Taizhou Liuyuan Garden

　　   Taizhou Liuyuan Garden was built in memory of Liu Jingting, a master storyteller of the Taizhou region. Originally, the East and West City Moats flanked South City Avenue, extending southward respectively to form two bays—East Bay and West Bay—known as Fishing Bay. It is said that Fishing Bay was Liu’s former residence, so Liuyuan Garden was built on the east side of Fishing Bay and the southern bank of the City Moat, nestled by the water. Covering an area of about 50 acres, roughly 15 of which are water surface, the garden has flourished over the years into lush groves of thriving trees. Most striking is its well-chosen location: the garden cradles a tranquil bend of water within, while the surrounding city moat embraces the landscape without. Waterbirds are often seen skimming and resting along the water, bringing lively charm to the scene. Tucked away in a quiet spot and rarely frequented by people, it has become an ideal place for quiet contemplation and a “solitary stroll of the recluse.”

　　   Building Liuyuan Garden as a tribute to Liu Jingting is highly meaningful. Liu Jingting, a storytelling master of common birth, lived during the turbulent transition from the Ming to the Qing dynasty and led a life full of legend. His original surname was Cao, and he was from Caojiazhuang in Tangwan. As a youth, unbound by feudal conventions, he fled and lived in hiding. Once taking shelter under a willow tree, he felt his life was as rootless as willow catkins, so he adopted the surname Liu. Later, he studied storytelling under Mo Houguang, gaining familiarity with the lives of people from all walks of life, as well as regional dialects and customs. Throughout his life, he wandered and performed in cities such as Yangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. Liu’s storytelling skills were extraordinary, widely documented. Zhang Dai wrote in “Liu Jingting Tells a Story,” from his collection *Tao’an Dreams Recalled*, about hearing the story of Wu Song fighting the tiger: “His descriptions carved out every minute detail... When he reached the climax, his shouts and roars were so fierce they seemed to shake the walls. When Wu Song entered the inn to buy wine and found no one there, with a sudden yell, all the empty jars and vats in the shop began to rumble hollowly.” Huang Zongxi also noted in his *Biography of Liu Jingting*: “He mastered the accents and tastes of all regions, the familiar sights and sounds. With a single note, he could make listeners feel as though they heard the clash of swords and armor, as if cavalry were charging through the air; or the wail of wind and rain, the grief of birds and beasts. Sorrow would well up instantly, rendering the sound of wooden clappers dull by comparison...” and so on. Liu was renowned not only for his storytelling, but also for his patriotism, sense of justice, and indomitable spirit. As Hou Chaozong in *The Peach Blossom Fan* remarked: “His character is noble, his mind open and free—he is one of us. Storytelling is merely his sideline.” Though of humble origin, he associated closely with many esteemed scholars of the late Ming era. He treated nobility and officials as equals, leaving behind many memorable anecdotes. He once served as an aide in the retinue of the famed anti-Qing general Zuo Liangyu, nicknamed “Liu the Pockmarked” due to his appearance. “With nods and winks, and a tongue full of wit, he would sit every evening beneath bright lamps, recounting tales from the Sui and Tang dynasties.” After the fall of the Ming dynasty, he returned to storytelling, performing at the “Changyin Pavilion” by Nanjing’s Qinhuai River. Longing for his lost homeland, he drew parallels between past and present, capturing the vicissitudes of history with the feeling of “the aged White Peony recalling the glory of the Tianbao era.” His performances moved many former officials and literati, who competed to write poems in his honor. He was also close to the members of the Fu She (Revival Society), maintaining frequent interactions with renowned figures of the time such as Qian Qianyi and Wu Weiye. In Qian’s poem *Song of the Portrait of Zuo Ningnan, Composed for Liu Jingting*, he praised: “By the tent, seated close, was Liu the Pockmarked, unmatched in storytelling across the land. A simple bow could startle even Emperor Han, and with a shake of his head, he dismissed the deaths of Chu’s heroes.” Wu Weiye wrote in *Qinyuan Chun – To Liu Jingting*: “The chaos of Chu and Han, the play of Chen and Sui—all reduced to laughter with a flick of the tongue. Who’s real or fake? Laugh at scholars who deceive the world with their fixed versions of the Spring and Autumn Annals.” A master storyteller and a patriotic eccentric, Liu Jingting’s legacy endures through the ages. His former home, Fishing Bay, has naturally become a cherished site where the people of Taizhou remember him.

　　   Liu was not only a famed storyteller but also a figure of great patriotism and integrity. He is remembered as a unique and memorable personality, and his former dwelling, Fishing Bay, has accordingly become a site of local reverence in Taizhou.