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| Prunus Mume Blossom (梅 花) And Colorful Fish (錦鯉) in Chinese Scholar’s Garden in Staten Island, New York |
1. Plunus Mume Blossom and The Garden
Prunus Mume Blossom (梅 花 or MeiHua) ( Prunus (genus name) mume (species name) ) is the Chinese
national flower. One of the cherished virtues of prunus mume blossom is that it is one of the earliest
flower trees to bloom in very early spring season when the weather is usually still very cold or even
snowing. Chinese songs and poems often associate prunus mume blossom with snow and cold
weather.
踏雪尋梅， 梅花傲霜鬥雪， 冠領群芳， 迎雪吐艷，冰肌玉骨、凌
寒飄香，鐵骨冰心，在嚴寒中，梅開百花之先，獨天下而春， 因此梅
常被民間作為傳春報喜的吉祥象徵， 它以清雅俊逸的風度使古今詩人
畫家為它讚美，文學藝術史上，梅詩、梅畫數量之多，足以令任何一
種 花卉都望塵莫及。
牆角數枝梅，凌寒獨自開。宋 • 王安石
華髮尋春喜見梅，一株臨路雪倍堆。宋 • 王安石
雪裡香梅，先報春來早。蝶戀花，歐陽修
梅須遜雪三分白，雪卻輸梅一段香。 南宋 • 盧梅坡 《雪梅》
雪裡已知春信至，寒梅點綴瓊枝膩。 漁家傲 李清照
Photos of prunus mume blossom blooming in the snow in New Jersey can be seen at the following
web page: http://www.aaapoe.net/usa004-007.html
The New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden ( 寄 興 園 ) in the Staten Island Botanic Garden in Staten
Island, New York is a Chinese SuZhou (江南 蘇 州 ) style garden with many prunus mume blossom
trees and bamboos. It was designed by a Chinese company (苏州园林设计院) in SuZhou, China.
http://www.szlad.com/
All the construction material were imported and shipped from SuZhou. A special team of artists and
artisans from SuZhou, China came to Staten Island and spent several months to build this authentic
SuZhou style garden. It is very impressive, especially when all the prunus mume blossom trees are
blooming in March. It was designed to capture the essence of a natural landscape and to produce
harmony through its views and concepts.
Those prunus mume blossom trees were in full bloom in the week of March 25, 2006. Twenty-eight
members of the 40-Plus Club in New Jersey visited the Chinese Scholar’s Garden in the afternoon of
Saturday March 25, 2006 to enjoy watching the prunus mume blossom in full bloom as shown in the
following sample pictures.
Prunus Mume Blossom (梅 花 or MeiHua) ( Prunus (genus name) mume (species name) ) is the Chinese
national flower. One of the cherished virtues of prunus mume blossom is that it is one of the earliest
flower trees to bloom in very early spring season when the weather is usually still very cold or even
snowing. Chinese songs and poems often associate prunus mume blossom with snow and cold
weather.
踏雪尋梅， 梅花傲霜鬥雪， 冠領群芳， 迎雪吐艷，冰肌玉骨、凌
寒飄香，鐵骨冰心，在嚴寒中，梅開百花之先，獨天下而春， 因此梅
常被民間作為傳春報喜的吉祥象徵， 它以清雅俊逸的風度使古今詩人
畫家為它讚美，文學藝術史上，梅詩、梅畫數量之多，足以令任何一
種 花卉都望塵莫及。
牆角數枝梅，凌寒獨自開。宋 • 王安石
華髮尋春喜見梅，一株臨路雪倍堆。宋 • 王安石
雪裡香梅，先報春來早。蝶戀花，歐陽修
梅須遜雪三分白，雪卻輸梅一段香。 南宋 • 盧梅坡 《雪梅》
雪裡已知春信至，寒梅點綴瓊枝膩。 漁家傲 李清照
Photos of prunus mume blossom blooming in the snow in New Jersey can be seen at the following
web page: http://www.aaapoe.net/usa004-007.html
The New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden ( 寄 興 園 ) in the Staten Island Botanic Garden in Staten
Island, New York is a Chinese SuZhou (江南 蘇 州 ) style garden with many prunus mume blossom
trees and bamboos. It was designed by a Chinese company (苏州园林设计院) in SuZhou, China.
http://www.szlad.com/
All the construction material were imported and shipped from SuZhou. A special team of artists and
artisans from SuZhou, China came to Staten Island and spent several months to build this authentic
SuZhou style garden. It is very impressive, especially when all the prunus mume blossom trees are
blooming in March. It was designed to capture the essence of a natural landscape and to produce
harmony through its views and concepts.
Those prunus mume blossom trees were in full bloom in the week of March 25, 2006. Twenty-eight
members of the 40-Plus Club in New Jersey visited the Chinese Scholar’s Garden in the afternoon of
Saturday March 25, 2006 to enjoy watching the prunus mume blossom in full bloom as shown in the
following sample pictures.
繁花似錦、嫵媚多姿，粉梅花海猶如一片粉色的雲彩綻放美妙姿態，
蕩漾在微風中，翻滾著萬千風情，把春天的原野裝扮得格外亮麗，目
睹這繽紛美麗的花海，心底流淌的欣喜，是不言而喻的。
This is my first experience to see so many prunus mume blossom trees in full bloom.
蕩漾在微風中，翻滾著萬千風情，把春天的原野裝扮得格外亮麗，目
睹這繽紛美麗的花海，心底流淌的欣喜，是不言而喻的。
This is my first experience to see so many prunus mume blossom trees in full bloom.
佈局上曲折多變，漫步其間，景物幽深、富有詩意。
Members of 40-Plus Club touring and enjoying the garden and the prunus mume blossom in full bloom.
In ancient China, scholars were often important government administrators. When they retired from
emperor's court, they usually built this style of garden to enjoy and to cherish their retirement life and
to connect with the nature; thus, the name of Chinese Scholar's Garden. The enjoyment of such
classic garden is both a contemplative and sensual experience. It elicits calming of the spirit. It is a
sanctuary for a scholar retired from the stressful and politically intensive environment of emperor's
court.
Members of 40-Plus Club touring and enjoying the garden and the prunus mume blossom in full bloom.
In ancient China, scholars were often important government administrators. When they retired from
emperor's court, they usually built this style of garden to enjoy and to cherish their retirement life and
to connect with the nature; thus, the name of Chinese Scholar's Garden. The enjoyment of such
classic garden is both a contemplative and sensual experience. It elicits calming of the spirit. It is a
sanctuary for a scholar retired from the stressful and politically intensive environment of emperor's
court.
白牆黑瓦，依竹傍水，環境幽靜清雅。
The pleasant greens of bamboo offers a placid, soothing feeling in the Wandering-In-Bamboo Courtyard.
The pleasant greens of bamboo offers a placid, soothing feeling in the Wandering-In-Bamboo Courtyard.
「知魚榭」榭前接水，裊娜清風、意境深邃，給人予謐靜淡雅之情
趣。
Courtyard in the garden with a calming Asian fish ponds, garden rocks and the Moon Gate. The Knowing Fish
Pavilion and a bridge are on the left side of the fish pond. The garden contains three ponds and one waterfall.
It is a great place to relax and meditate.
趣。
Courtyard in the garden with a calming Asian fish ponds, garden rocks and the Moon Gate. The Knowing Fish
Pavilion and a bridge are on the left side of the fish pond. The garden contains three ponds and one waterfall.
It is a great place to relax and meditate.
Many colorful fish (錦鯉) swimming leisurely in the fishpond in the courtyard of the garden.
Such relaxing and soothing view of fish often appears in Chinese artistic paintings and poems. Probably some
artists and poets derived their inspirations while enjoying watching such fish swimming in the water.
Such relaxing and soothing view of fish often appears in Chinese artistic paintings and poems. Probably some
artists and poets derived their inspirations while enjoying watching such fish swimming in the water.
2. Location Information
The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden is one of many gardens contained within the Staten Island Botanical
Gardens, located in the Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island, New York. The address of Snug Harbor
Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is:
1000 Richmond Terrace
Staten Island, NY 10301
phone (+1) 718 448 2500 or (718) 285-6506
fax (+1) 718 815 0198
e-mail: info@snug-harbor.org
Website: http://www.snug-harbor.org/contact.html
It is at the corner of Richmond Terrace and Snug Harbor Road in Staten Island, New York. It is near the north
shore of Staten Island and is about 2 miles west of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The main entrance gate
of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is on the Snug Harbor Road. Visitors can drive their cars
through the main entrance gate to park their cars in one of several parking lots inside the garden.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of New York Chinese Scholar's Garden
There is a collection of architecturally significant 19th century buildings and a Cottage Row of five landmarked
Second Empire Victorian cottages in Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. Some of the buildings
and the grounds are used by arts organizations. The entrance to The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden is
Cottage 5 which is a Gift Shop in this Cottage Row. Visitors may purchase entry tickets for the New York
Chinese Scholar’s Garden at this Gift Shop in Cottage 5. Then visitors go out of the back door of this Gift
Shop/Cottage 5 and walk through a short trail to enter The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden.
Map: Click here to see a Garden Map of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
The Cottage Row of 5 cottages is near the center but slightly to the right on this Garden Map. Cottage 5 is on
the top of the vertically aligned 5 cottages on this map.
3. Acknowledgement
We thank May Lee for recommending the Chinese Scholar’s Garden during the blooming season of prunus
mume blossom for the 2006 first spring outing for the 40-Plus Club and thank Elmer Hsu for recommending the
Crown Palace Restaurant in Staten Island for the dinner. Twenty-eight members of the 40-Plus Club enjoyed
very much this tour of the Chinese Scholar’s Garden and the dinner.
The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden is one of many gardens contained within the Staten Island Botanical
Gardens, located in the Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island, New York. The address of Snug Harbor
Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is:
1000 Richmond Terrace
Staten Island, NY 10301
phone (+1) 718 448 2500 or (718) 285-6506
fax (+1) 718 815 0198
e-mail: info@snug-harbor.org
Website: http://www.snug-harbor.org/contact.html
It is at the corner of Richmond Terrace and Snug Harbor Road in Staten Island, New York. It is near the north
shore of Staten Island and is about 2 miles west of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The main entrance gate
of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is on the Snug Harbor Road. Visitors can drive their cars
through the main entrance gate to park their cars in one of several parking lots inside the garden.
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of New York Chinese Scholar's Garden
There is a collection of architecturally significant 19th century buildings and a Cottage Row of five landmarked
Second Empire Victorian cottages in Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. Some of the buildings
and the grounds are used by arts organizations. The entrance to The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden is
Cottage 5 which is a Gift Shop in this Cottage Row. Visitors may purchase entry tickets for the New York
Chinese Scholar’s Garden at this Gift Shop in Cottage 5. Then visitors go out of the back door of this Gift
Shop/Cottage 5 and walk through a short trail to enter The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden.
Map: Click here to see a Garden Map of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
The Cottage Row of 5 cottages is near the center but slightly to the right on this Garden Map. Cottage 5 is on
the top of the vertically aligned 5 cottages on this map.
3. Acknowledgement
We thank May Lee for recommending the Chinese Scholar’s Garden during the blooming season of prunus
mume blossom for the 2006 first spring outing for the 40-Plus Club and thank Elmer Hsu for recommending the
Crown Palace Restaurant in Staten Island for the dinner. Twenty-eight members of the 40-Plus Club enjoyed
very much this tour of the Chinese Scholar’s Garden and the dinner.
Sign of Chinese Scholar's Garden at Entrance Door. Step inside here to meditate, reflect, study, or simply to
enjoy the beautifully simple, tranquil surroundings.
enjoy the beautifully simple, tranquil surroundings.
Moon Viewing Pavilion (望月亭)
In addition to Chinese Scholar's Gardens, the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens and the Branch Brook Park in the
New York Metropolitan area and Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia are also very beautiful. Please see in
the following web pages on these gardens:
http://www.shltrip.com/Iris_Garden.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Cherry_Blossom_in_New_Jersey.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Longwood_Gardens.html
New York Metropolitan area and Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia are also very beautiful. Please see in
the following web pages on these gardens:
http://www.shltrip.com/Iris_Garden.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Cherry_Blossom_in_New_Jersey.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Longwood_Gardens.html
After seeing the beautiful flowers in these parks and gardens in the Spring season, please also enjoy the
beautiful Autumn foliage in Garden State (New Jersey) in the following two web pages:
http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_Foliage.html
http://www.mayleesart.com/FallEB.html
beautiful Autumn foliage in Garden State (New Jersey) in the following two web pages:
http://www.shltrip.com/Autumn_Foliage.html
http://www.mayleesart.com/FallEB.html
Two years later, sixteen members of 40-Plus Club visited the Chinese Scholar's Garden again on April 5, 2008.
The photos from this second visit are in the Part 2 web page on Chinese Scholar's Garden.
More photos of beautiful prunus mume blossom on my yard in New Jersey are available on my
Travelogue web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Plum_Blossoms_Are_Blooming.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Prunus_Mume_are_Blooming_in_Snow.html
The photos from this second visit are in the Part 2 web page on Chinese Scholar's Garden.
More photos of beautiful prunus mume blossom on my yard in New Jersey are available on my
Travelogue web page at:
http://www.shltrip.com/Plum_Blossoms_Are_Blooming.html
http://www.shltrip.com/Prunus_Mume_are_Blooming_in_Snow.html
Please press the F11 key on your keyboard to get full-screen view of photos and web page. Pressing F11 key
again will return to your normal screen with various tool bars.
again will return to your normal screen with various tool bars.
在竹林步道漫步其中小徑，閑靜中盡是詩情畫意， 「寄興園」的花石
小路變化多樣，與環境自然和諧、富有情趣，行進其間，或徘徊、停
留，形成動靜凝聚、令人遐想萬千。
小路變化多樣，與環境自然和諧、富有情趣，行進其間，或徘徊、停
留，形成動靜凝聚、令人遐想萬千。
一片青翠茂密的竹林，風來搖曳生姿，體現了古代詩經「綠竹猗猗」
的意境。
Dense bamboo grove swaying and rustling in the wind.
的意境。
Dense bamboo grove swaying and rustling in the wind.
满園秀色，幽雅 秀麗，池裏魚兒戲
Wandering-In-Bamboo Courtyard with Meandering Cloud Wall and bamboo in the background.
An artistic movie presentation with Chinese music of The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden is available at
the following YouTube website:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crmcvt385U8
Voice Description: Click here to hear a nice Voice Description of the New York Chinese Scholar's Garden
An artistic movie presentation with Chinese music of The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden is available at
the following YouTube website:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crmcvt385U8
Voice Description: Click here to hear a nice Voice Description of the New York Chinese Scholar's Garden
The Moon Gate between the two court yards.
The sign at the Knowing Fish Pavilion. (a 榭 is a building/pavilion with one half hovering over a lake as shown
in the following picture)
in the following picture)
| 爭相鬥艷 |
| 春色滿園 |
景色清秀、淡雅、寧靜，自然相映。
「寄興園」集廳、堂、廊、亭、山、水於一體，為古典園林縮影，
也集中體現了古代園主隱逸為高、寄情山水的意境。
也集中體現了古代園主隱逸為高、寄情山水的意境。