The Taoran Pavilion (literally “the pavilion of happiness and carefreeness”) is one of the four most famouse pavilions of historical values in China. In AD 1695, a minister named Jiang Zao took charge of a pottery factory nearby under the order of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. Since he had to handle official affairs in the factory everyday, he thought that it would be nice to have a place for rest and recreation. After surveying the surrounding areas, he decided to build a pavilion by an elegant lake nearby. The pavilion was named “Taoran Pavilion” according to a poem by the great poet Bai Juyi. Because of its beautiful lake scene and poetic atmosphere, poets and painters regarded it as a must visit attraction. To them, the Taoran Pavilion is a sacred shrine for the cultivation of the mind.
The Taoran Pavilion ocuppies only 90 square meters, but it enjoys great reputation. On the southern and northern wall, you can see exquisite hieroglyphs. If you look out from inside the Pavilion, to the east there is the beautiful scene of the lake, and to the west, the Yunhui Tower and the Qingyin Pavilion. Jiang Zao and his friends often spent their leisure time in the pavilion, enjoying its tranquility away from the noisy world.
There are many other historical attractions around the Taoran Pavilion. You can find the Reeds Pavilion, the Tianni Pavilion, the Mountain-Watching Tower, the Baobing Hall, the Black Dragon Pool, the Dragon King’s Pavilion, the Temple of Nezha (a mythological person’s name), the Blackberry Garden, the Garden of the Ancestors, the Feng’s Garden, the relics of the pottery factory, the Aromatic Tomb, the Tomb of Parrot, and the Tomb of Sai Jinhua(a famous prostitute). Many of these attractions were built before the Taoran Pavilion. The Chinese poets and painters have great affections for them too. You can visit them alongside the Taoran Pavilion since they are relatively small in size.
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