Gardens in the City of Suzhou

The Master-of-Nets Garden

While many rich officials and merchants built gardens simply to entertain, the more scholarly and poetic among the rich wanted to create contemplative retreats. The most perfect of these retreats, is Wang Shi Yuan, the Master of Nets Garden, a masterpiece of landscape compression. Founded by a retired politician, who claimed he had given up public life to become a fisherman, it covers barely more than one acre. Smallest of all Suzhou's gardens, it is situated right in the center of town.