Did you know that there are only two authentic outdoor classical Chinese gardens in the entire USA?
Bestrentnj.com residents at Bayonne Bay can lay claim to being only minutes away from one of them! The Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden offers the unique experience of visiting THE CHINESE SCHOLARS GARDEN located in nearby Staten Island.
Based on the Ming Dynasty gardens (1368-1644 AD), all of the architectural components of THE CHINESE SCHOLARS GARDEN were fabricated in Suzhou, China, including roof and floor tiles, columns and beams, doors and windows, bridges and paving materials. A team of 40 Chinese artists and craftspeople spent a year in China creating the Garden’s components and another six months here as craftsmen-in-residence at Snug Harbor to complete the construction.
Here are some interesting facts about THE CHINESE SCHOLARS GARDEN:
- No nails or glue were used in the garden’s construction. Rather, the wooden elements are joined together through a sophisticated mortise-and-tenon system characteristic of traditional Chinese construction.
- Bridges and paths frequently zigzag, providing visitors with ever-changing vantages to experience the garden. Chinese philosophers also believed that zigzagging paths would throw off evil spirits.
- The mosaic on the upper pavilion incorporates broken pieces of rice bowls, representing China, and broken beer bottles, representing America. The craftspeople wanted to incorporate both materials as a symbol of harmony and unity between the two nations.
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