Mudu, an ancient landscape water town south of the Yangtze River, is located 10 kilometers to the southwest of the Suzhou. Surrounded by groups of hills and next to Taihu Lake, Mudu has beautiful natural scenery and abundant natural resources. It now covers about 34.5 square kilometers. With a history of more than 2,500 years, Mudu has witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and it is also endowed with plentiful cultural connotations. Mudu is a traditional town and has typical landscape gardens, small rivers and bridges. Unlike the prosperous eastern cities in China, Mudu displays a simple, peaceful image.

The name Mudu is derived from a story about Xishi, one of the Four Beauties in Chinese history. It is said in the Spring and Autumn Period (773BC-476BC), Fuchai, the king of Wu, obliged workers to build Guanwa Palace in order to please the Beauty Xishi. Then, considerable wood was carried here so that the river in this area was blocked. This was called 'jimusedu' (which means the accumulated wood blocks the river). So, the town was named Mudu. Early in the Three Kingdom Period (220-280), Mudu was a crucial town in China both economically and militarily. During the coming Song (960-1279), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) periods, it still held an important position in Chinese culture and commerce. In the past thousands of years, Mudu has produced many outstanding scholars and wealthy businessmen. Some of their former residences have now become popular sights.

With numerous Ming and Qing dynasty gardens, Mudu is famed as a town of gardens.

Yan’s Garden
The Yan’s Garden is the former residence of Mr.Yan Jiagan of Taiwan, which occupies 16 mu of land. An ancient magnolia has an extensive crown, blocking out the sky. A legend has it that the tree was planted by Emperor Qianlong when he stayed for the night at Shen’s residence on his tour in the south region of the Yangtze River. Built in the Ming Dynasty, the Emphasize Virtue Hall – the nanmu hall is spacious and has an imposing appearance, which is rare in the south region of the Yangtze River. What is even more characteristic is that the Four Seasons Garden has a layout of uneven density, zigzags, and ups and downs. With local treatments being exquisite and tasteful, deep and tranquil, graceful and restrained, it demonstrates the construction ingenuity of the garden builders. Professor Liu Dunzhen, a contemporary renowned architect calls this garden a “classical work of gardens in south of the Yangtze River.”

Hongyin Mountain Villa
Hongying Mountain Villa was a famous private garden during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, and its beauty of streams, rockery, charming pond, pavilions, flowers and trees surpass other gardens. Emperor Qianlong visited Hongying Mountain Villa each time during his six south tours; here he went ashore from his boat and started enjoying the garden and dramas. The escorted officials led by Liu Yong lodged at Hongying Mountain Villa twice and left many legendary stories behind. Hongying Mountain Villa consists of two Ming Dynasty gardens; Xiuye Garden and Xiaoyin Garden. At the end of Qing Dynasty, Xiaoyin Graden became the residence of Embroidery Empress Shen Shou. Today, Xiuye Garden is the Imperial Edict Museum of Mudu.

Ancient Pine Garden
The Ancient Pine Garden at Shantang Street is known for a 500-strong-year-old arhat pine of Ming Dynasty in the Garden. The garden used to be the residence of a powerful rich man, Cai Shaoyu of Mudu, in the late Qing Dynasty. This garden is compact in overall arrangement and well preserved. The well-decorated brick-carving gate tower is vivid both in appearance and manner. The eight lutes inscribed on the square rafters of the garden convey an auspicious meaning of the get-together of eight notes. Such a style and shape has no comparison among the gardens and architecture in the region south of the Yangtze River. Being the prior-period pieces of the Engraved Building of the East Hill, the Phoenix Tower presents exactly the same architecture and engraving art. The rear garden is delicate, elegant, charming, and gentle. Standing in the two-stories long corridor, with green ancient pine nearby and Lingyan (Divine Rock) Mountain in the distance all within view, people cannot help thinking of getting out of the mortal world.

Bangyan’s Residence
Bangyan’s residence at Xiatang Street was the former residence of Feng Guifen, a political critic and disciple of Lin Zexu. Feng Guifen was Bangyan, the second candidate in the highest imperial examinations in the 20th year (1840) of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, the townspeople called his residence “Bangyan’s Residence.” The residence with a house in the front and a garden in the back, occupies a land of nearly 10 mu, presenting a typical Qing Dynasty garden construction style. The mansion finds its major characteristics in the three carvings (brick, wood, and stone carving) in the region south of the Yangtze River. The rear garden, centered by a pond, and decorated with pavilions, balconies, corridors, bridge and yellow rockwork in high and low manner under green shades, presents a poetic and idyllic picture.