Xu Garden
 |
| Xu Garden | |
|---|---|
| 煦园 | |
PRC |
| Xu Garden | ||
|---|---|---|
Hanyu Pinyin Xī Huāyuán | | |
| Wade–Giles | Hsi Hua-yüan | |
Xu Garden, also known as the West Garden and by
are the two major gardens of the city.
Names
Xu Garden is a partial
It was formerly known as the "West Garden", a calque of the Chinese name 西花園 or 西花园, Xī Huāyuán. In similar fashion, it is sometimes referenced in English as Xi Huayuan, Xihuayuan, or Xihuayuan Garden.
History
Xu Garden was originally the private garden at the residence of
Under the
When the forces of Hong Xiuquan occupied Nanjing during the Taiping Rebellion (1851–64), the residence became the Heavenly King's Palace and the park its West Garden. The garden was entirely destroyed by the Qing army during its reconquest of the city in 1864. Zeng Guofan ordered the garden rebuilt upon becoming viceroy of Liangjiang in 1870.
After the
Following the establishment of the
Components
The Paulownia Melody House (
The North Rockery is behind the Paulownia House. Its caves are interconnected to form a small labyrinth. Its entrance has a stone tablet engraved with the name "Heart-Imprinting" or "Initiation Stone Room" (印心石室, Yìnxīn Shíshì) in the calligraphy of the Daoguang Emperor of the Qing.
The South Rockery is composed of rocks supposed to resemble the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The hexagonal pavilion in the rockery is also known as the Mandarin Duck Pavilion, from its twinned appearance.
A 14.5-meter (48 ft) gray stone boat engraved to mimic timber woodgrain sits in the garden pond. Called the "unmoored boat" (
See also
- List of Chinese gardens
- Major national historical and cultural sites in Jiangsu
References
