#218 (continued) Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

Scholar’s Secret Scavenger Hunt

There are bat shapes all over the Garden. Bats symbolize good luck in Chinese because the word for bat sounds the same as the word for fortune or blessing.  The door handles are also bats – a docent was giving a tour while I was in there and she whispered to me to be sure and touch the door handles to bring good luck.  Near the Jade Water Pavilion is the Heavenly Well, there are bat shapes on the floor, in the window shapes, and on the pointed roof tiles.

 

The Garden was built in 1986 by a team of Chinese artisans who used the method and materials used during the Ming dynasty. So, no power tools, nails, screws or power tools. They used mortise and tenon joins to slot together wooden beams.

There is a hidden cave under the rock mountain. The Scholar designed his Garden as a miniature version of nature. Caves and mountains were mythical places where the Immortals lived.  The cave invites the Immortals or “good spirits” to live there. Dragons can also inhabit the cave, to see a Dragon was considered good luck.

The Scholar’s Face can be seen if you look closely at the wooden screen in the Jade Water Pavilion. A Scholar was a highly educated man who worked for the Emperor. He had to pass very difficult exams that tested his education in literature, the arts, and philosophy.

Plum blossom symbolizes spring; Orchid, summer; chrysanthemum, autumn; and bamboo, water.  Together these four flowers are referred to as the Four Gentlemen and can be found in the Jade Water Pavilion.  The Four Gentlemen also represent the ideal characteristics a man should have: courage (plum blossom), moral virtue (orchid), loyalty (chrysanthemum), and resilience (bamboo). 

The railings were designed for people to sit sideways and lean against them so you can look at the view whilst chatting comfortably with a friend. The railings are all anchored by these hooks, I assume so you can remove or move around the railings.

Dragon shapes and symbols represent The Emperor, good luck, power, and greatness.  The Chinese dragon has the body of a snake and is covered in scales like a fish.  The roof of the zigzag corridor has tiles that represent the snake-like body of the dragon.

Turtles represent long-life. There are large rocks that act as steps throughout the Garden. The shape reminds us of a turtle shell. Anyone who steps on these rocks will live forever.  During the summer there are also turtles living in the pond. The Tai Hu rocks all come from Lake Tai in China. Made of limestone and naturally formed by erosion, their interesting shapes ask us to imagine what they may be.

#218 Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

“…The Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden rises from a former parking lot on the edge of Vancouver’s Chinatown, the third largest outside the Orient, topped only by those of San Francisco and New York. It is the first (and is reputed to be the most authentic) full-scale classical Chinese garden ever built outside of China. … The finished product is a pocket-sized otherworld, a walled oasis of harmony where careful attention is paid to a classical balance between yin and yang: contrasting light and shadow, large and small, smooth and rough…”

This garden is beautiful.  It’s literally as described “a pocket-sized otherworld, a walled oasis of harmony”.  They also have a couple of things to make a visit educational and enjoyable. Their Visitor’s Guide is really excellent, and they have a couple of scavenger hunts on their website to help keep kids (and Jalaires) engaged during their visit.  Most of the below is straight from the Visitor's Guide and the Scavenger Hunt

From the Guide:

Moon Gate: Throughout the Garden, you will see circular opening and doorways. These are called Moon Gates, and like our beautiful leak windows, are perfect for framing views as you explore. The circular shape is symbolic of heaven and perfections, while the square and hexagonal shapes seen in other areas of the Garden represent earth.

Double Corridor: The double corridor acts as both a dividing and linking border between the classical Garden and adjoining public park, organically combining them into one whole. The ‘zigzag’ colonnade is designed to slow your stride and ensure the entire path is never seen at once. Views from both sides appear and disappear like paintings displayed in a long gallery.

Jade Water Pavilion: Like our double corridor, the Jade Water Pavilion called Han Bi Xie is a building that sits above the water, framing views on both sides. Notice the beautiful woodwork and lattice framed windows with patterns of plums, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums.

Lookout & South Courtyard: The back pavilion, or lookout, provides one of the best perspectives of the Garden, although even from here you cannot see all the various elements in one glance. As you follow the path, notice the change in the zigzag pattern, and enjoy the serenity of the “heavenly well”; the small triangular courtyard where the walls and roof meet to highlight a beautiful garden scene.

Ting: The Cloudy and Colorful Pavilion is the focal point of the Garden as it sits high on a mountain of Tai Hu rocks. This traditionally-shaped pavilion is called a Ting, and is a very common feature in classical Chinese gardens, as it is considered an ideal space to sit and observe the world.

Scholar’s Study and Courtyard: The Scholars who would have lived in garden-homes read, wrote, composed poetry, studied music and painted here, in the most serene part of the Garden. See examples of a Scholar’s traditional “tools” in the study, including his writing implements, such as an ink stone, brushes, and any seals used to sign correspondence or poetry. As you explore the Garden, look for the artists’ seals in red on the bottom of mounted paintings and poems.

 

Music Pavilion: Situated on the edge of the Scholar’s Courtyard, this small pavilion would have showcased musicians hired to entertain the Scholar and his guests. Designed to promote acoustics, this small podium is raised above the courtyard as a sign of respect to the musicians who would have otherwise been considered of a lower social status to the Scholar.

Hall of One Hundred Rivers & Courtyard: Like rivers flowing into the sea, people with different vitures and contributions flow together to create a community and a better society. This largest and newest hall was built to showcase exhibitions and accommodate expanding educational and public programming needs.

China Maple Hall or Hua Feng Tang: The heart of this garden-home, China Maple Hall is a prime example of the traditional Ming dynasty building techniques (no nails, screws, or glue) found throughout the Garden. This hall contains rare, naturally stained nan wood pillars that were gifted from Suzhour and natural camphor rafters whose scent repels insects.

See part II for the Scavenger Hunt.