Yi Garden.

Yi Garden is an important garden in Nanxun Ancient Town, known for its exquisite landscape art and poetic architectural style. The following is a detailed introduction to Yi Garden: ### I. Historical Background * **Construction Time**: Yi Garden was originally built by Pang Laichen, son of Pang Yunbo, a wealthy businessman in Nanxun, in the 7th year of the Republic of China (1918). It covers an area of nearly 20 mu. However, there is also a saying that Yi Garden was first built in the 25th year of Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1899) and expanded during Pang Laichen's time. * **Historical Changes**: After its completion, Yi Garden attracted many celebrities and scholars, becoming famous for a time and being hailed as the first among the Five Gardens of Nanxun. However, the garden was unfortunately destroyed by fire during the war in the 1930s. Fortunately, the Nanxun District Government initiated the reconstruction project of Yi Garden in 2016. It covers an area of 24,038 square meters and has a total investment of 110 million yuan. The restoration project took 3 years and is now completed and open to the public for free. ### II. Garden Features * **Layout and Structure**: Yi Garden is divided into two main parts. The front part consists of pavilions, towers, and winding corridors, while the back part is a rectangular lotus pond. The halls and pavilions in the garden include Half-Lake Cloud Brocade Ten Thousand Hibiscuses, Emerald Green Bamboo and Cypress Cottage, Rain-Listening Pavilion, Emerald Shade Pavilion, Fish-Playing Pavilion, and Competitive Elegance Studio. These buildings are scattered in a well-balanced manner, echoing with the rockeries, eaves, and cloud walls, forming the unique features of Jiangnan gardens with winding paths leading to secluded spots and changing scenery with every step. * **Attraction Introduction**: + **Sunset Pavilion**: Surrounded by Taihu Lake rockery, there is a pavilion outside the pavilion, named after the ancient poem "Sunset Welcomes the Pale Moon". Nearby, red plum trees are planted, creating the theme of Song Dynasty Lin Bu's "Plum Wife and Crane Son" hermit culture. + **Emerald Shade Pavilion**: Derived from the poem by Tang Dynasty poet Sikong Tu, "Painting Bridge Emerald Shade", there is a plaque inside called "Crane Guarding Pavilion". It is said that a black-necked white-feathered red-crowned crane was once kept here. + **Competitive Elegance Studio**: In the past, it was a place where the owner would meet friends for painting. There are many exquisite landscape paintings on the wall, with a strong sense of antiquity. As the only remaining single building, it is an important reference for the restoration of Yi Garden. + **Lotus Pond**: The island in the center of the lake is connected to the shore by a nine-turn bridge, with a Fish-Playing Pavilion at the bridgehead. The lake surface is wide. When the lotus flowers bloom, the green canopy and red flowers create a distant and elegant fragrance, and the scenery is breathtaking. * **Architectural Art**: Yi Garden's architectural style is unique. The pavilions and rockeries are interdependent, and the walls are inlaid with many stone inscriptions, such as the stone tablet of "Yi Garden Chronicle" written by Kuang Zhouyi and calligraphed by Zheng Xiaoxu, and the stone tablet of "Lake Prefecture Miaoyan Temple Chronicle" in Zhao Mengfu's regular script. These all showcase Yi Garden's profound cultural heritage and artistic value. ### III. Status and Influence * **Status**: Yi Garden is not only a shining pearl in Nanxun Ancient Town, but also one of the masterpieces of modern Chinese gardens. Its exquisite landscape art and poetic architectural style attract countless tourists to visit. * **Influence**: The reconstruction of Yi Garden not only restores the historical appearance of Nanxun Ancient Town, but also provides tourists with a good place to experience the beauty of Jiangnan gardens. At the same time, Yi Garden has also become an important physical material for studying modern Chinese landscape art. In conclusion, Yi Garden is a garden with a profound historical heritage and unique landscape features. Whether from the perspective of architectural art, cultural value, or tourism appreciation, it is worth a visit.