Chinese Garden, Singapore
Chinese Garden (; ; ) is a park in Jurong East, Singapore. Built in 1975 by the JTC Corporation and designed by Prof. Yuen-chen Yu, an architect from Taiwan, the Chinese Garden's concept is based on Chinese gardening art. The main characteristic is the integration of architectural features with the natural environment. The Chinese Garden is modeled along the northern Chinese imperial style of architecture and landscaping. It is located next to Chinese Garden MRT station and connected to the adjacent Japanese Garden by a bridge. Along with Japanese Garden, the two gardens are collectively known as the Jurong Gardens. Features Stone Lions A pair of cloudy-grained marble stone lions at the main gates of the Chinese Garden, guarding the main gates of the garden. The marble stone used to sculpt the lions was imported from Taiwan. Bridge The 13-arch White Rainbow Bridge (, Bái hóngqiáo) at the garden follows the style of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge at the Summer Palace in Peking. In 1989 a second bridge, the Bridge of Double Beauty, was built, to connect the Chinese with the Japanese Garden. Main Arch Building The Main Arch Building is a standard Chinese arch building. This building is popular for picture-taking. Inside the main arch building, there are two courtyards, namely the “Early Spring Courtyard” and “Garden Courtyard”. Also, there is a fishpond in the centre which is named the “Fishes Paradise”. Stone Boat and Tea House A famous traditional feature of Chinese architecture is the Stone Boat structure. Its design and architectural beauty are considered to be a fine art that has been praised by people throughout the world. The style of Yao-Yueh Fang (the Stone Boat) in the Chinese Garden is based on the Peking style, but with some adaptations in the design and usage of materials. The Ming Hsiang Hsieh (Tea House) is a miniature structure following the style of the elaborate, winding gallery at the Summer Palace. This meandering design is a characteristic and graceful Chinese architectural feature. Pagoda In ancient times, pagodas, originally simple tower structures located beside temples, were used for the storage of human ashes (in urns) by Buddhists. In later times, pagodas were developed into structures which are considered to possess "striking architectural beauty". The Ru Yun T'a (7-storey pagoda) is situated on a small hill in the Chinese Garden. Its typical pagoda design follows the style of Linggu Temple Pagoda at Nanjing. Pavilion, Plateau and Tower The Chinese Pavilion, Plateau and Tower are considered to be an important part of the Chinese gardening art. The artistic features, typical of Chinese architecture, have long been appreciated by man. The design of the four pavilions at the Chinese Garden is based on the style of Northern Chinese Pavilions, and decorated to blend harmoniously with the garden. Bonsai Garden Opened in June 1992, the Suzhou-style Bonsai Garden cost an estimated $3.8 million to build. This 5,800-square-metre garden with Suzhou-style buildings (incorporating a main hall of 50 square metres) and landscape houses a collection of