The Garden of Cultivation

The Garden of Cultivation

Situated in the northwest of the ancient city of Suzhou, it was laid out by the Ming Royal Academician Wen Zhenmeng, great grandson of Wen Zhengming and the most successful candidate in the climactic palace examination during Tianqi reign under the Ming Dynasty. To the north of a pond in the middle of the garden is the water-side pavilion, the Hall the Erudition and Elegance. To the south of the pond is an impressive range of mountains made from a mixture of limestone and earth, dotted here and there with small pavilions and age-old trees. At the foot of the mountains there are coves at the southeast and southwest corners, which are spanned by low and flat bridges of antiquity. At the southeast corner of the pond is the Fry Pavilion dating from the Ming Dynasty. To the southwest of the pond is an elegant mini-garden. The Garden of Cultivation, affording pleasant, extensive and natural perspectives, still keeps the style of the Ming gardens popular then in the area south of the Lower Yangtze.