Li Garden's Spring Splendor

Wuxi's Li Garden in spring is a vibrant tapestry of the Jiangnan water town. Stepping into the garden is like traveling through a thousand years, dancing with the legend of Fan Li and Xi Shi amidst the picturesque scenery. The gate of Li Garden is ingeniously crafted from piled rocks, said to be a defensive structure designed by Fan Li to avoid pursuit by the King of Yue. It exudes an air of mystery in its simplicity. Passing through the gate, the colorful Baihua Shanfang (Hundred Flowers Mountain House) greets visitors with a vibrant display of rare flowers and trees interspersed with rockeries. The couplet "Flowers bloom in four seasons, clipping the moon and wearing the clouds; water flows in a bay, piercing the forest and piling stones" perfectly captures the poetic charm of this place. Walking along the bluestone path, the Four Seasons Pavilion, nestled among bamboo groves, invites visitors to pause and admire its beauty. The four pavilions share a unified style but each features different flowering trees: the Spring Pavilion overflows with red, the Summer Pavilion drips with emerald green, the Autumn Pavilion is drunk with yellow, and the Winter Pavilion chants in white. The inscriptions on the plaques add a touch of scholarly elegance. The winding Thousand Steps Corridor is the soul of Li Garden. Built along the lake, the corridor offers stunning views of the shimmering waters of Li Lake on one side, while the other side features decorative windows with over 80 different patterns, including copper coins, fans, and hearts, each resembling a natural picture frame. When the sun shines obliquely, the lake's surface shimmers with golden ripples, and in the distance, Xishi Island sits like an emerald embedded in the heart of the lake. Occasionally, a small boat glides by, creating ripples that spread like a brocade shaken by a celestial being. Inside the corridor, numerous stone tablets are inscribed with calligraphy by renowned artists such as Su Shi and Mi Fu, adding a touch of literary charm. The star of Li Garden in spring is undoubtedly the peach blossom. At the Nandi Chunxiao (South Embankment Spring Dawn) scenic spot, thousands of peach blossoms bloom in unison, resembling a blanket of pink clouds from afar. Up close, the petals are as delicate as cicada wings, fluttering in the wind like a shower of blossoms, transforming visitors into ethereal beings. By the lake, the statue of Xi Shi stands gracefully, her natural beauty captivating without any makeup. Imagining her washing silk and boating here, history and legend intertwine. Li Lake, originally named "Wuli Lake," was renamed after Fan Li and Xi Shi's seclusion here, and the picturesque scenery seems to echo their idyllic life. Within the rockery formations lies a hidden world of caves. The stone caves are winding and deep, sometimes narrow as crevices, sometimes opening into spacious chambers. Water droplets on the stone walls sparkle like diamonds. Climbing to the top of Guiyun Peak, visitors are rewarded with a panoramic view of pavilions, weeping willows, and the azure lake. As dusk descends, Li Garden is veiled in a layer of mist, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Guo Moruo once wrote, "If you want to know the charm of Li Garden, ask the young man on the cliff." Today, Li Garden, amidst the hustle and bustle and tranquility of spring, encapsulates the beauty of nature and the charm of humanity for eternity. As we leave the garden, we secretly promise to return next year, to keep our date with the spring scenery of Jiangnan.