Garden of Retreat and Reflection
Tongli, China
The Garden of Retreat and Reflection is located in Tongli Water Town, Jiangsu Province, China. The Water Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with hundreds of bridges and waterways and is considered an “Oriental Venice”. The Garden was landscaped by the 19th-century painter Yuan Long. A circular entrance called the Moon Gate leads onto the main garden and a tranquil pond with goldfish swimming in it. A boat-shaped pavilion looks down on the water and provides a fantastic vantage point to admire the entire garden. The unusual rock formations around the garden add to is serene beauty, making it a true place for retreat and reflection.