04/04/2013 - Field Trip The Dunedin Chinese Garden

On 4th April, 2013 with Ms. Lisa Burton and Ms. Lisa Short,  we have a field trip to Dunedin Chinese Garden which is the most cherished in this mundane world and is a place without traffic, truly in the midst of a city there can be mountain and forest. It was a sunny day and lovely place.

The Dunedin Chinese Garden commemorates the contribution Chinese people have made, and continue to make, to Dunedin's history, culture and ongoing prosperity. 

The design of the Garden evolved over a period of eight years to ensure authenticity and cultural accuracy, as well as practical functionality. The Garden construction and design was closely supervised and influenced by the architect from Shanghai Construction and Decoration Company and the Shanghai Museum. The Garden was pre-fabricated and assembled in Shanghai on a site identical in size and shape to that of Dunedin, and then dismantled and transported to Dunedin where it was reconstructed on site using artisans and supervisors from Shanghai.

The area consists of Pai Lau Gateway which elaborate  archway represents the face of the garden. Green and blue were the most commonly used colours of the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties.

Secondly, I saw main entrance hall where the river running in front of the main door is the boundary between the "inside" and "outside" world. The partition inside the main door serves to demonstrate the deferential nature of Chinese culture and to quicken the curiosity of visitors.

Then we climb the mountain corridor which is the ascending path to the top of the rockery with a small garden, Tingchuan, meaning tranquil lake and running river, on the side of the corridor.

From there we climb mountain Half Pavilion which is located at the highest point of the rockery, this pavilion, in its tranquil setting, symbolises the Ming philosophy of "Keeping the clouds and borrowing the moon".

Further from there we reached Tower Block / Conference Room which is two storey building is traditionally a place for a quiet drink with peaceful music. 

Down from there Main Hall / Tea House by overlooking the lake, with views on all four sides of the buildings, this is the traditional dinning room for the Scholar and his friends or guests. In the Chinese Garden, it is a place for visitors to enjoy authentic Chinese tea.

Working down is the inner corridor is traditionally used to display the history of the family. The outer corridor allows visitors to bask in the morning sunshine. 

There is only square pavilion in the garden and it reveals a different view at the turning point. in the middle of the lake stands a pavilion named Chongyuan with its mirror clear images of the garden. Chongyuan remind Chinese visitors to the garden of where their cultural roots lie.

Finally, the Zigzag Bridge, this is the one of the important elements of Chinese Garden design and divides the lake into two parts while connecting the Heart of the Lake Pavilion to the rock mountain.