Jichang Garden facts for kids
Jichang Garden (Chinese: 寄畅园) is a famous garden located in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China. It is very close to the old Huishan Temple. This garden is so special that the Chinese government officially protected it as an important historical and cultural site on January 13, 1988. Other well-known gardens in Beijing, like Xiequ Garden in the Summer Palace and Guo Ran Da Gong in Yuanming Yuan, were actually designed to look similar to Jichang Garden.
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History of Jichang Garden
Jichang Garden is also known by another name, "Qin Yuan" (秦园). A long time ago, the land where the garden now stands had two buildings called "Nan Yin" (南隐) and "Ou Yu" (沤寓).
How Qin Jin Started the Garden
During the Ming dynasty, a man named Qin Jin bought the "Ou Yu" building from Huishan Temple. Qin Jin was a very smart scholar who passed important government exams in 1493. He was also a descendant of Qin Guan, a famous poet from the Northern Song dynasty.
Qin Jin decided to turn the old building and land into a beautiful garden. He created hills and ponds, planted many flowers and trees, and built new houses. After Qin Jin passed away, his family members, Qin Han and his son Qin Liang, took care of the garden. In the summer of 1560, Qin Han built another garden on top of Huishan Mountain. He called it "Feng Gu Shan Zhuang," which means "Villa of Phoenix Valley."
Qin Yao and the Garden's New Name
Later, after Qin Liang died, his family member Qin Yao became the owner of the garden. Qin Yao was part of a group called the Donglin party, which was involved in politics. In 1591, Qin Yao faced difficulties in the government and returned to Wuxi feeling sad. He found comfort and relaxation in the beautiful garden.
To reflect his new peaceful feeling, Qin Yao changed the garden's name to Jichang Yuan (寄畅园). This name means "sending happiness" or "finding joy." During the Wanli period of the Ming dynasty, Jichang Garden had 20 special spots. Qin Yao even wrote poems about each of these beautiful places in the garden.
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Jichang Yuan
