Lingering Garden(Gusu)

Lingering Garden is one of Suzhou's four most celebrated classical gardens and has been part of the UNESCO-listed Classical Gardens of Suzhou since 1997. Its origins date to the late Ming dynasty, when it was created for the official Xu Taishi.

Rather than relying on sheer size, the garden is particularly admired for the way its halls, covered corridors, white walls, courtyards and decorative openings continually reveal and conceal different views. Water and old trees dominate the central section, while other areas incorporate rockeries, quieter landscapes and a bonsai garden.

One of its landmarks is Cloud-Capped Peak (冠云峰), a striking 6.5-metre Taihu limestone formation dating from the Song dynasty.

Suzhou Scene Tip: Take your time through the covered corridors. Doorways, windows and openings are deliberately used to frame the garden from different angles, so some of the best views appear between the main sights rather than at them.