden. 

 

Since then, the garden has become more famous for its artful rocks, and people named it Liu's Garden.

Part of the "12 Rockeries of Hanbi Shanzhuang", Painted by Artist Wang Xuehao in 1802

Part of "12 Rockeries of Hanbi Shanzhuang", Painted by Artist Wang Xuehao in 1802 — Shanghai Museum

In 1873, Sheng Kang bought the garden. He renovated and expanded Liu's Garden and renamed it "Liu Yuan". 

 

This Liu is the same pronunciation as the family name of the last owner Liu Shu, but with a completely different meaning: lingering and stay. 

 

Afterward, this garden has been called Liu Yuan or Lingering Garden.

Scene "Gumu Jiaoke" with Ancient Tablet, Symbolizing Happy Life of A Beloved Couple, Photo from Official Site of Lingering Garden.

Scene "Gumu Jiaoke" with Ancient Tablet, Symbolizing Happy Life of A Beloved Couple, Photo from Official Site of Liu Yuan. 

During the embattled early-to-mid 20th century, the garden became obsolete. 

 

Until 1953, it was under protection, when careful restorations were implemented gradually. 

 

Decades later, in 1997, the Lingering Garden was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site as an important Classical Garden of Suzhou.

Artful Arch Doors of the Lingering Garden

Artful Arch Doors, Photo by Jinjide Duorou.

Structural, Architectural, and Aesthetic Designs of the Lingering Garden

 

The Lingering Garden comprises four sections, east, west, north, and middle, connected by a long corridor. 

 

The middle part was Liu Shu's Bihan Shanzhuang, the garden's essence, and most beautiful part.

 

Sheng Kang added the east, west, and north parts in 1873 and built a long corridor that connects these four parts. 

 

Hang on the walls of this long corridor are over 370 pieces of ancient tablet inscriptions. 

Calligraphy Inscriptions on the Long Corridor of Lingering Garden

Calligraphy Inscriptions on the Long Corridor, Photo by Ying Zhigang.

Among the added sections by Sheng Kang, the western part is famous for its idyllic rockery views, the northern part today mainly presents potted landscapes (or Penjing), and the eastern section has the invaluable ancient building complex. 

Luxurious Nanmu Hall or Wufeng Xianguan in East Part of Lingering Garden

Luxurious Nanmu Hall or Wufeng Xianguan in East Part, Photo by 97Lang. 

Poetic Nomenclatures and Literary Significance at Lingering Garden

 

As an excellent representative of the aesthetic of intellectuals, every building in the garden has a beautiful, poetic name, most of which were from famous ancient poems or articles.

Lingering Garden Facts and Important Data

 

  • Lingering Garden, or Liu Yuan, is in Suzhou city of Jiangsu Province.

 

  • It is about 23,300 square meters large and consists of four sections (eastern, middle, northern, and western).

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  • There are over 670 meters long corridors in the garden, and about 370 pieces of ancient tablet inscriptions are displayed on their walls.

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  • There are over 200 decorative lattice windows.

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  • There are over 500 potted landscapes (or Pen Jing).

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  • The tallest rockery Guanyun Feng is 6.5 meters high and is also the tallest in Suzhou Gardens.

Guanyun Feng in Lingering Garden

Guanyun Feng, Photo by 97Lang. 

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