Master of the Nets Garden
网师园
The pinnacle of small Suzhou gardens. A half-acre pond makes the space feel larger, the Dianchunyi studio was replicated at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and listening to opera in the night garden is a distinctive experience.
The Master of the Nets Garden is on Kuojiatou Lane in the southeast of the Old Town. It was begun in 1174 in the Southern Song dynasty and rebuilt by Song Zongyuan in the Qing dynasty, who named it for the idea of “hidden among the fishermen.” It covers only 0.54 hectares, but it is a pinnacle of small Suzhou gardens and a model of “achieving much with little.” It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1997. The garden centers on Caixia Pond, which is only half an acre. The low buildings around it sit close to the water, making the space feel wide. Highlights include the Zhuoying Water Pavilion and the Yuedao Fenglai Pavilion, which face each other across the water and make a classic photo spot. Yinjing Bridge is the smallest stone arch bridge in Suzhou, and you can cross it in three steps. The Dianchunyi courtyard is elegant. Its replica, the Ming Court, was built in 1980 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, marking the beginning of Chinese gardens' journey to the world. The brick gateway in front of Wanjuan Hall is a fine example of Suzhou brick carving. The central area also includes the Kansong Duhua Studio and the Zhuwai Yizhi Studio. Tickets cost 40 yuan in peak season and 30 yuan off-season. Book through the official WeChat account. From March to November, the evening “Night Garden” (about 100 yuan) features short performances of Suzhou ballad singing, Kunqu opera, guqin and Jiangnan silk-and-bamboo music in different halls, which are among the most atmospheric night experiences in Suzhou. Getting there: walk about 15 minutes from Nanmen Station on Metro Line 4 or Lindun Road Station on Line 1. Nearby are Shiquan Street (an old district with bars and small eateries), Canglang Pavilion (Suzhou's oldest garden) and the Suzhou Stone Carving Museum (the Confucian Temple). Plan for an hour during the day, or come especially for the Night Garden in the evening. Walk to Shiquan Street after dinner. Note: the Night Garden requires advance booking and has limited capacity. The garden is small, so when tour groups arrive, slip into Dianchunyi to avoid them.
Opening hours
07:30–17:30 (peak season) / 07:30–17:00 (off-season); night garden 19:30–22:00 (March–November)
Nearby sights
- Twin Pagodas of Luohan Temple
- Canglang Pavilion
- Soochow University (Tianci Campus)
- Suzhou Confucian Temple
- Fengmen Hengjie Market Street
- China Kunqu Opera Museum
- Suzhou Pingtan Museum
- Quyuan Garden