Yiyuan Garden

Yiyuan is a private garden built by the wealthy gentleman Gu Wenbin during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. It was built late in Suzhou gardens, and it was able to draw on the advantages of various gardens, forming its characteristics of a collection. Due to its compact layout and appropriate techniques, it has a high ornamental value. The whole garden covers an area of about 9 mu and is long and narrow from east to west. The garden landscape is divided into two parts, east and west, according to local conditions. The middle is separated by a complex corridor, and the flower windows on the corridor wall communicate the east and west scenery and increase the depth of field. The east of the corridor is mainly composed of courtyard buildings. The curved corridor surrounds the pavilion and is decorated with flowers, trees and stone peaks. From the empty windows of the curved corridor, it is a traditional Chinese painting with rich meaning. Langxi is the main scenic spot of the whole park, with the pool in the middle, surrounded by rockeries, flowers, trees and buildings. The central water surface gathers, the east and west ends are narrow and long, and curved bridges and water gates are built to show the meaning of the pool water looping and trickling. Chibei rockery is all stacked with beautiful lakes and rocks. Although the mountain is not high, it has peaks and valleys, which contrast with the trees and pavilions. The main hall, Ouxiang Pavilion, is a four-sided hall in the style of a mandarin duck hall. It faces the pool in the north, the courtyard in the south, a small bridge and flowing water on the right, and pavilions and caves on the left and right, from which you can reach the scenic spots in the west. There are dozens of squares of famous calligraphy and painting strips in the east and west, which can be viewed and appreciated, known as "Yiyuan Fatie".