| Chinatown is an important
part of Vancouver quite close to the centre and we went there to go to the
Dr Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden. |  |
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Built in the style of a scholar's garden, it is an oasis of calm amidst the
bustling city. It was explained that a scholar was an important intellectual
person who advised the emperor. |
| The gong is partially
submerged and he is using sound to call the koi carp for feeding. We are
virtually at the end of the season and they will not be fed again until the
weather warms again in the spring. There were 14 good sized koi in the pond. |  |
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We had a guided tour which started in a room with many treasures including
this embroidered silk screen. There are one hundred butterflies amidst the
flowers. It is a fine example of a style where both sides of the screen are
exactly the same, with no knots or loose ends anywhere. |
| Special woods were used
to show the wealth and importance of the scholar. The screens are
intricately carved with interlocking sections so no nails or screws are
used. |  |
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Everything in the garden has a meaning although exactly what it means was
not always clear. One has to have balance between the ying, the yang and the
chi! |
| The trees aren't exactly
bonsai but they are dwarf varieties. Almost nothing was said about the
plants in the garden. It was all about balance and structure and symbolism.
Everything is green - there are no flowers for their own sake. |  |
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The bridge over the pond has two sides with a partition in the middle so one
side is always in the shade. It is also especially aligned and angled so the
scholar cannot be seen by the bad spirits.. |
| There are some true
bonsai trees although this planter had other plants in contrast. |  |
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With the water one just has to have weeping trees as with this one and the
view over the pond with water lilies. No flowers though at this time of the
year. |
| Stuck away in a corner is
a greenhouse with bonsai trees in it. I guess this is to protect them from
the frosts. They weren't mentioned or included in the tour. |  |
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Similar to the bonsai are the pieces of wood or rock. I guess there is
meaning in these as well. We just enjoyed the aesthetic beauty. |
| We would have called them
courtyards but they are referred to as rooms. Most had been funded by some
donor and they did not all have Chinese names. |  |
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The whole garden is surrounded by a high wall (part of the design). This
makes it very sheltered so the water is very calm and gives good
reflections. |
| The other gardens we have
been to each covered over 50 acres. This is much smaller being less than
two. |  |
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Scholars appreciate beauty even in the rocks. The gardens are the first
classical Ming dynasty gardens built outside China. The style comes from the
town of Suzhou and the rocks come from there too. |
| Very fine silk Chinese
lanterns are included in the room of precious artefacts. |  |
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Some of these are very colourful examples of a very fine and ancient art
form. |
| From time to time they
have exhibitions at the gardens. These are masks from around the world. |  |
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It is all quite closely packed but there are many discrete beds that are
displays in their own right. Study, and discover the meaning of life..... |
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Adjacent to the inner garden which you pay to visit is a free public park
with more trees and views of the water. A quiet place to have lunch. |
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