Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, is an important center of science and education in China. Since ancient times, it has been a city that values culture and education. It is known as the "cultural hub of the world" and "the first school in Southeast China". During the Ming and Qing dynasties, more than half of China's top scorers were from Nanjing Jiangnan Gongyuan.
Zhanyuan is one of the characteristics of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. It is the most well preserved Ming Dynasty classical garden architectural complex in the Nanjing region and the only open Ming Dynasty royal mansion. It was once part of the residence of Xu Da, the founding hero of the Ming Dynasty, and was the office of various Jiangnan envoys during the Qing Dynasty. During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period, it was the residence of the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing. Zhanyuan, like most gardens in the Jiangnan region, has undergone complex evolution and changes in its appearance, with overlapping scriptures from the Ming, Qing, Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Republic of China, and contemporary times.
Covering an area of about 20000 square meters, the Zhanyuan Garden has more than 20 scenic spots of different sizes. It is elegantly and exquisitely laid out, with magnificent ancient buildings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, steep rockeries, the famous the Taihu Lake Lake stone of the Northern Song Dynasty, quiet and elegant pavilions, and odd peaks and peaks. There is a Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum located in Zhanyuan, which is the only museum dedicated to the history of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in China.
Zhanyuan is a landscape garden with mountains as the main body and water as the auxiliary. The water body is mainly concentrated, so that in a smaller space, the water surface is wide and open, and beautiful scenery can be unfolded for the mountains, forests, pavilions, and pavilions; Combined with division, the water's ripples and twists increase the level and depth of the scenery. The water layout of Zhanyuan fully reflects Mencius' philosophical philosophy and has a profound cultural accumulation. The South Pool is located in Jingmiao Hall, adjacent to the water pavilion to the north, and facing the rockery cliff to the south. The pool surface is also divided into two types: large and small. Scattered stepping stones are used to bridge the gap between the two ponds, maintaining the water level in the small pond slightly higher than that in the large pond. When the waterfall falls, a scattered spring is formed between the stepping stones. The stepping stone is close to the water surface and connected to the stone path around the pool. Standing on the stepping stone and looking south, the cliff rises high. The cave box is dark, and the stalactites hang down, highlighting the wonders of mountain scenery.