The quaint and unique Yanyuan of Changshu

Yanyuan, one of the oldest and most completely preserved private gardens in the classical gardens of Changshu, is also known as Yangugarden. Although not large in size, it is ingeniously conceived, uniquely crafted, and distinctive, making it one of the famous classical gardens in the south of the Yangtze River. Yanyuan has two origin stories: One says that it was built by Jiang Yuanxu, the son of Jiang Pu, a Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, and a prefect of Taiwan. It was originally named 'Jiangyuan'. Later, it came into the possession of his nephew, Jiang Yinpei, the county magistrate of Tai'an, who commissioned the renowned rockwork master Jinling Ge Yuliang to build a yellow rockery, naming it 'Yangugarden', and hence the garden was called 'Yanyuan'. Another story suggests that in the 45th year of Qianlong's reign, Jiang Yuanxu, who was then the Inspector and Educational Commissioner of Fujian and Taiwan, encountered danger at sea. Upon his return to Changshu, he named the garden 'Yanyuan', implying 'the swallows returning', which is also a reference used for the campuses of Peking University and Yanshan University. Yanyuan may not be as large as the famous Zhao Yuan or Fangta Yuan gardens, but it has its own unique charm. Upon entering, one can immediately see a bamboo grove, and further inside, there are sparse bamboo branches, upon closer inspection, they are purple bamboo. Every few steps one takes, the scenery changes, especially with the rockery, which is both imposing and beautiful!