Spoon Garden’s secrets whisper on the wind. Shao Yuan. That’s the name. A name echoing through centuries. Right here at Peking University. This wasn’t always a university campus. It was once a royal garden. A place of exquisite beauty. Imagine the 17th-century Ming Dynasty. The renowned poet Mi Wanzhong created Shao Yuan. He envisioned a garden of delicate charm. A garden using only a ‘spoon’ of water from the many ponds. Bridges curved over the water. Corridors stretched invitingly. It resembled the charming water towns of Southern China. Visitors could wander in boats. A hall called Shao Hai stood at the end of the bridges. Strange rocks and pines stood before it. Water lilies filled the ponds in summer. Their fragrance perfumed the air. A stone boat-shaped house called Taiyiye sat to the east. Beyond that lush bamboo thrived. Even Beijing’s harsh winters couldn’t kill them.
Shao Yuan wasn’t always Shao Yuan. In the Qing Dynasty it was renamed Hongya Yuan. Emperor Kangxi oversaw the rebuilding. When Lord Macartney’s British embassy visited it hosted them. Its proximity to the Yuanmingyuan Imperial Garden made it convenient. The Anglo-French Allied Forces burned it in 1860. They destroyed the Yuanmingyuan too. Shao Yuan became wasteland. Yenching University later purchased the land. It became part of Peking University.
The 1980s brought restoration. Pavilions bridges and corridors were rebuilt. Pu Jie the last emperor’s brother inscribed the north pavilion. Zhao Puchu a famous calligrapher added his art to the south. New buildings rose. Meeting rooms hotels canteens and dormitories were built. Shao Yuan became home to international students and professors. It became known as Peking University’s mini-UN. A place where cultures met and blended. Today Shao Yuan thrives. It offers Western and Chinese restaurants. It hosts conferences and banquets. For many visitors to Peking University Shao Yuan is their first glimpse of its magic. Its delicious food and comfortable lodging leave a lasting impression.
Walk Shao Yuan’s paths. Feel the history beneath your feet. See the legacy of a royal garden transformed. Shao Yuan continues to be a vital part of Peking University’s story. A testament to beauty resilience and international exchange. A place where a spoon of water started a legacy.