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The Lingering Garden

The Cloud-Crowned Peak

The Lingering Garden was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The promenades in the garden are interwoven, connecting the halls into one. The central area is centered on the pond, and the Cloud-Capped Peak Rock in the east garden is one of the Four Famous Rocks in South China.

The Lingering Garden (留园 Liu Yuan Garden) was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, by its first owner, Xu Taishi.

The Lingering Garden can be divided into four areas: middle, east, west and north. Through the south main gate, after three turns and along the narrow passageway, the central garden area appears in your eyes. The Central Garden Area, with the pond as its core, is surrounded by a staggered row of high and low buildings, such as the Hanbi Moutain Villa 涵碧山房, the Pellucid Tower 明瑟楼, the Zigzag Stream Tower 曲溪楼, and the Refreshing Breeze Pavilion 闻木樨香轩. The islet in the center of the pond is called Little Penglai 小蓬莱, which means Fairyland on Earth.

In the center of the East Garden, there is a piece of Song Dynasty Huashigang rock named Cloud-Capped Peak Rock 冠云峰(Guan Yun Feng), which is called ‘The Three Peaks’ together with Auspicious Cloud and Mountainous Cloud peaks on both sides. Guan Yun Feng is 6.5 meters high and is one of the Top Four Stones in South China. The towers, platforms, pavilions and chambers inside the East Garden are all built for enjoying the stone. Standing at The First Floor of Cloud-Capped Tower, you can enjoy all the three peaks in your eyes.

It is said that if the promenades in the garden are connected, their length can reach 500 meters. Rain or shine, one can travel between Hanbi Moutain Villa, the Old Hermit Scholars’ House 林泉耆硕之馆 and Celestial Hall of Five Peaks 五峰仙馆 in the promenade. The five-room wide Celestial Hall of Five Peaks has pillars and furniture made of Nanmu wood, thus it is known as the Nanmu Hall, and is the largest and most luxurious building in the garden.