In today’s class, we heard that the Buddha Master used a term to describe a type of house in China with a specific type of garden, one in the “Suzhou-style.” This was in reference to our discussion of the craftsmanship vidya. I am sure there are many beautiful examples in China, but I found a reference to one built in Portland, Oregon that I hope captures what it means.
CLICK for link to Lan Su Garden, Portland, OR.
Portland has a “Sister City” in China–Suzhou. In 2000 a Suzhou-style garden was completed by 65 Chinese artisans from China who used materials imported from China. This Lan Su Garden is considered the most authentic Suzhou-style Chinese garden outside of China. It is built in the style of a 16th century, wealthy Chinese family home. Suzhou is a city west of Shanghai in Jiangsu province, China where more than 60 original gardens from the 14th through the 19th centuries survive with eight being UNESCO World Heritage sites. Suzhou has the most UNESCO-recognized gardens in the world. The city has many canals, city gates, traditional stone bridges and temples and pavilions. It has been dubbed the “Venice of the East” because of its many criss-crossing canals and ornate bridges. I believe the design that the Buddha Master had in mind for Buddha Town at Holy Heavenly Lake in Hesperia, California, was in this or a similar style.
Seeing that reference triggered by own interest in landscape design and a desire to visit Portland, or better yet their original inspirations in China. When I was training to be a landscape architect over 60 years ago, we had little access to Chinese landscape styles. However, it was my interest in the Zen gardens in Kyoto, Japan that had introduced me to Buddhism, so I was very curious to know more. I am curious what those now famous Chinese gardens would have been like back then. We had very little information about things Chinese then. Whatever, I would love to visit there now.
CLICK for Wikipedia article on Suzhou, China in Jiangsu Province.
CLICK for Shi Stone Bridge in Suzhou.
Add comment