Shuzhuang Garden on Gulangyu Island

Shuzhuang Garden, built on Gulangyu Island, which is known as the 'Garden on the Sea', is undoubtedly the most beautiful garden within a garden. 'Occupying less than ten acres, the scenery is more than ten thousand', is the comment of knowledgeable visitors to Shuzhuang. When I visited this garden, I felt the same way. Shuzhuang is located on a hill with a wide view. Looking forward, seagulls fly among the blue sky and sea waves, and distant sails are dotted; looking back, the sunny Sunlight Rock stands tall in the sky, and a group of tourists like small birds have already spiraled to the top of the rock. Walking along the Forty-four Bridge, I admire the stone bridge extending into the sea, resembling a dragon swimming in the waves, and we are all dragon riders. Incorporating mountains, sea, land, and sky into one garden, Shuzhuang is full of atmosphere, with ingenious details, and Shuzhuang is also elegant. The layout of the buildings in the garden is harmonious and exquisite, and every pavilion and building is unique and unique. For example, the pavilions are like half moons, like fans, with various shapes and arrangements, which are pleasing to the eye. The towers are unique and interesting. Take Renqiu Tower as an example, half of it is built on land and half is supported in the water. From here, you can enjoy the mountains and the sea, and the joy is overwhelming. The greening highlights of the park are also many, planting trees and flowers layer by layer along the coastal slope, with a better three-dimensional effect. The flowers and trees are lush and beautiful, even in winter, the purple bougainvillea, the pink egg flower, and the orange trumpet-shaped flowers that I don't know the name of, are all blooming. The most impressive trees are the different-leaf Podocarpus, whose leaves are dark green and shiny, like dense small sticks clustered together, full of vitality. There is also the Taiwan Acacia tree with strong regional characteristics. In the breeze, the branches and leaves sway, bringing up countless homesickness of compatriots on both sides of the strait. Speaking of this, I have to mention two virtuous people. One is Mr. Lin Erjia, a local gentry, who built this private villa in 1913 and named it 'Shuzhuang'. Walking up, you can see his reading pavilion 'Wanshi Mountain Villa' and the family residence 'Ye Ai Wu Lu'. Although it has been over a hundred years, it is still sturdy and tidy, and the courtyard is elegant. Mr. Lin is knowledgeable and elegant, patriotic and pro-people, and teaches his children well. In 1955, his descendants donated this private garden to the country, so that it could be shared by the public. The other virtuous person who should be remembered is Mr. Hu Youyi, a patriotic overseas Chinese and musician who traveled to Australia. He collected more than 100 ancient pianos in his lifetime and donated them all to Gulangyu in 2000. They are displayed in the Tingtao Pavilion Piano Museum in Shuzhuang Garden and the Organ Museum in Gulangyu Bagua Building. In 2007, Mr. Hu once again generously donated all his and his ancestors' property, and bought a giant organ with a history of more than 100 years at an auction in Boston, and donated it to Gulangyu. Since then, this group of organs, which are more than ten meters high and wide, beautifully carved, and have more than 7,000 sound pipes, has become the largest organ in Asia, shocking the world, and standing in the Gulangyu Organ Art Center. Every day there are musicians playing, the solemn and harmonious and melodious piano sound will spread all over the island at that time. Returning to the topic, let's go back to Shuzhuang Garden and take a walk in the Tingtao Pavilion Piano Museum. The Tingtao Pavilion is a typical representative of the fusion of Chinese and Western modern architectural styles. The exterior is generous and durable, and the interior decoration is even more exquisite. For example, the staircase in the first exhibition hall spirals up, and each step is inlaid with a beautifully decorated real copper guard face, which is dazzling. The two floors display more than 40 ancient pianos, most of which were produced in the 19th century, from the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Australia and other places; the types include grand pianos, square pianos, upright pianos, reed key pianos and children's pianos, etc., many of which were top-quality products at the time, and some can still play beautiful music now, which is amazing. These ancient pianos have great value for the study of Chinese and Western art, technology, and cultural history, and have also given Gulangyu the beautiful name of 'Piano Island'. Visiting Shuzhuang Garden, I benefited a lot physically and mentally, and I really enjoyed the beautiful scenery and humanistic atmosphere here. After returning to Xi'an, I will tell my friends about these feelings.