|
From: http://www.chinesegarden.com.au/about.cfm Initiated by the local Chinese community to celebrate Australia’s 1988 Bicentenary and share their rich cultural heritage, the Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond of friendship and co-operation between the sister cities of Sydney in NSW, Australia, and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, China. This delightful enclosed Garden is a haven of tranquillity and harmony. Take a journey through the Chinese Garden of Friendship’s winding pathways. Experience the serenity of its pavilions, lakes and waterfalls. Afterwards, contemplate the beauty around you while you relax with a jasmine tea in the traditional Chinese Teahouse. Just minutes from downtown Sydney and the entertainment pulse of Darling Harbour, the Chinese Garden offers a rare opportunity, outside Asia, to experience century-old traditions of Chinese landscaping, architecture and garden design. The Chinese first migrated to Sydney in the mid 1850s, settling in The Rocks area and then relocating to what is now known as Sydney’s Chinatown. This vibrant and colourful gathering place for the Chinese community remains centred on Dixon Street and the Haymarket area. To preserve and share their heritage, the Chinese community advocated for the establishment of a traditional Chinese garden in Sydney’s inner city. In 1984, the Guangdong Landscape Bureau in Sydney’s sister city, Guangzhou, agreed to design the Chinese Garden of Friendship . The one-hectare Garden was crafted using Chinese and Australian expertise and materials. Construction commenced in March 1986 and it was officially opened on 17 January 1988 by representatives of both governments. The art of Chinese garden design began in imperial parks during the Zhang dynasty 3000 years ago. Later they flourished on a smaller scale in the private gardens of China's rich and powerful. These gardens reached their peak during the Ming dynasty, where they provided a gentleman’s retreat from urban environments and the pressures of civil life. The Chinese Garden of Friendship at Darling Harbour is a scaled-down version of a typical private garden from this era. Chinese gardens differ from western-style gardens in that there are no planted flowerbeds or manicured lawns. Instead, wild aspects of nature are recreated in artfully designed landscapes that feature waterfalls, mountains, lakes and forests. The Chinese garden also embodies the principles of the Taoist philosophy of yin (calmness) and yang (activity). When opposites work together, they create a balanced whole. Contemplate the harmonious scene created by a cascading waterfall tumbling into a serenely still pond, or the elegant contrast of tall dark bamboo planted alongside rounded, flat stones. Exploring a Chinese garden is a journey of discovery: there are many details to be observed and only a part of the garden is visible at a time. Serpentine walkways lead you through private courtyards and traditional pagoda-style pavilions. Calligraphy, carvings and sculpture feature alongside dragons and other mythological creatures. Exotic plants abound. As NSW and the Guangdong province in China enjoy similar climates, many of the species found in a southern Chinese garden can also be found here. This includes many rare and unusual plants, including an ancient cyad (fossil plant) and the red silk cotton tree (a floral symbol of Guangdong). [ 本帖最后由 jasonnewman 于 2007-10-23 20:32 编辑 ] |
