China’s eastern city of Suzhou is home to several beautiful gardens that evoke Buddhist and Taoist tenets of being in harmony with nature, meditation, and tranquillity. If you’re looking for a quiet space to ease your mind in the city, here are some of the best gardens to visit.
Humble Administrator’s Garden
This is one of the city’s most famous gardens, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. However, its longevity isn’t its only highlight – the garden was the source of inspiration for author Cao Xueqin in writing his literary classic Dream of the Red Chamber, so you’re bound to find plenty of poetic details when you visit.
Lingering Garden
This garden is best known for its use of intricate architectural elements like doorways, windows, and arches to create ‘framed’ views. As such, you can expect to be treated to various perspectives of the garden as you wander along, making it a serene adventure near hotels like Pan Pacific Suzhou.
Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty
Extending just over 2000 square metres, this space is quite small but is still one of the more captivating Suzhou attractions with its serene pavilions and mountainous rocks. It is said that no matter where you stand in the garden you’ll be able to view pavilions of different heights – a fascinating illusion of space.
Couple’s Retreat Garden
Surrounded by canals on three sides, this garden is made of a three-part compound which includes a residential complex, several houses and two gardens. The site’s Chinese name refers to lotus roots which are intertwined, thus resembling a perfect romance.
