The most complete classical garden in Shanghai lies at the heart of the old town. Its numerous pavilions, elaborate rockeries arched bridges and goldfish pools are contained by an undulating dragon wall. Local official Pan Yunduan set to work on the five acre masterpiece to honor his father in 1559. His appointment as Governor of Sichuan delayed completion until 1577. Over the subsequent two centuries the garden passed through various hands until the western section was resurrected by a group of merchants in 1780. The various Opium Wars and Taiping Rebellion left the garden in ruins by the late 19th century. It wasn’t until 1956 that the garden was re-built for the last time.
The exquisitely carved Three Ears of Corn Hall, built in 1760 is the largest of the garden’s pavilions. It was used as a meeting place for local officials and imperial declarations. Beyond this lies the Grand Rockery. This mountain of rare yellow stones bonded with rice was conceived by famous Ming landscape gardener Zhang Nanyang. At a height of 14 meters it was once the tallest point in the city, and remains the largest and oldest rockery south of the Yangtze River. The most famous structure in the garden is the Hall of Heralding Spring, built in 1820. It was here that in 1853 the secret ‘small sword society’, plotted to join the Taiping rebellion to overthrow the Qing government. The garden’s link to this anti-imperialist movement ensured its safe passage through the Cultural Revolution, when much was destroyed. The garden’s most celebrated stone sculpture, the Exquisite Jade Rock is a honeycomb slab said to have been acquired from Lake Tai in the twelfth century. The lake’s currents eroded the rock to resemble a mountainous crag and satisfy aesthetic tastes. Water poured into the top of the stone flows out through its numerous holes and incense lighted at its base spirals out in the same way.
Despite its tempestuous history the garden remains a fine example of Ming garden design.