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As adequately as its name implies, Chinese Garden of Friendship is a Chinese garden in Sydney. Lying not too far from Darling Harbour, Chinese Garden of Friendship is the most lyrical manifestation of the culture and heritage of the Chinese people. Chinese Garden of Friendship is designed strictly along the lines of the typical private gardens of the Ming Dynasty. Chinese Garden of Friendship: History The multi-ethnic populace of Australia comprises a large proportion of people whose origins can be traced to China. In fact Chinese Australians form the fifth largest ethnic group in Australia. The earliest recorded migration of the Chinese communities took place in the year 1788. The design for the Chinese Garden of Friendship came as a special gift from Sydney’s sister city- Guan Guangzhou in China. Chinese Garden of Friendship serves not only to remind the Chinese Australians- who have blended so well in the cosmopolitan environs of Sydney- of the rich culture and aesthetic uniqueness of the country that they was once theirs, but also bestows a cosmopolitan look to Sydney. Chinese Garden of Friendship was inaugurated on the grand occasion of Australia’s bicentennial celebrations. Chinese Garden of Friendship: Design and Philosophy The Chinese looked upon gardens as an essential feature of their architecture. During the medieval period, a sprawling garden was an unerring indication of the owner’s opulence and this preoccupation with gardens reached its crescendo during the Ming Dynasty. A typical Chinese garden aspires to be much more than just a flower bed for attractive flowers. It seeks to embody the Taoist principles of yin (calmness) and yang (activity). It is through the melding of the opposites- a waterfall beside a calm pond; a pine tree towering over stunted shrubs- that a jarring harmony is achieved. Chinese Garden of Friendship: Features The Tea House
Located in the precincts of the garden, the tea house serves aromatic Chinese tea along with other victuals. It is only fair that tea, which is an inextricable part of Chinese culture, should feature in Chinese Garden of Friendship. The Tea House serves-Jasmine Tea, Shou Mei, Shui Hsen, Pu-Erh, Tieh-Kuan-Yin along with dim sims, Chinese pastries and steamed pork buns. Penjing Nursery
The word ‘Penjing’ in Chinese quite literally means ‘miniature landscape placed in a pot’; to the outside world Penjing is Chinese version of Bonsai. In Chinese Garden of Friendship there is an entire nursery devoted to picturesque landscapes of Penjing. The Jade Bridal Carriage
The Jade Bridal Carriage came as a gift from Queen Victoria Building in 2006. The carriage is believed to be from Guangdong Province in southern China. The Chinese emperors were fond of bridal carriages and liked them well adorned. A single bridal carriage engaged hundreds of artisans who carved dragons, phoenixes, gods to bring luck to the owner. The Jade Bridal Carriage is placed in the entry hall of Chinese Garden of Friendship, Sydney.
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