Memories of Shuzhuang Garden
★ Discover a Beautiful Scene
Shuzhuang Canghai (Hidden Sea in Shuzhuang) is one of Xiamen's famous scenic spots, referring to Shuzhuang Garden on Gulangyu Island. The garden is divided into two parts: "Hidden Sea" and "Supplementing the Mountain," a modern garden that combines concealment, borrowing, and ingenuity.
Upon entering the garden, your view is initially blocked by a yellow wall, allowing only a glimpse of the small courtyard. Passing through an archway, the sea suddenly unfolds, a delightful surprise thanks to the design of first concealing and then revealing. Next, walk to the Forty-Four Bridge, an excellent spot for viewing the sea, named after the garden's owner who was forty-four years old when he built the bridge. A sluice gate under the bridge calms the turbulent sea, cleverly concealing a corner of the ocean within the garden.
Strolling along the Forty-Four Bridge, you can enjoy views of the sandy beach and azure sea nearby, the distant Nan Taiwu Mountain, and the silhouette of Sunlight Rock. The surrounding mountain and sea scenery is fully captured within the garden's view, showcasing its open and transparent beauty.
Stepping into the piano museum within "Tingtaoxuan," a variety of antique pianos come into view, as if entering a secret realm sealed with time and melody. I was filled with awe and fascination, only regretting missing the scheduled live performance.
Walking to the latter part of the garden, I learned that the name "Bushan" (补山) implies "a broken country in urgent need of repair," revealing the garden owner's deep patriotism. The core landscape of Bushan Garden is the Twelve Caves, constructed of reddish-brown sandstone, divided into twelve caves, each containing a statue of one of the twelve zodiac animals. The caves are interconnected, with winding paths, resembling an intricate maze. Seeing many children playing and frolicking freely in the caves filled me with a sense of carefree joy.
★Encountering a Sunset
In my memory, sunset is around six o'clock in the evening, but unexpectedly, just after five o'clock, I witnessed a magnificent sunset. At first, the sun hung high above the sea, its midday heat fading to a soft, warm hue. Gradually, the red sun rose above the water, painting the horizon a rich orange-red. The sea and the beach, washed by the waves, transformed into a delicate canvas, bathed in the glow of the sunset. The shimmering waves were filled with flowing gold and red, as if God had spilled his palette, unrestrained yet harmonious. On the beach, people were enveloped in a warm glow, the daytime hustle and bustle gone, replaced only by the sounds of the waves and laughter. Some gazed quietly, some captured moments with cameras, some chased the waves barefoot, family and friends sat side by side, a scene of heartwarming human warmth, comfortable and peaceful.
Finally, the red sun slowly sank into the sea, leaving only a faint afterglow on the horizon, the sky gradually turning indigo. This enchanting sunset blended the bridges, pavilions, rocks, sea, and trees of Shuzhuang Garden into the poetic beauty of twilight. It was just an ordinary dusk, but the garden scenery, embraced by the setting sun, made it exceptionally beautiful, making people reluctant to leave and filled with a healing warmth.