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the Retreat and Reflection
Garden
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 ĦĦĦCThe
Retreat and Reflection Garden is composed of the housing complex,garden
courts and a garden which are aligned on a west-east axis.
ĦĦĦĦThe housing complex consists of inner and outer houses.The
outer house has a succession of three halls.The inner house
to the east is made up of two two-storied buildings in the shape
of "U",reached by two stairways on two sides.
ĦĦĦĦ The spacious garden court is the transitional area between
the housing complex and the garden. There's a boat-like pavilion
near the entrance for the reception of guests ,a form of architecture
typical in the Venetian region of Tongli.
ĦĦĦĦThe garden to the east is the cream of the property.Small
and exquisite buildings,built close to the pond ,are in admirable
proportion to water scapes and landscape.The thatched Hall of
Retreat and REflection,a main structure of the garden,was constructed
on the moon-viewing terrace,from which one is able to feast
his eyes on surrounding scenes. Carefully arranged and well-spaced
buildings around the pond include the Lotus Blooms Pavilion,the
Stone Boat,the Hardship Terrace,the Zizania Rain Brings Coolness
Pavilion,and the Celetial Bridge which is ,in fact ,a rare double-gallery
in the south of the Lower Yangtze.To the southwest of the garden
is the Osmanthus Fragrans Lour Hall in a peaceful and enclosed
mini-garden within the garden.At the northwest corner is the
Gathering Beauty Pavilion that overlooks the entire garden.The
pavilion,connected with the Lasting Spring and Moon Viewing
Tower in the middle part,borrows scenes from the garden and
vice versa,an excellent example of garden scenes in the south
of the Lower Yangtze.
 ĦĦĦĦIn
short, the Retreat and Reflection garden is full of changing
vistas.There're gardens within the garden,principal and subordinate
scenes. Space, including water space,has been ingeniously handled
to suggest more space.Endless scenes have been created within
limits. It serves as a fine example of how the few surpassing
the many.
ĦĦĦĦThe Retreat and Reflection Garden possesses 24 buildings,28
tablets and plateaux, 12 steles,and 15 valuable old trees such
as magnolia denudata Desr.,celtis sinensis Pers,etc., which
fall into 9 catalogues. |
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