When you visit traditional Chinese gardens, whether they be the imperial ones in Beijing or the private ones in east China, there is something you will not want to miss: the so-called Taihu Rockery. Introduced into Chinese architecture over 1,000 years ago, the rockeries are perfect examples of a major Chinese architectural style based on the principal of harmony with nature.
A Taihu Rockery could range in height from less than a foot to around twenty feet and gets its name from the area where the stones are sourced: Lake Taihu in east China's Jiangsu Province. This area has an abundance of limestone rocks and and constant erosion by rain has formed the rocks into pieces of art, exotic and beautiful.
The beauty of the rockery, however, does not simply come from nature. Since the early years of this architectural style, artists have been polishing the rocks to fit different styles of gardens. After the polishing, the rocks are returned to the lake area and left there for years so that natural erosion can gradually bring back their original beauty.
Traditionally, small rocks are glued together to form a large rockery, which might resemble a jagged stone hill, or a rock island planted in the middle of a pond. Sometimes, the “hills” and “islands” are planted with mosses and dwarfish bushes. Such Taihu Rockery masterpieces are well worth viewing and are a favorite subject of Chinese paintings.
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