Yan’s Garden is a renowned and artistically sophisticated garden within the ancient town, formerly known as the ‘Lingyan Mountain Residence’ of Shen Deqian, a prominent poet and anthologist from Suzhou during the Qianlong period. In 1902, Yan Guoxin, the richest man in Mudu, purchased the garden and had it meticulously restored by the master builder Yao Chengzu, leading a team of skilled craftsmen.
Renamed ‘Yan’s Garden’, it covers an area of 16 acres. The central axis features five main structures: the entrance hall, Yibin Hall, Shangxian Hall, Ming Shi Tower, and Tiannong Tower. Notably, the Shangxian Hall, as the third structure, is a rare Ming-style hall made of nanmu wood, with a history of over 400 years. The garden is composed of four distinctive seasonal sections: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The Spring section centers around an ancient magnolia tree; the Summer section features large-scale rockeries, four in total, constructed with bluestone and yellowstone, offering a sense of vastness within smallness when viewed from the outside and a sense of smallness within vastness when viewed from the inside; the Autumn section is ideal for climbing and enjoying the osmanthus fragrance; the Winter section embodies the poetic imagery of ‘faint fragrance and sparse shadows’. Outside the Winter section, a new garden area presents the lively natural scenery of a typical Jiangnan water town. Operating hours are from 08:30 to 17:00 all year round.Preferential policies include free admission for children under 6 years old or under 1.4 meters in height, and for senior citizens aged 70 and above. Half-price tickets are offered for minors aged 6 to 18, full-time university undergraduates and below, and seniors aged 60 to 70. Active military personnel and veterans of the People’s Republic of China, as well as disabled individuals and one accompanying caregiver for severely disabled persons, are admitted free of charge.
For the ‘Encounter Suzhou·Mudu Past’ performance in Mudu Ancient Town, children under 1.4 meters are admitted free, while those 1.4 meters and above must purchase adult tickets. Seniors, disabled individuals, military personnel, retired officers, and students do not receive project discounts. Please note that the above information is for reference only and is subject to the official announcements at the scenic area.
