Mengxi Garden was the residence of Shen Kuo, a renowned scientist during the Northern Song Dynasty, in his later years. It was here that he composed the monumental scientific work ‘Mengxi Bitan’. Dr. Joseph Needham, a British scientist specializing in the study of Chinese scientific history, has praised ‘Mengxi Bitan’ as the scientific benchmark of the 11th century.
Mengxi Garden boasts an antique and elegant style with serene and graceful scenery. The garden features structures such as the Anlao Hall, Xiaoxiao Hall, Ke Xuan, Shen Zhai, Yuan Ting, and Cangxia Pavilion, along with a stream flowing through the garden. The overall architecture is in the style of the Qing Dynasty. Inside the rear hall, there is a full-length seated statue of Shen Kuo, along with textual images, models, and artifacts that showcase his scientific achievements in astronomy, geography, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, geology, and medicine.
The couplets on the two pairs of supporting columns inside serve as a concise summary and evaluation of Shen Kuo’s life: ‘Drunk in the travels of the East Sea, West Lake, South River, and North Country, the dreamland’s mountains and rivers are especially magnificent; Encompassing the studies of celestial phenomena, geology, humanities, and physics, the discussions on the pen are extensive and profound.’ ‘Several volumes of extraordinary cultural artifacts with no intention to blend green ink; A single hook of the early moon, navigating south and north, for the common people.’
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Mengxi Garden
Mengxi Garden was the residence of Shen Kuo, a renowned scientist during the Northern Song Dynasty, [...]
