In today's world of high-rise apartment buildings, sprawling suburbs and pushbutton communication, finding a place to relax and let the mind unwind has become an obsession for some city dwellers. People are becoming more and more aware of the importance of kicking back and just taking it easy. Today's park is a place for playing frisbee, having a picnic or just walking in a straight line for more than 20 yards.

But, in ancient China the garden was much more than just an absence of humanity. Even the word "garden" seems a bit of a misnomer to describe the culture, philosophy and art that came together to form the Chinese "yuan lin."

In imperial China there were two kinds of gardens. One was the Emperor's own "reserve" complete with mountains, streams and wild animals. The other was reserved for the scholars, the wealthy and the bureaucrats. These "private" gardens were confined to the lot adjacent to the residence. The garden helped to break the somber atmosphere that prevailed in the traditional Chinese home. With the limited amount of space available to work with, the utilization of space became a central theme of the private garden.

As early as the Han dynasty (206 B.C.219 A.D.) gardens were an important part of a scholar's cultivation and an artist's inspiration. Through the succeeding dynasties the art of creating a garden that reflected the grand scope of nature in miniature form reached it's climax in the Ming (1368-1644 A.D.) and Ching (1644-1911 A.D.) dynasties. The beautiful gardens of Soochow have come to represent this most expressive of the Chinese arts.

Soochow traditionally was not only a thriving commercial center but a gathering place for those candidates who successfully passed the imperial examinations.

This added to the fact that Soochow is blessed with an abundance of water, fertile soil and a favorable climate, helped to produce some of the most breathtaking scenery in China. The intellectual pool that was present in Soochow combined with the natural conditions to mold the limited space into a realm of boundless beauty.

The traditional Chinese house is a rigid, symmetrical box that is based on architectural rules centuries old. The garden on the other hand is a soft, amorphous living creation. Nowhere do two lines come together to form a right angle, there is no definition, no justification.

The traditional garden is a realm of contrasts. The sheer hardness of rock is set against the soft ripples of the flowing brook. The light of the sun is accentuated by the darkness of shadows. Heights seem to become taller and empty space filled. Opposites come together to form a whole. "Upon entering a garden," says a character in the classic Chinese novel, Dream of the Red Chamber, "one sees nothing, but within a few steps inside one sees everything." Borrowing from the outside--seemingly reaching out to the mountain and sky in the background bringing them into the garden. Borrowing from the inside--so that walls reflect the sun and shadow, and the windows and doors appearing to frame the scenery in a living picture.

There are about 70 remnant gardens representative of the glorious period of Chinese gardens during the Ming and Ching dynasties. They are for the most part concentrated in Soochow and its environs, and many of the more famous gardens can still be seen. The tradition of the Chinese garden is more than the crystallization of philosophical inspiration and artistic spirit. For the two to come together it's necessary to also have a prosperous and stable country. After the collapse of the Ching dynasty China had neither, and the creation of gardens came to an abrupt halt.

Taiwan also enjoys a long history of beautiful gardens. For more than 300 years since the arrival of mainlanders from Fukien and Kwangtung, Taiwan has possessed the necessary ingredients for creating gardens as beautiful as those found on the Chinese mainland. These ingredients include a large and skilled artisan class which came from the mainland over 300 years ago. Coupled with the natural conditions found in Taiwan favoring the growth of various kinds of vegetation, the early Chinese settlers quickly took to the task of building large and famous gardens. Among the more famous are Taichung's "Lai Yuan," and Banch'iao's "Lin Chia Hua Yuan." These two gardens are almost 25% larger than the similar gardens in Soochow. In addition to being large, Taiwan's gardens were host to a broad range of activities. From studying to watching a performance of traditional drama, to simply enjoying a stroll--all can be appreciated in Taiwan's gardens.

Because of the oppressive summer heat in Taiwan, most of the gardens feature water as the focal point. As most of the residents of Taiwan came from southern China gardens tend to resemble the scenery that is found in that part of China. Because the exquisite T'ai-hu rock from the China mainland cannot be found in Taiwan, a substitute sandstone is used to approximate the near mystical properties of the T'ai-hu rock. After years of weathering, the T'ai-hu stone will erode into fascinating shapes and contrasting shades and colors.

Of the many gardens that have been built in Taiwan in the past 300 years only a few have been preserved to this day. Although a few are being refurbished much has been lost to time and neglect. After the Japanese occupation of the island (1895-1945), all parks have been built in the western fashion. Because of this many people are not aware of how much the tradition, history, and culture of China is embodied in the Chinese garden.

To rectify this ignorance of one of the world's greatest art forms, the National Palace Museum has built the "Chih Shan Garden" in the tradition of the great gardens of China. "Chih Shan Garden" is a magnificent landscape occupying 16,000 square meters, next to the main museum. The curator, Ch'in Hsiao-yi hopes that visitors will enjoy the garden after browsing through the museum. He says, "To truly appreciate the source of inspiration for the works of art in the museum, it's necessary to walk through similar surroundings where these great artists sought contemplation."

"Chih Shan Garden" is made up of eight main sections connected by a winding, leisurely system of walkways. Water is present everywhere and the gurgling of it winding in and out will surely inspire another generation of artists. All architecture is in the tradition of ancient China. There are no nails to be found in a single structure in "Chih Shan Garden." All joints are made in log cabin fashion of pegs and holes. Nothing has been painted reflecting the simple and natural existence of the ancient artists and philosophers. Some of the most famous scrolls have been copied and hung in many of the pagodas in the garden.

The old saying "stop and smell the roses" aptly applies to "Chih Shan Garden." It would truly be a crime against culture if one were to go to "Chih Shan Garden" and not plan on spending the whole afternoon. In these days of supersonic travel and tele-conferences, it's nice to know there is still a place you can go and step back in time to a place of simplicity, limitless energy and mystery.

(Kirby Chien)

[Picture Caption]

1. Chih Shan Garden is located directly east of the National Palace Museum. The entire garden is brought together by an interlocking system of lakes and footpaths. 2. The verdant waters of Chih Shan Garden reflecting the beauty of a partially hidden pavilion, as Spring brings the mystery of the garden alive.

1. Two Chinese mallards enjoying the pristine waters. 2. This pavilion brings the visitors even closer to the natural surroundings of Chih Shan Garden.

1. In Pan Ch'iao's Lin Chia Hua Yuan a magnificent butterfly frames a living peinting. 2,3. Two pictures from the Lin Chia Garden, one from the Ching dynasty and the other nearing the end of renovation.

1. This small pavilion features an ancient Chinese musical instrument...as if the old master will be back any minute... 2. From the map of Chih Shan Garden one can't appreciate the beauty within. 3. A necessary part of any Chinese garden is the twisted and convoluted mountains reaching for the sky. 4. A carving from one of Wang Hsichih's works. 5. The Orchid Pavilion stands proudly in a corner of the garden.

1. A dazzling explosion of color jumps into the second story of the Seng Feng Pavilion. 2.3. The tranquility and splashing color of SooChow's gardens.

1. Two Chinese mallards enjoying the pristine waters.

2. This pavilion brings the visitors even closer to the natural surroundings of Chih Shan Garden.

1. In Pan Ch'iao's Lin Chia Hua Yuan a magnificent butterfly frames a living peinting.

2,3. Two pictures from the Lin Chia Garden, one from the Ching dynasty and the other nearing the end of renovation.

2,3. Two pictures from the Lin Chia Garden, one from the Ching dynasty and the other nearing the end of renovation.

1. This small pavilion features an ancient Chinese musical instrument...as if the old master will be back any minute..

2. From the map of Chih Shan Garden one can't appreciate the beauty within.

3. A necessary part of any Chinese garden is the twisted and convoluted mountains reaching for the sky.

4. A carving from one of Wang Hsichih's works.

5. The Orchid Pavilion stands proudly in a corner of the garden.

1. A dazzling explosion of color jumps into the second story of the Seng Feng Pavilion.

2.3. The tranquility and splashing color of SooChow's gardens.

2.3. The tranquility and splashing color of SooChow's gardens.