Lingering Garden and Master of the Nets Garden

Background

Both gardens are in the old city of Suzhou. Like the Humble Administrator's Garden, they belong to the Classical Gardens of Suzhou, inscribed together on the World Heritage List in 1997. The Lingering Garden was first built in the 21st year of the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty (1593), originally as the East Garden, and later changed its name as it passed to the Liu and then the Sheng families; its scenery is divided into eastern, central, western and northern sections. The Master of the Nets Garden was first laid out in the Southern Song dynasty on the site of the "Ten Thousand Volume Hall" of the vice-minister Shi Zhengzhi, at first under the name "Fisherman's Retreat"; in the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty, Song Zongyuan bought and rebuilt it, renaming it the Master of the Nets Garden. The whole garden covers only about half a hectare, yet makes a small space feel large.

Local customs

• Admire the Cloud-Capped Peak and the four sections in the Lingering Garden, and see how much is packed into a small space in the Master of the Nets Garden
• visiting the two side by side shows off contrasting garden-making techniques.

Travel tips

• The two gardens are not in the same place, so allow time to travel between them. Check the official channels for ticket prices and opening hours. The gardens have many stone-paved paths and narrow corridors, so watch your footing.
• Both are reachable by bus within Suzhou, but they stand in different lanes
• check the official channels for exact routes. Spring and autumn are best, when the flowers, plants and light on the buildings suit each other well. In summer you can enjoy the lotus, and in winter there are fewer visitors.