Humble Administrator's Garden（拙政園）

Humble Administrator's Garden [itravelqq.com]

If the palaces in north China can be described as royal beauties, then the gardens in south China are like pretty girls. The Humble Administrator's Garden, or Zhuozheng Garden, is the largest garden in Suzhou and is generally considered to be the finest garden in all of southern China.

The construction of the luxurious garden started during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Although its owners changed numerous times, it still maintains its late Qing appearance today, with numerous pavilions and bridges set among a maze of connected pools and islands. Covering a total area of 52,000 square meters (5.2 hectares), the garden is divided into three major parts: eastern part, central part and western part.

In 1997, the Humble Administrator's Garden, along with three other classical gardens in Suzhou, including the Lion Grove Garden, the Blue Wave Pavilion (Canglang Ting) and the Lingering Garden (Liu Yuan), were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also one of the four most famous gardens in China.

Admission: 70 yuan (US$11.07)/person (summer)

                       50 yuan (US$7.91)/person (winter)