The Master of Nets Garden Show
The Master of Nets Garden Show in Suzhou, China
The Master of Nets Garden Show Slideshow
The Master of Nets Garden Show Photo Gallery (Downloadable Pictures)
Sometimes the smallest package can contain the most
magnificent gift. The Garden of the Master of the Nets is a
clear example of this. It is the smallest of the Suzhou
residential gardens, yet it is the most impressive because
of its use of space which creates the illusion of an area
that is much greater than its actual size. Even more than
the architectural achievement is the mood of tranquility and
harmony that this humble garden embodies.
Refined Layout of the Garden of the Master of the Nets
Garden is designed as a framed landscape with water This
exquisite garden was first designed during the Song Dynasty
(960 - 1279) as part of a residence that was used until the
Taiping Rebellion in the 1860's. It was later restored and
became the residence of a government official from whom the
garden got its name. It is said that in a moment of
frustration with bureaucracy he declared that he would
rather be a fisherman than a bureaucrat.
The garden is divided into three sections: a residential
section, the central main garden and an inner garden. The
main garden has a large pond that is surrounded by pathways
and a variety of buildings such as the Ribbon Washing
Pavillion, and the Pavillion for the advent of the Moon and
Wind. There are many more buildings that are situated so
that there is never a sense of crowding, but always of
spaciousness. As is common in Suzhou gardens, the pond has a
small pavilion in it. Here the pavilion is accessible by a
bridge that is less than one foot wide.
As you walk about the gardens and along the walkways, there
are often views through windows onto beautiful flowers or
plants framing them from a distance and drawing you to a
single sight, a moment of peaceful natural beauty. As you
walk through the buildings, it is easy to imagine the life
that the original residents lived in a feudal society where
these gardens were solely for their pleasure and the
pleasure of their guests. The various buildings are
constructed so that you can always access the main garden
from any room. The rooms themselves are quite impressive in
design and ornamentation and well represent the style of the
Song Dynasty.
The inner garden which is only about 660 square feet, has
the distinction of being used as the model for the Ming Hall
Garden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
and also completely miniaturized for an exhibit in the
Pompidou Center in Paris in 1982. This garden is reputed to
be the most well-preserved garden in Suzhou and should not
be missed. It is small in size, but is like a beautifully
cut diamond whose beauty is of never ending fascination and
pleasure.
(ChinaTravelGuide.com)
