The Dr Sun Yat Sen Garden

7/30/2019 The Dr Sun Yat Sen Garden

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The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Gardens

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen classical gardens are the

first full-sized Chinese Scholar’s Garden built

outside of China. It includes a freely accessible

public park and a garden with an admission

fee. It was built from 1985-1986, with the

same materials, tools, and techniques as

centuries ago. Most of the architectural

components were shipped from china, such as

the hand-fired roof tiles, the carved woodwork,

the lattice windows, the limestone rocks and

even the pebbles used for the courtyard.−→

A 52-person team of experts from Suzhou

spent a whole year creating the Gardens. The outer park was created by Joe Wai and

Donald Vaughan with Wang Zu-Xin being the chief architect for the inside gardens.

Vancouver’s climate is quite similar to the

climate of Suzhou so many of the plant

varieties are used in the Garden.

The Classical Gardens are a physical

manifestation of the ideas of Feng Shui andTaoism, which are to strive for harmony and

balance of opposites. For example, craggy

rocks are put next to delicate foliage. −−−→

←−−− The large pond acts as a mirror to

the self, as a unifier of the other

elements, and as a creator of a tranquil

atmosphere. A special clay lining is

added to the bottom of the pond in

order to further intensify the reflections.



Plants are chosen based on their

blooming schedules to emphasize the

changing of the seasons. They are also

chosen based on symbolic value. The

willow shows feminine grace; the winter

flowering plum symbolizes renewal; thepine that grows in treacherous conditions

represents strength; and the bamboo

reflects silent resilience, bending but

never breaking.↓ −−−→

The rocks come from a lake in China next

to Suzhou known as Lake Tai Hu. The lakewaters are slightly acidic so over time, the

lake waters wear down at the limestone

rocks, giving the stone a shape that

changes with the light and with the angle.

Who do you see in this rock?↓

In the front of the

Garden, in the

←−Yin (female) part,

the hand-made rock

and pebble floor

tiles are in gently

flowing shapes whilein the

←−Yang (male) part,

the tiles are in hard-

lined geometric

shapes.



In the formal reception hall, in which the scholar

would receive his guests, four traditional woods

are used. The vaulted roof was made from

camphor wood; the naturally stained pillars

from prized Nan wood; the red pillars from

lacquered Chinese fir; and the lattice workscreens from gingko wood.−−→

←−−− The name of the hall

commemorates the East-West

partnership in the building of the Garden

is etched on the central plaque. Right to

Left: Chinese Leaf Hall

Emulating a mountain is a pile of weathered

rocks and high upon that “mountain” is an

elegant pavilion, a “ting”, which represents

humans in their natural setting.−−−→

The Jade Water Pavilion is made particularly

delicate and distinctive by the beautiful

woodwork. Bedsides the

←−−lattice framed windows and the

balustrades, there are two wooden screenswith patterns of plums, orchids, bamboo

and chrysanthemums in the wood that are

known as the

←−−Heaven (circle) and Earth (square)

gates. The gates are another manifestation

of the idea of yin and yang.



At the end of the Lookout is a moongate

that symbolizes a perfect never-ending

circle, heaven and perfection. −−→

Continuing along the corridor is the

Scholar’s Courtyard and Study.↓

The traditional Scholar’s Courtyard and

Study is the most peaceful part of the

Classical Gardens. The Courtyard is a goodplace to view the roof, drip tiles and the leak

windows. ↓

Each leak window is unique and draws

the eye to something beyond. ↓

The Scholar’s Study was the private domain in

which the

scholarwould read,

write, and

compose

poetry and

music and

painting.

←−−−−−→

Documents

The Dr Sun Yat Sen Garden