The Two Zhang Family Gardens

The Two Zhang Family Gardens

In the territory of Mengcheng County, along both banks of the Guo River, there were once two widely renowned gardens belonging to the Zhang family.

The Zhang Garden, located thirty li east of the county town on the north bank of the Guo River and facing Shuangjian Market across the river, covered an area of thirty acres, making it the larger of the two and commonly known as the "Big Garden," also called the "Zhang Family Villa." The owner of the garden was named Zhang Shiyuan, styled Xiuzhai, a native of Mengcheng who had served as the magistrate of Dantu County in Zhenjiang Prefecture.

Legend has it that during the late Qing and early Republican era, bandits were rampant and times were turbulent. Zhang Shiyuan resigned from his official post and returned to his hometown. Traveling upstream along the waterways—from river to river, from the Yangtze to the Huai, and then to the Guo—he arrived at the western end of Shuangjian Market by nightfall. The moon was bright, casting its glow over the water. Having been away from his homeland for so long, Zhang Shiyuan stepped out of his cabin to admire the moon and enjoy the scenery of his native river. Suddenly, he heard a commotion on the north bank—shouts, the crowing of roosters, barking dogs, sounds of beating, and cries for help. In the distance, he saw flames shooting up into the sky and deduced that bandits were raiding the village. He immediately ordered his guards to fire several warning shots toward the source of the trouble. The bandits fled upon hearing the gunfire, thus averting a disaster. As Zhang Shiyuan prepared to dock and console the villagers, he saw people of all ages already gathered by the riverbank, bowing in gratitude for their rescue. At the villagers’ earnest request, he later acquired thirty acres of land at the site and built a villa—what is commonly referred to as the "Zhang Family Big Garden."

Two large thorny pines were specially planted at the main gate of the garden, pruned into the shape of lions. Their front paws pressed down on embroidered balls, their tails pointed skyward, mouths open and tongues out—looking quite majestic, as if welcoming visitors to the garden. A couplet on the gate read: “Step inside and talk about the joys within the garden; when you leave, reflect on how all worldly riches are but emptiness.” Walking through the gate and along a path lined with rare and exotic flowers, you would come face to face with a colorful octagonal pavilion. Wind chimes hung from each corner, tinkling softly in the breeze. Below the pavilion were stone tables and benches for visitors to rest. Beside the pavilion was a fishpond, with a grove of trees nearby providing ample shade and the cheerful chirping of birds. A couplet on the pavilion’s pillars read: “In idle times, watch the fish leap by the pond; when feeling low, stroll through the woods and listen to the birds sing.” Behind the grove stood a three-room flower hall. At the center of the hall was a rosewood Eight Immortals table, inlaid with colored marble at its center. The walls were adorned with landscape paintings, giving the space an antique charm. The couplet on the hall’s door read: “This modest ten-acre garden grows both famed flowers and humble grass; these three straw-roofed rooms are for studying ancient art and calligraphy alike.” Exiting the flower hall and turning right through a side gate, you would find a semi-underground greenhouse. The side gate served as the entrance to the greenhouse, and beside it hung another couplet: “Let the rights and wrongs of the world take care of themselves; I’ll always care about the blooming and withering of flowers.” Passing through the corridor of the side gate and stepping into the semi-underground greenhouse, you’d immediately feel a warm and cozy atmosphere, as if it were spring all year round. The greenhouse had three rooms, with glass roofing and floral-patterned windows on the southern side to allow ventilation and light. Inside, there were stove flues to maintain a constant temperature throughout the seasons. Multi-tiered shelves held various precious flowers and plants, filling the air with their fragrance. Among them, one peony, hailed as the “king of flowers,” stood out majestically and was truly remarkable. Together with the garden’s spring orchids, summer lotuses, autumn osmanthus, and winter plum blossoms, the air was fragrant all year long, delighting the senses and making visitors linger without any desire to leave.

Influenced by Zhang Shiyuan, his fourth younger brother, Zhang Shiying, also retired from business and returned to farming in the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927). He built a garden on the south bank of the Guo River in the eastern suburbs of the county town. The garden gradually expanded from around two acres to eight acres. Since it was smaller than his elder brother’s garden, it came to be known as the "Zhang Family Small Garden." Though small, it was exquisitely charming. The garden gate faced east, with a wooden plaque hanging horizontally bearing the four large characters “Zhang Family Villa.” On either side of the gate, trimmed pine bushes stood seven layers high, reaching over ten meters, resembling two mighty guards from afar. Around the garden was a wall of roses, densely and neatly arranged, keeping even chickens and dogs out. Upon entering the gate and walking along a flower-lined path flanked by pine and cypress trees, you would encounter a second gate made of wisteria and pine branches, with the inscription “Pine and Cypress as Friends” above the lintel. Beyond the second gate were four underground flower rooms, filled with a dazzling array of rare blossoms. Outside the flower rooms were expansive flower beds that were a feast for the eyes, with neat, picturesque plots and pathways leading in all directions. Nestled among the flower beds was a mirror-like fishpond, with rockeries stacked from gravel and surrounded by weeping willows. The scenery was delightful. In the past, literati and scholars from the county town often visited to enjoy the flowers. Poets from the Qiyuan Poetry Society frequently came to compose verses. The esteemed Mr. Niu Yingxuan wrote the following poem about admiring the flowers:

The inkstone fields yield not the fragrance of rice fields,

Yet I’ve planted these two trees beside the gate.

I urge you to harvest the chrysanthemums by the eastern fence early,

For when the spring breeze blows, they’ll smile with joy.

Unfortunately, during the War of Resistance, the nation suffered territorial losses, mountains and rivers were torn apart, and the two meticulously maintained gardens created by the Zhang brothers were destroyed in the flames of war, reduced to flat land. Today, only the small garden in the eastern suburbs still retains two pine bushes, along with one each of a century plant, evergreen, wisteria, and an upside-down pagoda tree—silent remnants evoking memories of the splendid scenery of those bygone days.