The Garden
of Harmonious Interest is on the eastern side of the Northern slope
of the Longevity
Hill, also known as "the Garden within a Garden".
Stories
about this garden:
The Garden of Harmonious Interest was originally built in 1751 and named
Huishan Garden, in imitation of a famous Garden Jichang in Jiangsu Province.
When the Qing Emperor Qianlong went to the south for inspections, he
resided in the Garden several times and was extremely fond of the architectural
art of the garden. Later, he dedided to build a similar garden in the
Summer Palace. It was renamed the Garden of Harmonious Interest after
a renovation in 1881. When empress Dowager Cixi resided in the summer
palace, she often came to the garden to fish for pleasure.
Architecture:
All the halls, pavilions, verandas and bridges in the garden were
built around a lotus pond, reflecting the atmosphere of southern China
garden.
Announcing the Eight interests of the garden:
The garden is famous for its eight "interests":
Interest of the four seasons;
Interest of water;
Interest of calligraphy;
Interest of painting;
Interest of pavilion;
Interest of veranda;
Interest of bridge;
Interest of imitation;
Discover
the Knowing-the-Fishing-Bridge
The Garden of Harmonious Interest is basically a garden of waterscape.
Spanning the vast expanse of the lake and pools are five bridges, each
quite different from the others. The most famous of them is the bridge
known as "Knowing-the-Fishing-Bridge. " It is said that more
than 2,500 years ago during the Warring States Period, two philosophers
named Zhuang Zi and Hui Zi had an interesting argument by the side of
a pond.One of the bridges is known as "knowing-Fish Bridge",
a term derived from an amusing dialogue between two philosophers, Zhuangzi
and Huzi during the Warring States Period (475-221BC).
Zhuangzi
said: "The fish are really hapy."
Huizi asked: "You are not a fish, how do you know they are happy?"
Zhuangzi answered: "You are not me, how do you know I don't know?"
Huizi added: "I am not you, so, I don't know you. You are not
fish, so
you don't know if they are happy?
Longevity
Hill, also known as "the Garden within a Garden".