New York Chinese Scholar's Garden

New York Chinese Scholar's Garden. Completed: 1999 , Landscape Architect: Zou Gongwu, Landscape Architecture Company of China. , The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden (NYCSG) is the first authentic classical outdoor scholar's garden in America. The design represents the traditional private gardens in Suzhou, China during the Ming Dynasty (1368 CE - 1644 CE), which emphasize harmony and balance of the yin and yang through four elements: rocks, water, plantings, and architecture. Many of these elements are believed to cultivate good fortune throughout the garden. As early as the 3rd century BCE, Chinese scholars would retreat to gardens like these to seek refuge from their stressful and demanding jobs in government service., Every floor tile, door, window, and wooden beam was handcrafted by a team of 40 Chinese artists and craftspeople, who spent a year in China creating the garden's components, and another six months in Staten Island as artisans-in-residence at Snug Harbor to install the pieces., No nails or glue were used in the garden's construction. The wooden elements are joined together through a sophisticated mortise-and-tenon system common in traditional Chinese Workmanship.