Lingering Garden (in simplified Chinese ??) is located in the entrance gate of Yam town, covering about 50 acres of area. In Suzhou, Lingering Garden is one of the four famous parks. It is also one of the best gardens in Suzhou. Originally, it was actually built as the garden for the Emperor in the Ming Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty, it was renovated and several constructions were added, and it was renamed as the Liu Yuan. During the Battle of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Qing Dynasty, most of the parks in Suzhou were destroyed, but only a few, like this Garden, could survive. During the early years of Qing Guangxu Period, the garden was renamed as the Lingering Garden. According to some Chinese artists, this Garden has the reputation of “Best Garden in Suzhou.”
Lingering Garden is divided into four pars, which are the central, east, north and west part. The central part is mainly composed of mountains and rivers, and they are actually the essence of the original Lingering Garden. The central part is also regarded as the most important part of the whole park. The eastern, western and northern parts of Lingering Garden were added by Emperor Guangxu.

When you enter the Garden and go over a two-tier small courtyard, you can reach the central part of the garden. In fact, the central part can further be divided into the central east and west part. In the central western part, it is famous for the good scenery. On the other hand, the central eastern part is famous for its buildings.

Lingering Garden is very important in Suzhou history because it witness the fall of Suzhou during the Battle of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. On the other hand, it was one of the gardens which was constructed and renovated by two distinct dynasties. Therefore, fusion of building styles of different dynasties could be seen in this garden. If you have time to visit Suzhou, you should try to visit this garden, and it would surely widen your horizons.

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