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Construction of Grand View Garden

Index | Construction | Novel

" The Dream of the Red Mansions" is considered to be the best to have been written during the Qing Dynasty and is rated as one of the four great classics of Chinese literature. Artists and scholars were engaged to research the novel in order that a large garden complex that would represent the luxurious villa of the Jia family should be as authentic as possible. Construction lasted five years and the typical courtyard complex has no less than forty inner gardens. Garden artists named it as "Garden of a Literary Masterpiece", while Hongloumeng scholars dubbed it "Another Dream Out of the Dream of Red Mansions".

Covering an area of 125,000 square meters, this classical garden has twelve distinct scenic spots and a total of forty attractions. The main buildings to be found here are Xiaoxiangguan [Bamboo Lodge], Yihongyuan [Cheerful Red Court] and the Daoxiangcun [Paddy Fragrance Cottage] but there are still more that add to the beauty of the garden.

In Grand View Garden, the features of every building and atmosphere of the surroundings are reflections of the character of the host or hostess who lived there. Today, the garden draws many visitors per year because of its colours, and the harmony between the buildings and grounds. The scene in each of these is unique with rock and ponds and an abundance of foliage. These provide a tranquil setting for the pavilions, rooms and corridors (traditional covered walkways) in which the drama of the novel could be brought to life. The result has proved to be a popular television series. For the visitor to the Grand View Garden, a stroll along the zigzag paths that wind through it is to experience a world of ancient Chinese dwellings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.