The rocks of the Grand Rockery deserve a few words themselves. They are not stacked atop one another, creating an even slope similar to those in the Alps. No; instead, they create a very asymmetrical progression. This is deliberate – the irregularity of the mountain, and the now imaginary clouds floating between the separate peaks, help cement the illusion of living stone. If there is a waterfall at the foot of the mountain, then all the better – the rockery would then be a triumvirate of perfection, offered to you by nature herself. Sadly, we cannot see the clouds, or the waterfall, but even the mountain itself is worth a visit, don’t you think?
Pan Yunduan desired to create perfection, contained within the walls of this garden. Although it was a lofty goal, he succeeded. As we visit other parts of Yuyuan Garden, you will probably agree. And there are others who agree as well – the Grand Rockery is a government protected landmark.
Today, there are very few people who are allowed to visit the Grand Rockery. The large numbers of would-be visitors would be almost impossible to contain, otherwise. We can see the stairway leading to the top of the rockery, but it is closed to tourists. If we could ascend these steps, then from the top of the mountain, we would discover the Wangjiang Pavilion, or the Pavilion for Looking at the River (No. 5). Considering the surroundings of the Grand Rockery, the name is apt. The locals say that in the 16th century, when the garden was built, the pavilion looked out on two rivers – Huangpu and Wusong. Old chronicles claim that the two rivers passing through Shanghai seemed to be so close as to be right next to the rockery. In modern Shanghai, though, the farthest one could see from the Wangjiang Pavilion is to the neighboring street. 400 years ago the Grand Rockery was a respectable hill. At one point, it was the highest place in the city. The Wangjiang Pavilion can be reached by a stone staircase that gets ever narrower as you ascend. This represents a famous technique also used in paintings – the higher something is, the smaller it should be depicted. Adhering to this technique helped maintain one of the distance effects mentioned earlier – the effect of height. If you take a close look at the rockery from the balcony of the Yangshan Hall, you notice that the Wangjiang Pavilion at the top is smaller than the Yiuxiu Pavilion (No. 6) at the bottom. In short, this is an attempt to create an illusion of distance.
Still, while the rest of the Grand Rockery is closed, there is one mountainous path that is still open for visitors. It can be found on the eastern, or right, side of the rockery. If we take this path, we will reach the Cuixiu Hall (No. 7), north of the Grand Rockery. This is perhaps the best place to really see the size of the artificial mountain, since one side is dominated by the Cuixiu Hall, which is bordered by the northern wall of Yuyuan Garden, and opposite that stands the Grand Rockery. This spot may remind you of the angst felt upon entry, but hopefully, this is dispelled by the realization that the Grand Rockery is indeed, grand. It is not a place one wishes to linger in; but leaving, one still remembers the artful impact of the sight.
The pavilions on the Grand Rockery were built despite the shortage of room in the garden. Pan Yunduan felt that without these, the final effect would be incomplete. Furthermore, the traditional rule is that when one builds an artificial mountain, one must include pavilions – are not pavilions found on natural mountains as well? And indeed, whichever mountain you will visit in China, you are sure to see more than one pavilion adorning their sides. This is a time-honored principle, and one that Pan Yunduan felt compelled to follow. It’s worth noting that the Wangjiang Pavilion is designed for enjoying the view opening from all sides. The Yixiu Pavilion, on the other hand, is designed to offer a place to rest for those who wish to climb the mountain.
But let us return from the heights and consider the stone bridge that crosses the pond. The famous sage Zhuanzi and his companion Huizi once walked this bridge. They, too, visited this place to contemplate the tenets of Taoism and to enjoy the harmony of nature. The love for philosophy is an inseparable facet of Taoism. As Zhuangzi and Huizi walked across the bridge, Zhuangzi watched the fish swimming in the water, and said to his friend: “Look now, how the fish swim, free of worries.” Huizi replied: “But you are not a fish. How, then, can you know that the fish are untroubled?” To that, Zhuangzi said: “Since you are not me, how can you know that I do not know that the fish are happy and trouble free? ” Being less inclined for an argument, Huizi agreed: “True. I am not you. But I do know that you are not a fish - and therefore, you can’t know whether the fish are happy or not.” To that, Zhangzi had another counterargument, and then Huizi found another crack in his claims, and so on and so forth. It should be noted that it’s likely they never reached an agreement considering the happiness of fish.
But looking at the fish swimming in the pond, what do you think? Are they happy, or troubled with endless questions? Think about it! A brief foray into philosophy is perfectly suitable for this place. And while we’re here, why not indulge in the Taoist worldview?
Yuyuan Garden - the second area
Moving on we follow the road sign to the Pavilion for Viewing Frolicking Fish or Yule Xie. This leads us to the second area of Yuyuan Garden. On the way, we see two iron lion statues, dating from the Yuan Dynasty during the 13th century. As Yuyuan Garden was built at the end of the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century, these lions have traveled all over China before finding their permanent home here. After the Japanese invasion during World War II, they were even taken to Japan. Today, these brave travelers are back here, guarding one of the corridors of the garden – the Corridor for Approaching the Best Scenery.
This corridor leads us to another area, again replete with examples of traditional Chinese gardens. These traditions, of course, are different depending on the part of China the garden is located in. For example, a lot of the gardens below the Yangtze River are built according to one specific rule. According to this rule, the main entrance should lead the visitor into a small inner garden, which is without scenic views. This inner garden might even be seen as a bit depressing.
This approach is demonstrated in the Suzhou gardens near Shanghai, and indeed, in Yuyuan Garden as well. “How so?” you might ask. Did we not just pass through the first area of the garden, which gave us a splendid view of the Grand Rockery?
Indeed – the first area does show us the Grand Rockery. In reality, however, the Grand Rockery is located after the corridor; the gate leading to the mountain is at the end of the corridor. Usually the gate is closed to visitors in order to protect the mountain.
As said earlier, it’s common to present views to scenic locations early. These same scenic locations, however, can only be reached after passing through a hallway or corridor. Such is the case in Yuyuan Garden as well. Even the name of the corridor reflects the fact that it leads the visitor to these scenic locations one step at a time.
It might seem unbelievable, but the step-by-step way of building is actually connected to food. The term itself comes from eating sugarcane. During the time of the Jin State (265-420), there lived an artist who ate sugarcane a bit differently from the other Chinese. That is, he began at the top, which is narrower and less tasty than the lower part. This surprised everybody; they asked: “Why does he eat so?” The artist replied: “This way is better. With each bite, the sugarcane becomes a little sweeter. Gradually, I move on to the sweeter part of the plant, and my pleasure is only growing.”
The story of his uncommon eating practices gave the name to the Corridor for Approaching the Best Scenery (No. 8). Its Chinese name can also be translated as Step By Step Into Scenery Area Corridor. It’s worth noting that Scenery Area is a metaphor, and can be used in many different situations. Every step you take leads you closer to ever more scenic parts of the garden. One area in particular is to the right at the end of the corridor. This place, as mentioned earlier, is the Pavilion for Viewing Frolicking Fish (No. 9). The pavilion is located in the second area of the garden. And as the name hints, it is a place designed for watching fish in their natural element. The name was influenced by the
story of Zhuangzi and Huizi, who reflected on the trouble-free life of fish.
The pavilion in question is quite unique – half of it is located on the ground, and half suspended above the water. This design has been used in several gardens in Northern, Southern and Eastern China. Again, the reason lies in historic Chinese beliefs and traditions.
In China, gardens and fish belong together. Firstly, because in Chinese, the word for fish also mean prosperity. Secondly, fish symbolize beauty. Thirdly, is it not relaxing, to watch fish swim? This is the very scene you can enjoy from the balcony of the Pavilion for Viewing Frolicking Fish. Sometimes, you may encounter visitors feeding the fish. Perhaps this is actually used to be a tradition to ask the fish spirit for good luck?
Besides the pavilion, the second area of Yuyuan Garden contains two more buildings of interest. The first is the Relaxation Boat, or Yi Fang; the second, the Double Lane Corridor, or Fulang.
The Relaxation Boat (No. 10) is rather oddly shaped. Looking at it, you might realize that indeed, it does resemble a boat. And looking in, you might imagine yourself at the bridge of some sea-going vessel. Historically, the Relaxation Boat was a place to merrily spend one’s time. People came here to relax, to hold feasts and to have fun. In a way, it was like the modern cruise ship – with the difference that its point of departure was also the point of arrival, and one could disembark at any time.
The ‘boat ride’ complete, we are heading towards the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Flowers. On our way there, we meet another corridor – the Double Lane Corridor (No. 11). In the centre of the corridor runs a meandering wall, effectively splitting the way in two. The road to the north of this wall is narrower than the road to the south. In ancient times, the wider path was meant for important and respectable people, while the servants could only use the narrow one.
Exiting the Double Lane Corridor, we reach the most important building in this section of Yuyuan Garden. The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Flowers, or Wanhua Lou (No. 12) is sadly not an original; it was rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty in 1843. Even the original name has not survived – previously it had been called the Flower Deity Pavilion, or Huashen Ge. Both of these names, incidentally, are related to a strange and moving Chinese legend.
The builder of Yuyuan Garden, Pan Yunduan, had a grandson. The grandson’s wife, Yu Juan, loved flowers more than anything; but she also loved her husband. When her husband, Pan Yunduan’s grandson, died, her sorrow was immeasurable. She grieved so long that in the end, it killed her. But not long after that, the heavens above the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Flowers opened up, and accompanied by the rumbling of thunder, hordes of lovers descended. Among them was also Yu Juan, who carried in her hands a basket with flowers. There were also flowers surrounding her; altogether, ten thousand flowers fell from the sky that day.
It’s perhaps worth pointing out that in China, the number 10,000 also means infinity, or an unimaginable amount.
Those who witnessed this asked one another: “Has Yu Juan turned into a goddess of the flowers?” And maybe it was indeed so; after this event, the name of the building was changed. The Flower Deity Pavilion became the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Flowers.
In front of the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Flowers, we again meet nature in its different shapes and forms. Two larger trees, a stream with fish, and another artificial mountain located beyond the stream. One of the trees, a gingko, is more than 400 years old; it is claimed that Pan Yunduan planted it himself. In China, planting trees, by the way, is an activity laden with different meanings. The purpose of planting trees is to convey the living spirit of someone to something that outlasts him – for example, a tree, in order to preserve it for the coming generations. Since trees outlive humans by far, the Chinese hope that such trees carry the memory of that person and his or her time long after the person has passed away.
The stream flowing on the other side of the gingko is directly connected to the Yangshan Pond, which we saw in the first area of the garden. Again, this represents striving for harmony, the philosophy being that everything is connected to everything else. You are probably thinking about the Yin-Yang symbol, where white is interconnected with black, and each color in turn contains the other? Correct! This is the symbol of harmony, and the same principle is present all around us.
Beyond the stream towers an artificial mountain. While the Grand Rockery seen earlier was yellow, the Ten Thousand Flowers Rockery is white. Like with the previous mountain, this one contains miniature trees – for the Chinese, mountains without trees are like birds without feathers. And as even the smallest of birds have feathers, tiny trees cover even the smallest of artificial mountains in China.
This concludes our tour of the second area of Yuyuan Garden. But we are coming ever nearer to other sites and areas, one more spectacular than the other.
Yuyuan Garden - the third area
So – it’s time to visit the third and fourth areas of Yuyuan Garden. As you know there are six scenic areas, or sections, in Yuyuan Garden. Right now we are heading for the third, where the Dragon Wall, or Long Qiang, and the Heralding Spring Hall, or Dianchun Tang will greet us.
Entering the third section, you probably notice that it’s more spacious than the areas visited earlier. You’re right – this area once held the theatre grounds; the Heralding Spring Hall was the main building. South of the Heralding Spring Hall we see the Acting And Singing Stage (No. 13); in Chinese, it’s called Fengwu Luang Ying. In the original Yuyuan Garden, those two buildings bordered the theatre grounds. The Acting and Singing Stage, by the way, is one of the most authentic and better-preserved stages from the Qing Dynasty.
The Heralding Spring Hall (No. 14) was a building for the audience, where one could spend their time watching the plays on the Acting and Singing Stage. As the name of the Heralding Spring Hall implies, the most lavish feasts were held here during the Spring Festival, which for the Chinese marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year. These festivities have come to mean almost two weeks of holidays. The festivities were lavish in the golden days of Yuyuan Garden as well. Important visitors were received, alcohol was consumed in great quantities, plays and concerts were held, and generally, everyone had much fun.
In later days, the Heralding Spring Hall carried different functions. Let’s take, for example, the Small Swords Society, which had its headquarters here in the 19th century. In the middle of the 19th century, the Small Swords Society staged an uprising in the areas surrounding Shanghai. For a time, life in Shanghai was much disturbed by this. The insurrection grew to involve the Qing Dynasty, but also the forces of the West. Today, the items displayed in the Heralding Spring Hall echo with the sounds of the uprising and the voices of the Small Swords Society. You can look upon the coins and weapons from that era; the middle of the building is occupied by a large painting depicting the uprising of the Small Swords Society.
It’s somewhat contradictory, then, to find out that the third area of the garden was planned as the most silent one of them all...
But there is one silent spot in this area, located behind the Heralding Spring Hall and containing three different buildings.
The first is the Ancient Well Pavilion, or Gu Jing Ting (No. 15). A larger building called the Relic Hall or Cang Bao Lou (No. 16) flanks this. Today, this is the Cang Bao Lou teahouse. If you haven’t yet visited an authentic Chinese teahouse, then now is an excellent opportunity to do so.
In the teahouse you may try dozens of different sorts of teas; everyone will find something they like. You can, for example, try one of the strangest-tasting Chinese teas of all – the Golden Lotus tea, or Jinlian tea. In old Chinese, Jinlian also means the bound feet of Chinese women. Drinking this most bitter of teas, you might begin to imagine what all the women, with their feet bound, felt like. It is recommended to let the tea steep for a long time, and then to drink it all at once. Another peculiarly tasting tea is tea No. 5, or Sweet Tea, Tian Cha in Chinese. While the Western people drink tea with sugar, or honey,
this particular blend is naturally sweet. It’s certainly worth a try; perhaps you feel like bringing a little of it back home with you. Your selection is made easier by the listing of ailments noted down after each tea – every drink here has special curative properties.
The third house in the ensemble is the Xuepu Study Pavilion (No. 17), located atop the artificial mountain. Even if you don’t feel like studying right now, this place is still suitable for taking a look outside Yuyuan Garden. If you do so, try to compare these two very different worlds. At first sight, it becomes impossible to do so – on one side, you have the harmony and beauty of Yuyuan Garden, complete with legends and stories, and on the other, the chaotic, messy and apocalyptic world of today!
Before we leave the third scenery area, let’s take a look at the artificial mountain east of the Acting and Singing Stage. This is more than an imitation of a mountain. The Embracing Clouds Cliff, built to resemble rocky cliff sides, and the Tower of Joy or Kuai Lou (No. 18), built high atop it, make it feel uncannily realistic. If you stop to think about it, it’s quite unbelievable how many different terrains are present here, in concentrated form. We have seen bodies of water, imitating lakes and rivers; the Grand Rockery, standing for a mountain chain; trees, resembling dense forests; plains, and now both a cliff side and a gorge. If you think back on what the Grand Rockery looked like, you can now compare these two artificial mountains. Whatever your thoughts, you will certainly agree that they are true masterpieces!
Shanghai Stories TOP3: the Bund, Yuyuan Garden, Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse Page 5