The Qu Garden
In the turbulent changes, the garden built in the Qing Dynasty was almost wasted in the 1940s. However, after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it was restored several times. It is now a key site for national cultural relics protection.
The main buildings of the Melody Garden have five sections, with three open to the public and the two remaining private residences. On the west side lies several houses and a small garden with rockeries, ponds, pavilions, and galleries.
Source: Suzhou Garden Research Institute
The Art Garden
The Art Garden located in the center of the Old City of Suzhou is also a low-key niche garden. The scale of the garden is even smaller, which is only more than 3,000 square meters. It was built during the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty with a history of nearly 500 years.
The residence takes up over half of the garden. The courtyards between the front and back courts of the residential area are connected by carved brick gates, which maintains the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. As a fine product of Ming (dynasty) gardens in Suzhou, it is also included in the World Cultural Heritage List.
The Chai Garden
Built in the late Qing Dynasty, the Chai Garden is located at 44 Cuku Alley. From the mouth of the winding alley, you can see the hidden niche among the hustle and bustle of ordinary people. It was once the home of Chai Anpu, a native of Shangyu, Zhejiang Province. The Chai Garden has seen changes through time. After several restorations, it has become what we can see today with its new function as Suzhou Education Museum. With its beauty and elegance restored, you can see a quiet pool of water and ingenious rockeries. It is not only a place to appreciate the Suzhou gardens of the late Qing Dynasty, but also a source to learn about the development of education in Suzhou.
Source: http://www.gusuwang.com
