Master of the Nets Garden

The Suzhou Master of the Nets Garden is a typical residential garden, small and exquisite. Experts evaluate it as a garden with artistic characteristics and cultural value in Suzhou gardens. The Master of the Nets Garden was built in the early Chunxi period of the Song Dynasty, originally called 'Fishing Hide', and after several changes, it was named 'Master of the Nets Garden'. Although the Master of the Nets Garden has changed its owner several times, most of the owners are literati and scholars, and each has left poems and inscriptions in the garden. After several renovations, it has finally formed a masterpiece in the classical garden. Walking into the Master of the Nets Garden, wandering in it, it is really a change of scenery with every step, attracted by its exquisite layout. What particularly attracts tourists is a pool called Cai Xia Pool. The surrounding rocks, flowers, and ancient trees are arranged in a dense and orderly manner. The 'Yun Gang' rockery by the pool is one of the rare good structures of yellow rock rockery in Suzhou gardens, reflected in the pool water, forming a group of natural works mainly based on landscape scenery.

✨The Master of the Nets Garden was first built in the Southern Song Dynasty, originally named 'Fisherman's Retreat', and was renamed 'Master of the Nets Garden' in the early Qing Dynasty. It is known for its small and exquisite design, maintaining the complete house and garden connection of Suzhou's old families. The garden is centered around a pond, with pavilions, terraces, rocks, and plants arranged around it, forming a clear and open main scene in the garden. ⏱Opening hours: 16:00-17:00 🎫Ticket price: 40 yuan per adult, tickets can be purchased at the entrance or online, and you can enter the garden by swiping your ID card 🚗Transportation: Exit 4 of Nanyuan North Road Station on Subway Line 5, walk 600 meters after exiting the station, about 8 minutes away 📷Tour 🍀Sedan Hall The Sedan Hall is also the ticket checking point. It used to be a place for guests to park their sedans. Now a sedan is displayed, which is not found in other gardens. 🍀Wanjuan Hall The Wanjuan Hall is the main hall of the Master of the Nets Garden, meaning 'a collection of ten thousand volumes'. 🍀Ladder Cloud Room There is a rockery in the courtyard, which is stacked using the Yun Tou Cun technique. It looks ordinary, but you can actually follow the rockery to the second floor of the Wufeng Book House, meaning 'there is a path to the book mountain if you are diligent'. However, it may not be allowed to climb now due to the large number of tourists. 🍀Wufeng Book House The name Wufeng Book House is because the rockery in front of the door looks like Lushan Mountain, taken from 'Lushan's southeast five old peaks, the blue sky carves out golden hibiscus'. 🍀Dianchun Move Dianchun refers to the middle of spring. This place is full of peonies, which bloom in the middle of spring, hence the name Dianchun Move.

Viewing the blooming flowers through the Suzhou-style lattice windows, the seasons change The aesthetics of the ancients have traveled through a thousand years to present themselves✨ When you come to Suzhou, you must not miss these legendary lattice windows🥹 ▫️The 'Master of the Nets Garden' with its 'Magnolia liliiflora' lattice window ▫️The 'Couple's Retreat Garden' white magnolia lattice window ▫️The 'Master of the Nets Garden' wisteria lattice window ▫️The 'Ke Garden' plum blossom lattice window ▫️The 'Couple's Retreat Garden' 'Magnolia liliiflora' lattice window ▫️The 'Lion Grove Garden' wintersweet lattice window ▫️The 'Master of the Nets Garden' bignonia lattice window ▫️The 'Humble Administrator's Garden' bamboo lattice window ▫️The 'Master of the Nets Garden' bamboo lattice window ▫️The 'Lingering Garden' camellia lattice window with waterfall ▫️The 'Lion Grove Garden' white magnolia skylight ▫️The 'Hermit's Garden' wintersweet lattice window ▫️The 'Lingering Garden' bamboo lattice window ▫️The 'Huanxiu Villa' maple leaf framed view ▫️The 'Yi Garden' maple leaf archway ▫️The 'Tiger Hill' maple leaf archway ▫️The 'Humble Administrator's Garden' maple leaf framed view

🌸 As the Magnolia Awards come to an end, the 'Er Qiao' starts to come online, and in March, the 'Er Qiao' magnolias in Wangshi Garden are especially anticipated. Every day, they are surrounded by crowds so dense that it's impossible to get through, and their popularity is explosive. Of course, only after seeing them for yourself, would you know they are truly beautiful. Especially the magnolias, they really suit the sunny weather, shining like stars✨, but the crowd can be overwhelming to the point of headache. Don't ask me why there are no wide-angle views. 🌸 Current flower news from Wangshi Garden: 1️⃣ The 'Er Qiao' behind the Ladder Cloud Room is in full bloom. 2️⃣ Due to renovations, the purple magnolias near the Dew Flower Pavilion cannot be accessed for photos, only aerial shots can be taken, capturing them through high walls and windows. 3️⃣ A tall white magnolia tree north of the Qin Room is probably not going to last much longer. 4️⃣ The purple-leaf plums by the Cai Xia Pond are blooming nicely. 5️⃣ The weeping crabapple has started to bud.

A small garden achieves more with less - the Master of the Nets Garden, hidden in the alleys, was originally built during the Southern Song Dynasty's Chunxi period (1174-1189 AD) on the former site of the 'Ten Thousand Scrolls Hall', with the garden's name 'Fisherman's Retreat' signifying a withdrawal from the worldly life, which was the precursor to the Master of the Nets Garden. After several changes of ownership, during the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong era, Song Zongyuan, the Minor Prefect of the Imperial Board of Works, acquired the garden and renamed it 'Master of the Nets Garden'. At the center of the garden is a large pond - the Colorful Clouds Pond, around which all the buildings are constructed. To the east is the residential area, to the north is the study area, to the west is the inner garden area, and to the south is the entertainment area, with the southeast gate serving as the main entrance. A counterclockwise tour allows visitors to make a full circuit of the garden. 📍: Address: No. 11 Kuojiatou Alley, Daichengqiao Road, Gusu District, Suzhou Master of the Nets Garden 🚇: Line 5, exit 4 of Nanyuan Beilu Station, walking distance 🎫: 30 RMB per person 🕖Opening hours: Peak season 7:30-17:30, last entry at 17:00 (April 21 - October 20); Off-peak season 7:30-17:00, last entry at 16:30 (October 21 - April 20 of the following year) 🍜To the north of the Master of the Nets Garden is the famous Suzhou culinary craft street, Shi Quan Street, where you can taste Suzhou-style soup noodles, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, eel paste, shrimp with biluo leaves, and various street-side coffees Special reminder: It is not recommended to drive! It's difficult to park in the alleys!

📍Address: No. 11 Kuojiatou Alley, Daichengqiao Road, Gusu District, Suzhou City 🚇Transportation: Exit 4 of Nanyuan North Road Station on Metro Line 5 → Walk 600 meters ⏰Opening Hours: 7:30-17:30 (No entry after 17:00) 🎫Ticket: 💰40/person, half price for students, free for annual garden pass holders 🎐Master of the Nets Garden at Night: 💰100/person (Annual garden pass not applicable) ✅The Master of the Nets Garden was originally built during the Southern Song Dynasty, initially named 'Fisherman's Retreat'. It was renamed to 'Master of the Nets Garden' in the early Qing Dynasty and is known for its exquisite and elegant design, maintaining the connected residence and garden style of Suzhou's old family estates. The garden is centered around a pond, with pavilions, terraces, and courtyards arranged around it, along with rocks and plants⛰️, forming a clear and open main view of the garden. ✅The garden is well-organized with a clear hierarchy, rich in variation, with gardens within gardens, and scenes beyond scenes. Despite the numerous buildings, it does not feel crowded, and although the mountain and pond are small, they do not feel cramped. It is known as the 'ultimate example of a small garden' in Suzhou gardens🎨, and is considered a model of Chinese gardens where less is more. 1⃣️Wanjiantang: In the center of the hall hangs the plaque 'Wanjiantang', with couplets by Zhang Xinka on both sides 'Purple air moistens the night rain over a thousand mountains, iron armor brings to life the thunder of ten thousand ravines.' Inside the hall, there is also a Zhuge bronze drum🥁, said to be made by Zhuge Liang. 2⃣️Yinjing Bridge: This is said to be the smallest stone arch bridge in Suzhou, and also in the whole country. The bridge is 2.45 meters long and 0.92 meters wide. Visitors can cross it in three steps, hence it is also called the Three-Step Bridge👣. The Caixia Pond is not large, but the small bridge makes the water surface appear wider, enhancing the sense of space in the garden. 3⃣️Shooting Ducks Corridor: Before noble young ladies of ancient times were married, they were not allowed to show their faces freely. To pass the time, they would raise waterfowl🦆 in the garden pond and catch them with vine rings, adding a bit of fun to life. The name 'Shooting Ducks Corridor' comes from this activity. 4⃣️Zhuwai Yizhi Xuan: Originally a place for the garden owner's children to study and write, it is named after the Song Dynasty poet Su Shi's verse 'A thousand trees with red blossoms almost hide the spring light, 🎋a single branch outside the bamboo is even more lovely.' 5⃣️Moon and Wind Pavilion: This hexagonal pavilion is surrounded by water on three sides, inspired by the Song Dynasty poet Shao Yong's verse 'The moon reaches the heart of the sky, the wind comes upon the water's surface.' Inside the pavilion, there is a large mirror🪞, reflecting the beautiful scenery, creating a sense of being in a painting, making it a must-visit photo📸 spot.

Just a few dozen meters east of the main entrance of the Master of the Nets Garden, at the doorway of 'No. 5 Kuojiatou Lane', there is a large cluster of Huangmuxiang. When the fragrant flowers dangle, they resemble a yellow floral waterfall, and recently it is the best time for them to bloom. It is well worth a visit whether you are going to the Master of the Nets Garden or just passing by Shiquan Street by chance. Address: No. 5 Kuojiatou Lane, Gusu District. (Close to Shiquan Street)

It's snowing in the Wangshi Garden, and the entire garden is covered with a layer of pure white snow. Snowflakes are flying, falling on the branches and the grass, forming crystal clear ice crystals, which are extremely beautiful. Entering the garden, a fresh air comes oncoming. The distant mountains are also covered with snow, looking even more spectacular. The small road in the garden is covered with thick snow, making a creaking sound when stepped on. On the side of the road, the flower beds, plum blossoms and apricot blossoms are all covered with snow, looking particularly delicate. A thin layer of ice has formed on the surface of the lake in the garden, and the lake water is clear to the bottom. A few white swans are swimming freely on the lake, their figures leaving beautiful arcs on the snow. The buildings in the garden are also covered with snow, and the red walls and black tiles appear more quaint and elegant against the white snow. The eaves are full of icicles, shining. It's snowing in the Wangshi Garden, and it has become a world wrapped in silver. Everything here has become so beautiful and so peaceful. Wangshi Garden

The Master of the Nets Garden occupies an area of 10 acres, making it the smallest of the Suzhou gardens, yet it is one of the four famous gardens in the south of the Yangtze River and a World Cultural Heritage site. When you walk into a small alley on Shi Quan Street, you would never expect the renowned Master of the Nets Garden to be hidden here. The name 'Master of the Nets' implies a fisherman or fisherman's intent, synonymous with 'fishing in seclusion,' suggesting a hermit-like existence away from the worldly life. It is said to be 'secluded deep within the bustling streets and quiet alleys, yet exquisitely tranquil.' The Master of the Nets Garden has become a representative work of classical gardens in the south of the Yangtze River, with its landscape arrangement and scenic spot inscriptions imbued with a strong reclusive atmosphere. Chen Congzhou praised it as 'the ultimate in small Suzhou gardens, also a top choice among national gardens, exemplifying the paradigm of less is more.' Small yet comprehensive, the layout is rigorous, with clear primary and secondary divisions and rich in variation. There are gardens within the garden, and scenes beyond the scenes, reaching the utmost in intricacy and seclusion. Although there are many buildings, they do not feel crowded; though the mountains and pools are small, they do not feel cramped. The Master of the Nets Garden is known for its ingenious layout, compact structure, and the harmonious proportion of architectural finesse and spatial scale. Master of the Nets Garden: 📍No. 11 Kuo Jia Tou Lane, Dai Cheng Bridge Road, Gusu District, Suzhou City ⌚️7:30-17:30 🎫Day tour 40 Night tour 100

The spring magnolia flower chasing trip has come to a perfect end this year❗️ Due to the different blooming periods of each garden, I basically ran for two weekends to complete the photo collection❗️ Especially on March 16th, taking advantage of the good weather, I set out from the Master of the Nets Garden at ten o'clock and arrived at the Lion Grove Garden at four-thirty, with most gardens being just a ten to twenty-minute walk apart. It was a great half-day of intense walking without retracing any steps, which was particularly refreshing. If you're not keen on walking, you can also ride a public bicycle, The itinerary and pictures are as follows: Station 1: Master of the Nets Garden (p3-4) Station 2: Jing Si Academy (p5) Station 3: Twin Pagodas, Wu Zuoren Art Museum, and Twin Pagodas Market can be visited together (p6) Station 4: A pink magnolia tree on Ganjiang East Road by the river (p7), encountered while walking from the Twin Pagodas towards Xiangmen Station 5: Ou Garden (p8-10) Station 6: Lion Grove Garden (p11-12) Station 7: Qu Garden (p13) This garden is near Chayuan Chang and is a bit further away The magnolia blooming season is brief, and this year the weather was cold and rainy, most of the white magnolias are almost gone, and the pink magnolias won't last much longer. This year's photography was very enjoyable, looking forward to an even better bloom next year!

Jiangnan has nothing much, hence I present you a branch of spring~ A small garden filled with the entirety of spring! Wangshi Garden is known for its beauty in a small package, no need to walk much, but every step reveals a scene, fully showcasing the Suzhou-style framing aesthetics! Today, I captured the top trending purple Yulan magnolias in Wangshi Garden, viewed from the Ladder Cloud Room, it is a completely beautiful framed view! The beautiful scenery through the hollowed-out wooden carved windows, where the branches of Erqiao Yulan extend, and the unevenly distributed Taihu rocks form a natural scroll~ Under the sunlight, it looks exceptionally bright! - 📍Wangshi Garden 💰30 🌸Erqiao Yulan blooming period: The peak blooming period is in the middle and late March - ♾️ 'Suggested Tour Route within the Garden' Main Gate► Sedan Hall► Wanjuan Hall► Xie Xiu Building► Ladder Cloud Room► Wufeng Study► Kan Song Reading Pavilion► Dianchun Yi► Moon and Wind Pavilion► Daohe Hall► Luhua Pavilion► Xiaoshan Conggui Pavilion► Entrance Exit (Currently, the Shiquan Street exit is closed, and you can only exit from the entrance) - 🌸Flower Viewing Locations ✔️Ladder Cloud Room: Erqiao Yulan ✔️Behind Wufeng Study: Erqiao Yulan ✔️In front of Kan Song Reading Pavilion: Papaya Begonia ✔️Beside Daohe Hall: White Yulan ✔️Luhua Pavilion: Purple Yulan There are also some other top trending flower viewing spots in the garden waiting for the flowers to bloom, such as weeping begonias, wisteria waterfalls, etc.~ - 📌Little tips: If you want to take pictures of the Yulan magnolias in the Ladder Cloud Room, try to go as early as possible, there are already more than 100 people around 8 o'clock in the morning😂, and the flowers fall quickly~

The magnolias in the Master of the Nets Garden are in full bloom The Master of the Nets Garden, originally called 'Fisherman's Retreat', was established in 1174. In 1765, it was officially named 'Master of the Nets Garden'. Located in the southeast corner of the old city of Suzhou, inside the Kuojiatou Alley of Fengmen, it is a typical private garden that combines a residence with a garden. The garden is divided into three parts: the eastern part is the residence, the central part is the main garden, and the western part is the inner garden. The layout of the garden is compact, with a delicate structure and harmonious spatial proportions. It is deservedly known as a representative of the medium and small classical landscape residential gardens in the Jiangnan area and is a masterpiece of classical gardens. The Master of the Nets Garden, this historically significant garden, was built during the Southern Song Dynasty and is a shining pearl among the many gardens of Suzhou. Known as the 'ultimate in small gardens', it demonstrates the beauty of making the most out of the least with its exquisite and ingenious design. Being in the Master of the Nets Garden is like traveling through time and space, back to the elegant Southern Song era. Every view is like a vivid painting, telling ancient stories. Walking along the winding paths, listening to the murmuring water, feeling the tranquility and harmony, one can't help but be intoxicated and linger on. Address: No. 11 Kuojiatou Alley, Gusu District Opening hours: Peak season 07:30-17:30 (ticket sales stop at 17:00); Off-peak season 07:30-17:00 (ticket sales stop at 16:30) Ticket price: Peak season 40 yuan; Off-peak season 30 yuan Transportation: Get off at Nanyuan North Road Station on Metro Line 5, exit from Exit 4, and walk about 600m Tips: The best place to view magnolias in Suzhou's gardens is the Master of the Nets Garden. Its iconic white magnolias are located at the entrance of the Wanjiantang, and another spot is the 'Stairway to Clouds to Pick Flowers' where one can be immersed in their beauty.