Ten Fragrance Garden: The big ones are hidden in the world, and the small ones are hidden in the wild

"The moon is on the tip of the condensed branches, and the flowers are among the beautiful flowers at the end of the walk."
The poem depicts the elegant scenery of a century-old courtyard in Guangzhou.

I really didn't expect that in the Laocheng District of Guangzhou, there would be such a small and exquisite place of meditation-Shixiang Garden.

On November 18, when heating began in the north, Guangzhou in the south was still sunny and green. Such good weather is worth letting go of the mood depressed by the epidemic. In the morning, the car entered Haizhu District, drove through a small stone bridge, stopped and asked for directions.

After getting off the bus and walking along the river, the bauhinia trees on both sides of the river are very tall. At a glance, you can tell that they are old trees. The purple-red flowers are in full bloom, more beautiful than the flowers in the downtown area. The river next to the flowers is called "Haizhu Chung", and the water is green.

Turn into a lane and walk forward slowly a few meters. The noisy world that was still in my ears seemed to disappear instantly. I saw a small door building opposite the small river, which should be Shixiang Garden.

Walking to the river, I saw the sign of "Ten Fragrance Garden". The words were written well.

Walking through this alley, you will find Shixiang Garden in front of you.

This is the entrance and exit of the Shixiang Garden Memorial Hall. During the epidemic, you can enter by scanning the code to measure your body temperature and wearing a mask.

This elegant and quiet garden is like a lady hidden deep in the depths, hidden behind the busy streets.
It's really like the fragrance of "wine" is not afraid of the deep alleys.

Shixiang Garden was built around 1856 and is located on Huaide Street, Haizhu District, Guangzhou City (during the Qing Dynasty, this was Geshan Township, Panyu County, Guangzhou). Because ten kinds of fragrant flowers such as Jasmine, Daphne, Night Primrose, Eagle Claw, Jasmine, Night He, Pearl Orchid, Caviar Orchid, White Orchid, and Smile were once planted in the park, it was named "Ten Fragrance Garden".

The ten-flower wall carved with ceramics restores the appearance of ten kinds of fragrant flowers for us."Ten Inflorescences" is on the left side of the wall.

Pottery board "Preface to Ten Fragrance":"I only like planting, so I buy ten kinds of pots and plants and set them on the steps to comfort the morning and evening... The ten fragrant flowers are: Jasmine, Daphne, Night Primrose, Eagle Claw, Jasmine, Night He, Pearl Orchid, Caviar Orchid, White Orchid, and Smile."

Among them, the jasmine flowers are beautiful and elegant flowers of literature and art.

Read "Daphne" upside down, it means "auspicious sign". Therefore, its flower language is also related to this, which means "auspicious" and "auspicious". It is said that it is a symbol of good luck and can bring good luck to those who see it, so people gave it these two flower words that imply good luck.

The meaning of night primrose is dangerous romance, good at disguising and expressing, and wandering on the edge of danger. This is because its flowers have a delicate fragrance, are very beautiful and very romantic, but its flower fragrance is toxic. In a closed environment, the fragrance of night primrose is harmful to human health, so this is the reason why there is such a flower saying, and you should also pay attention to it when giving it away. Another flower word for night primrose is pure heart. Its color is lighter, and the flower is shaped like an unfolded five-pointed star. It is relatively pure and elegant, implying a pure heart.

Jasmine is a flower that is loyal, respectful, pure, simple, exquisite and charming. It is the flower of love in some countries.

Pearl orchids mean vague beauty and inner beauty.

Most of these fragrant flowers are common in Lingnan, but I don't know about some because I am ignorant. After a brief chat about a few fragrant flowers, let's take a look at the owner of Shixiang Garden.

Shixiang Garden was the place where the famous painters Ju Lian and Ju Chao brothers lived, painted and taught students in the late Qing Dynasty. It covers an area of 640 square meters and is surrounded by green brick walls to form a small courtyard. There is an existing Purple Pear Blossom Pavilion. The western part of the museum is the Juchao Apprentice Office. Gao Jianfu and Chen Shuren, the founders of the Lingnan Painting School, both studied painting here. They are the most outstanding disciples of Ju Lian. In addition to studying painting, Chen Shuren also married Ju Lian's niece, Ju Ruowen. He also founded the Lingnan Painting School with Gao Jianfu and Gao Qifeng, known as the "Three Heroes of Lingnan". Therefore, Shixiang Garden is also known as the "cradle of the Lingnan Painting School."

Walking into Shixiang Garden, you will see several antique buildings, including small bridges and running water, ponds and corridors. The blue brick walls highlight the style of Lingnan architecture. The entire garden is small and exquisite, elegant and quiet. Although the courtyard is not big, it is sparse with fruit trees, rockery, flowing water, and palace lantern sculptures. This layout turns the narrow space into a myriad of scenes, and then leaves it blank, leaving endless reverie, and finally forming a step-by-step scene. An intoxicating landscape with endless scenery.

The courtyard is not big, so you can slowly view it there. Tonight's Temple, Xiaoyue Qin Hall, and Purple Pear Garden have elegant names coupled with the hemp stone strips on the feet, and the blue bricks and gray tiles have an ancient meaning. In the garden, the shadows of the trees are dancing and the vines are intertwined, but the fragrance of flowers cannot be smelled.

My favorite is the wooden corridor next to the water pavilion. It is decorated with black columns and simple and Chinese-style chandeliers. Although there are no twists and turns, there are also curved corners. Walking through the corridor seems to create the illusion of traveling through time and space.

Whether you put on Hanfu, qipao, or put on a Keran dress to take photos, it will be beautiful.

The pond is crystal clear and there are countless goldfish. It is very cute. The colorful fish swim happily. As long as you reach out, you can even touch the goldfish swimming over.

The stained glass windows of the exhibition hall, I don't know if they are called Manchuria windows, are colorful and embellished with meticulous paintings. They are very beautiful.

Since Shixiang Garden is the former residence of Juchao and Julian and the place where students are taught, calligraphy and painting must be the core there. For this reason, a special exhibition hall has been set up in the park to display manuscripts and paintings by Juchao, Ju Lian and their apprentices. There are also statues and profiles of them in the park.

It can be said that the big ones are hidden in the city, and the small ones are hidden in the wild. A leisurely and elegant life does not have to go to the wild trails of Linquan to experience it. A higher-level secluded life is to be alone in the bustling city, in the pure land of soul, and find a tranquility.

Chen Shuren's former residence, next to the former site of Shixiang Garden, has become an office place.

Opening a window, it seems to see the sky high and the end of the world.

I don't understand painting, and I don't understand architecture. I only know that people are gone, and the artistic beauty of painting and architecture is like the fragrance that remains forever hidden in my heart. I think this is not the fragrance of Shixiang Garden flowers. It is clearly the fragrance of Juchao and Julian that is permeated with the feelings of hometown. It is like silk and has become more fragrant for more than a hundred years.

（1838 2021/11/19）