What do you think when you see the situation like the picture below? You must think you traveled back to old times.  

Actually, you are in Lingering Garden(留园), which is one of the most famous top 4 gardens of China. What's more, Lingering Garden was inscribed the world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1997.

The essence of gardens is to chase harmony between nature and human being, but each garden was designed and constructed based on the demands of each owner at the beginning. Furthermore, one garden often changed its owners several times. Therefore, each garden must have its own stories.  

Lingering Garden is no exceptional. It was first built in 1593 AD by Xu Taishi, who was a high-ranking official in charge of the Emperor's horses and vehicles. 

One man in ancient costume is playing the flute on the small boat and the fair-sounding Chinese traditional music spreads far and wide in the garden.  

The owners of the garden are enjoying Pingtan performance in the reception hall, which is the local story-telling music in Suzhou dialect.

There were three rocks well-known as the three peaks of the garden. The owner named his three daughters after the three peaks. Unfortuately, his second daughter died very young, so he was so sad that he broke the top of the rock angrily except this toppest one.

The owners are very happy to receive the foreigner, at the same time, the foreigner is also enjoying so wonderful welcoming.  

How many stories were hiden behide the gate? Please follow me to discover them if you are interested.

I am proud to be one of English guide volunteers in the garden in the following months. I invite one foreign friend and my son to be my first guests. They can correct me immediately if I say somehting wrong.

Thanks for their hard and good job. Please feel free come to see me if you would like to listen to my introduction of Lingering Garden.