Chinese gardens carry out processing and transformation of the original terrain and land form by following the principle of "making it seem like nature", or seem naturally formed, so as to satisfy people's feeling of getting close to nature...

The garden is one of the important types of architectural art. Chinese horticulture began in the Qin Dynasty (1644-1911), and two royal garden construction upsurges occurred during the Qin/Han (221BC-220AD) and Sui/Tang (581-907) dynasties. Private gardens saw great development by men of letters during the Tang and Song dynasties, and entered the peaking stage in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1644-1911). The achievements in gardening during the Qing Dynasty attract greater attention, representing an important component of the third development upsurge in Chinese architecture. Almost all of the existing gardens were preserved during this age. The extant royal gardens are in the vicinity of Beijing, while private gardens of a higher artistic level are mostly 1concentrated in areas south of the Yangtze River. They constitute the two major schools of Chinese gardening.
Garden design was an art in China. It is essentially aimed at organizing an environment rich in temperament and interest and full of the beauty of artistic conception through the so-called four gardening elements including mountains, rivers, structures and plants, as well as the organic components such as paths, interior settings. China gardens were especially appreciated for their great natural beauty, ether the private gardens in Jiangnan or the royal gardens in north China. And this is the big difference from western-style gardens in which there are no planted flowerbeds or manicured lawn, recreating in artfully designed landscapes that feature water, mountains, and lakes.
The Chinese garden also embodies the principles of the Taoist philosophy of yin (calmness) and yang (activity). When opposites work together, they create a balanced whole. Contemplate the harmonious scene created by a cascading waterfall tumbling into a serenely still pond, or the elegant contrast of tall dark bamboo planted alongside rounded, flat stones.
Masterpiece of Royal Garden: Summer Palace, Chengde Summer Resort, Beihai Park, Yuan Ming Yuan Park
Masterpiece of Private Garden: Zhuozhen Garden (Humble Administrator's Garden), Wangshi Garden (Master-of-Nets Garden), Liuyuan Garden (Lingering Garden), Huanxiu Villa (Villa with Embraced Beauty), Canglangting Garden (Surging Waves Pavilion), Shizilin Garden (Lion Forest Garden), Ouyuan Garden (Double Courtyard), Yipu Garden (Art Garden), Tuisi Garden (Retreat and Reflection Garden) in Suzhou, Geyuan Garden, Heyuan Garden in Yangzhou