用英語(yǔ)說(shuō)中國(guó)旅游華東地區(qū) 04：蘇州園林自然概況1

蘇州園林

Natural Features

自然概況

Suzhou is located beside Taihu Lake，and it is a fertile and scenic land with a subtropical monsoon climate，moderate with distinctive four seasons. Suzhou is a city of rivers and canals and also a city of gardens. Hence it is called the“Venice of the Orient" . Suzhou was first established in 514 BC and it was once the capital city of Kingdom cf Wu. King of Wu became the most powerful of the time because of the support of the mighty economy of the area. In Song， Yuan，Ming and Qing Dynasties，Suzhou boasted as the most abundant“land of grain and meat" of the nation and thus began from Song Dynasty the famous sayings that“Suzhou on earth matches paradise in Heaven" and“bumper harvests in Suzhou alone are enough for the whole nation"

蘇州位于長(zhǎng)江下游的太湖之濱，是個(gè)土地肥沃，風(fēng)光秀麗的地方，屬亞熱帶季風(fēng)氣候，四季分明，氣候溫和。蘇州既是一個(gè)河網(wǎng)密布的城市，又是一個(gè)優(yōu)美的園林城市，因此具有“東方威尼斯”之稱。蘇州建城始于公元前514年，歷史上曾是吳國(guó)的首都。憑借這一地區(qū)強(qiáng)大的經(jīng)濟(jì)實(shí)力，吳國(guó)得以成為當(dāng)時(shí)最強(qiáng)之國(guó)。到了宋、元、明、清時(shí)期，這里已經(jīng)成為全國(guó)最富裕的“魚(yú)米之鄉(xiāng)”。宋代時(shí)期就有“天上天堂，地下蘇杭”、“蘇湖熟，天下足”的說(shuō)法。

Suzhou is the site of the prosperous Wu culture，and it has bred up a great many of scholars and high officials in all dynasties. When these scholars and high officials returned to their birthplace because of either retirement after ambition fulfillment or for hermitage due to disappointment，they would spend a great amount of money on gardens for literary cultivation in their senior years. Besides，the beautiful topography，gentle customs，and peaceful ife of Suzhou's also helped to promot the construction and advance of so many landscape gardens in Suzhou.

蘇州是吳文化的繁榮之地，歷代都養(yǎng)育了許多科舉及第的文人和達(dá)官貴人。他們衣錦還鄉(xiāng)或失意歸隱到故里后，紛紛籌集巨資建造園林，借以抒發(fā)其晚年的文人情懷。此外，蘇州的山靈水秀、溫雅的民風(fēng)和安定的社會(huì)也促進(jìn)了大量園林的建設(shè)和發(fā)展。

The Ming and Qing dynasties between the 14th and 20th century were its prime periods of garden building，when at onetime there were more than 200 private family gardens. A dozen of them are still in good condition today，including the top four classic gardens-the Fisherman's Net Garden，Lion Grove. Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden.

公元14一20世紀(jì)明清時(shí)期是園林建設(shè)的鼎盛時(shí)期，這里的私家園林一度有200余處，其中有十幾座園林依然保持完好，包括網(wǎng)獅園、獅子林、拙政園、留園等四人名園。

The Humble Administrator`s Garden，the largest，occupies four hectares. It was built in 1522 during the Ming Qynasty. Water accounts for three-fifths of its total area. All the major buildings face the water. Centering on the pool，bridges and corridors harmoniously link up isles，rockeries，pavilions and towers. The garden shows a natural and flowing artistic style.

拙政園面積最大，占地4公頃，其中水域占了總面積的五分之三，建于明朝時(shí)期的1522年。其總體布局以水池為中心，所有仁要亭臺(tái)樓榭皆臨水而建，小橋和走廊與小島、假、山、亭塔連接和諧。園林顯示出自然流暢的藝術(shù)風(fēng)格。

The Lingering Garden on the other hand , demonstrates a compact layout and a delicate decorative art.Built in the Ming,it was renovated and expanded in the early 19th century during the Qing Dynasty， to cover an area of 3 .3 hectares as we see it today. The garden is divided into four sections:artificial hills in the west，pastoral scenery in the north，hall and pavilion structures in the east and hills and waters at the center. A winding corridor of over 1 000 meters links them.

留園則展現(xiàn)了一種整體布局緊密和巧妙的裝飾藝術(shù)。留園建于明朝，19世紀(jì)早期的清朝間得到修繕和擴(kuò)建，建成了現(xiàn)在的占地3. 3公頃的留園。留園由4個(gè)部分組成:西區(qū)的假山、北區(qū)的田園景色、東區(qū)的曲廊辛閣和中區(qū)的山水。各區(qū)間由長(zhǎng)約I 000多米的蜿蜒長(zhǎng)廊相連。

The unique charm of these gardens has led to their entry into the list of world cultural heritage in 1997.

這些園林以其別具一格的魅力于1997年被列入《世界文化潰產(chǎn)名錄》。