Jichang Garden Travel in China

Jichang Garden was a famous garden with more than 500 -year history. It expresses the high-level gardening skill in Ming and Qing dynasties. It is rich in the cultural relics.

Jichang Garden leans against Hui Mountain in the west and Xi Mountain in the southeastern side. On the basis of the advantageous natural conditions, the general layout of this garden is centralized with the water area, the rockery connected with the rest of Hui Mountain in the west and north side. It is also linked with “the second spring on earth”.

Jichang Garden was the typical representative of Chinese villa gardens against mountains. It is relatively smaller than the classic and famous ones in Suzhou. The skillful craftsman created the unique and elegant beauty of the oriental paradise. In 1988, Jichang garden became the national emphasized cultural unit for protection. 

The establishment of Jichang Garden could trace back to the Ming Dynasty. It was the former private garden of Qin family. So its original name was Qin Garden. Its first garden master was the great literary master, Qin Guan, in Song Dynasty. Up to the third master of this garden, he renamed it Jichang Garden to avoid the sorrow and gloominess from dismiss. In fact, the name of Jichang Garden comes from the poem of Wang Xizhi in Jin Dynasty, who was the greatest calligrapher in Chinese cultural and artistic history. In 1657, during the reign of Qing dynasty, the descendants of Qin Family intentionally invited the famous gardening master, Zhang Nangeng to redesign this old garden and finally it became more famous in China.

Emperor Kang Xi and Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty both liked this garden very much. In 100 years, these two emperors came to Southern area of Yangtze River for six times respectively. And each time they certainly visited this garden. And Emperor Kangxi gifted Jichang Garden two pieces of stone inscriptions which were written by himself. Emperor Qianlong even established the Huishan Garden in Longevity Mountain in Beijing following the structure and layout of Jichang Garden. Nowadays it is the Xieque Garden in Summer Palace.