SuZhou classical Gardens

Celebrated for its wonderful limestone mountain, the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty,covering only 2,180 sq.m.,enjoys the same reputation as other famous garden in China. According to the historical records,the limestone mountain was designed and piled up by the great Qing master GuYuliang (1764 A.D--1830 A.D). Within an area of less than 500 sq.m.,the man-made mountain seems to be spontaneous an uncontrived ,possessing high peaks (about 7M),dells,pathways,carverns,stone houses,stone steps,ravines,precipices,gullies,bridges and cliffs.Like a free hand brushwork in Chinese painting characterized by vivid expression and bold outline,it ranks first among all existing man-made mountains in Chinese gardens.

A number of buildings are arranged opposite to the mountain. There are two halls to the south of the mountain,facing each other over a stream. The front hall is called "In Company with a Ravine" and the rear hall "the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty". On the top of the mountain is a pavilion called "Housing the Mountain with a Half-Filled Pool in Autumn".At its foot are the Putting-a-Question-to-the-Spring Pavilion and the Make-Up Autumn Galley. To the west of the mountain is a unique side structure with a long walkway on the ground floor and rooms one floor upstairs.There are viewing places high above or down below,far away or quite near. The man-made mountain scenery is changing at every step,and gives great pleasure to the viewer from any direction.

There are 8 buildings,22 brick plateaux stelae,and 4 valuable old trees,namely pinus bungeana Zucc,Celtis sinensis Pers,etc.,falling into 3 catalogues.