Pillow Flow Pavilion

Pillow Flow Pavilion

Pillow Flow Pavilion

Within the Azalea Garden at Xishan stands a unique structure known as Pillow Flow Pavilion. It marks the beginning of the Wandering Corridor, inscribed with a plaque by Wu Yi. The corridor winds along the terrain and curves with the mountain’s contours, appearing and disappearing intermittently through the foliage. Guiding visitors forward, the shifting views unfold as you walk, leading to the spacious and elegant Cloud Brocade Hall, whose plaque was calligraphed by Feng Mu. This hall draws inspiration from the design of the Mandarin Duck Hall in Suzhou’s Humble Administrator’s Garden, featuring a north-south orientation and a symmetrical, paired layout. The southern section has half-windows overlooking a small pond with rockery; the northern section features a rolled eave roof and floor-to-ceiling windows that excel in framing borrowed scenery.

In late spring, the Drunken Red Slope in front of the hall—inscribed with a title by Chen Congzhou—is ablaze with blooming flowers that shimmer under the sunlight, echoing the poetic imagery of Han Jue from the Tang Dynasty: “A garden of crimson splendor intoxicates the slopes.” After rain, the rugged rocks of the Fragrance Stream come alive with water; across the stream, the azaleas glisten with raindrops, their tender reds and fresh greens mirrored in the clear, cascading waters—a truly delightful sight.