After Beijing, my family and I spent a couple of relaxing days in Suzhou. My mom brought one of her suits to a tailor and had a gorgeous copy made for her in a winter material. We also indulged in some massage therapy. Clare and I had a 1-hour Japanese shitzu body massage which was heavenly! However, I think our favorite experience was visiting the famous Master of the Nets Garden. The garden is considered to be a perfect example of small, classical Chinese garden landscaping and it feels like a tiny jewel tucked away in the bustling town center. After walking down a winding alley you enter the Master of the Nets' house and can view the pavilion halls and furniture before exploring the garden.


Chinese gardens are very interesting because they are so different from our Western idea of a garden. The landscape incorporates aspects of architecture, philosophy, art and literature. Unlike European gardens which seek to control the landscape with geometry and show man's place as ruler over nature, Chinese gardens reflect Taoist thought where man is just one small part of the world. Chinese gardens recreate the world by emphasizing an asymmetrical layout of pavilions, water features, hills and rocks. Mountains and rivers are very important in Chinese culture and are symbolized by the ponds and misshapen rocks that form the center of the garden's design. The symbolism continues with choosing which plants to have in the garden and the names of the gardens and pavilions. I look forward to revisiting the Master of the Nets garden once I have more knowledge about Chinese culture so I can more fully understand its harmonic beauty!