The Stunning Chinese Garden Couple Exploration

Did you know?
The two Ming Dynasty twin gardens outside Suzhou's Changmen Gate have such a fascinating story!
Today, let's explore this "garden couple" that has spanned over 400 years～

🏰【Past Life】
During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (late 16th century), Suzhou official Xu Taishi (Minister of the Court of Imperial Stables), after setbacks in his career, purchased land outside Suzhou's Changmen Gate and built two exquisite private gardens:
📍East Garden (now Lingering Garden): No. 338 Liuyuan Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province
📍West Garden (now Xiyuan Temple): No. 18 Xiyuan Lane, Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province

💎The two gardens are only 1 kilometer apart! Back then, they were the top-tier couple sharing the bustling Changmen area～ Both invited the famous rockery master Zhou Shichen to design their rockeries, and you can still see the stunning Taihu stone landscapes today!

🔄【Present Transformation】
⚪️West Garden's fate: transformed into a Buddhist temple in 1635 → became the Lüzong Jietuang Lusi Temple during the Qing Dynasty
⚫️East Garden's journey: Xu family private property → renamed Hanbi Mountain Villa during Qing Qianlong period → became Lingering Garden by the late Qing

🌸【Must-See Highlights】
✔️Xiyuan Temple: The release pond + 500 Arhats Hall are truly breathtaking! A legendary example of "a garden within a temple"
✔️Lingering Garden: The Guanyun Peak rockery is stunningly beautiful! Truly worthy of being one of China's Four Great Gardens～
💡Tip: The rockeries in both gardens are perfect for photo ops; be sure to look for the "slim, wrinkled, and translucent" features of Taihu stones!

🚶【Travel Tips】
🎫Tickets:
- Xiyuan Temple: 5 RMB (super affordable!)
- Lingering Garden: 55 RMB (peak season)
⏰Opening hours: Both open 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
🚇Transportation: 10-minute walk from Shilu Station on Metro Line 2

📸【Cultural Impact】
The two gardens perfectly embody Suzhou's cultural code of "half garden half temple, half secular half Zen":
🧘Xiyuan Temple: Buddhist practice + natural Zen = a healing check-in spot
🎨Lingering Garden: Literati gatherings + reclusive sentiment = a must-visit for art lovers

💭Standing in these ancient gardens, you can almost hear the sighs of the garden owners from 400 years ago～ Which of these "twin gardens" that have weathered the ages would you like to visit first?