Some cool chinese trade sites images:
DGJ_0983 – Last Day of Hoi An
Image by archer10 (Dennis)
PLEASE, no multi invitations (none is better) in your comments. Thanks.
Waterfront of Hoi An on the Thu Bon River. From the 15th to 19th centuries it was one of South-East Asia’s most important China trading ports. The Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese traded silk, porcelain and spices. Walking along the riverfront it is easy to imagine a time when the wharf was crowded with sailing ships from all over the world. Hoi An, Vietnam
Chinese Gdn – thru window
Image by Kathleen Tyler Conklin
History & Culture
The Portland Classical Chinese Garden began as a dream in the early 1980’s. It became more focused when Portland and Suzhou, China, became sister cities in 1988 and the idea of a building a Suzhou-style garden in Portland became a goal.
History of Scholar’s Gardens
The city of Suzhou is located approximately 50 miles west of Shanghai on the eastern coast of China. It was founded in 525 BC and is one of China’s oldest cities. It has a mild climate, similar to Portland’s. By 1,000 AD, it had become a thriving city with an economy based on trade. It was also a place for government officials to retire. These retiring Imperial court officials built housing compounds that featured beautiful gardens. These gardens attempted to duplicate nature found in traditional Chinese landscape paintings, and the nature of the nearby Yellow Mountains. The gardens would be used to entertain guests and undertake intellectual pursuits such as painting, poetry, and conversation. This Garden is based on a garden built in Suzhou during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD).
Construction
The Garden was built on land donated by Northwest Natural who had for 20 years used it as their parking lot. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in July 1999, and construction was completed in September 2000. The majority of the materials used in the construction of the Garden originated in China. Approximately 65 workmen from Suzhou created the structures and completed the work. An American construction China company did the site preparation and foundation work. The Garden is in compliance with all current U.S. construction codes, and was completed at a total cost of approximately .8 million.
www.portlandchinesegarden.org/garden/history_culture