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Zhao Liewen’s Gardening Practices and Activities in His Diary Li & Yin

but not vulgar,” the Humble Administrator’s adoration and admiration for Wang Wei’s
Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan) as “the most Wangchuan prompted him to hold grand
secluded place,” and although the Garden for events of the Stream of the Big Dipper Poetry
Smooth Repose (Jichang Yuan) [in Wuxi] Contest that lasted more than several months.
had been abandoned for a long time, the quiet The house and garden were an important
and beautiful atmosphere created by the place for living, where painting, poetry
winding pools and old trees was “absolutely composition, listening to music, scenery
incomparable to its layout by prominent appreciation, and discussing current affairs,
[3]
garden design masters of the time” . Zhao all happened.
Liewen considered the Joyous Garden (Yi For an individual case study of house and
Yuan) and the Surging Waves Pavilion garden in the south of the Yangtze River, the
(Canglang Ting) were just ordinary because Tranquil Garden (Jing Pu) site still remains,
they had too much craftsmanship, among and it has a detailed record of words and
which the Joyous Garden had too many pretty deeds from the first perspective of the owner.
stones but too few trees. Comparing the The authenticity of information about the
Joyous Garden with the Humble house and garden documented in the text is
Administrator’s Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan), especially precious. The whole process of
the difference between them was like “crane creating the house and garden from scratch in
and duck”: “Looking at its layout closely, the the Jiangnan region, mapped by Zhao
site is large but with narrow views, no spot is Liewen’s life story and presented in his
worthy seeing” [3] . Due to the poor “Diary of the Tranquil Garden” (Nengjingju
management by the later generations, the Riji), vividly reflect the real-life pictures of
Tranquil Garden (Jing Pu) gradually scholars and literati in the late Qing dynasty.
dilapidated and was finally transferred to
others. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
None.
4. CONCLUSION
Although Zhao Liewen selected the old FUNDING
garden in the west of Changshu city because This study was supported by the Fundamental
of the price, location, fengshui, and other Scientific Research Business Funds for
factors, he designed his house and garden central colleges and universities – “Research
based on creation and expression of “self.” on the Rural Gardens in the South of the
The name of Tranquil Garden (Jing Pu) was Yangtze River in Ming and Qing Dynasties”
also from his pseudonym of “Tranquil (2662020YLPY014).
Householder” (“Nengjingjushi”). As the
owner of the garden, Zhao Liewen CONFLICT OF INTEREST
participated in the whole process of None.
purchasing, design, and construction of the
Tranquil Garden, and his attention to fengshui REFERENCES
was often reflected in the layout of the [1] Chen N. Yanghu chronicle of Mr. Zhao
Tranquil Garden. The increase in the number Huifu (Liewen) [M] / Shen Yunlong.
of family members directly resulted in Continued edition of the series of
reconstruction and improvement of the house historical materials of modern China:
and garden, and the difficulty in maintaining Vol. 99. 1983, Wenhai Publishing House,
the private garden made it inevitable to open Taipei.
to the public for a fee. But at the heart of [2] Fan X. The literary and historical value
constructing the entire house and garden, it of Zhao Liewen”s “Diary of Falling
was always Zhao Liewen’s personal Flowers and Spring Rain Nest” [J].
preference. His passion for book collection Literature, 2019(3): 123–135.
led to many such sites in the garden, and his

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