The Humble Administrator’s Garden was started in the fourth year of the Ming dynasty's Zhengde period, that’s round about 1509 A.D. Along with the Summer Palace in Beijing, the Mountain Resort of Chengde in Hebei Province, and the Lingering Garden in Suzhou, it is one of China's four most famous gardens. The garden was built by Wang Xianchen, Censor to the Throne – don’t ask us what that means. The story goes that noble Wang became fed up with the corrupt and inept government, so he retired. Eventually, he got his hands on 150,000 square meters of prime real estate in the middle of Suzhou, and the man started gardening. Since then, the garden has been reduced to about one third of its original size, but it is still the largest classical Chinese garden in Suzhou.
During the 400 years following it’s construction, through dynastic changes and different owners, through splendour and decay, the garden has developed from a single vast garden into three separate gardens, all with their own style. This is one of the best times of the year to visit the garden. It’s not too cold, but the tourists are mostly gone. If it rains, you can enjoy the views from inside the dozens of classical buildings. Keep an eye out for the picturesque view of the North Temple Pagoda in the distance. While the middle portion is definitely the most impressive, you have to stroll over to the western part. You’ll find a bonsai forest with over seven hundred trees and a nice gift shop if your looking for a souvenir.
Admission Fee: 70RMB (Mar.1 to May 31 and Sep. 1 to Nov. 30)
50RMB (June 1 to Aug. 31 and Dec. 1 to Apr. 30)
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 "Humble Administrator's Garden")
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