An iconic essay on the beauty of Suzhou’s classical gardens—now available in a thoughtfully designed bilingual edition.
 
In this graceful, poetic reflection, renowned writer Ye Shengtao captures the essence of the Suzhou garden: a space that resists symmetry, embraces natural rhythms, and invites visitors into a living painting. First translated by Shelly Bryant in 2009 as part of her research for a Suzhou guidebook, this early work became a quiet turning point in her career—one that eventually led to her first novel translation for Penguin Books and a deepening body of work on Jiangnan gardens.
 
This edition features:
 
Bilingual text (Chinese + English)
A new translator’s note reflecting on the translation’s origins
A lyrical postscript in the style of a fragmented essay, inspired by Wong May’s In the Same Light, tracing the translator’s evolving relationship with Ye’s vision of the garden
 
Quiet, elegant, and deeply personal, this is more than a translation – it’s an invitation to walk through the garden with new eyes.