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Ecological
bamboos with feeling and thought
Bamboos are the spirit and soul of Ge Yuan Garden. Visiting the garden
one’d better appreciate bamboos first. Huang Zhiyun loved bamboos and
planted ten thousand poles of bamboos so that even the name of the garden
derived from bamboos. In fact, growth of bamboo has a long history. As
early as the Tang dynasty. Yao He wrote of people of Yangzhou in his
Spring Song of Yangzhou, saying if a person of Yangzhou has a plot of
land, to plant bamboo is his first choice. All households, without
exception, raise goose. Bamboo has long been loved by Chinese men of
letters, not only because of its elegant postures but mainly because of
its noble quality like straight, modesty and integrity. Take Zhang Jiuling
for example, he talked of bamboo once: “Its Moral integrity is held in
esteem by all and its modesty is known by the people of the world.” Su
Dongpo also spoke of bamboo: “I would rather have no meat for my meals
than live in a place without bamboo. Without meat, man will grow thin but
without bamboo man will become vulgar. ”Zhen Banqiao wrote: “One
single branch or one single leave always arouses one’s feeling.” In
1997, Appreciation of Species Bamboo Area was built to the north of
Rockery of Four Seasons in Ge Yuan Garden, having gradually restored its
historical appearance of one hundred species and ten thousand poles of
bamboos. The appreciation area covers 12000 sq.m. in all , having
currently more than 60 species and 20000 poles of bamboos. Now it is the
best place for viewing bamboos. In addition, other areas have also been
built including areas of artificial hills with bamboo forest, waterside
pavilion with reflection of the dark green water in the pond and the best
scenic spot at the west of bamboo forest.
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