Now we areat a place called Untied Boat. This is a building in the shape of a boat. Thisboat-shaped building is surrounded by water from three sides, so when you enter,you feel as if you’re on a real boat. But why the boat untied? This is also aquotation from a famous poem. It is a verse in a poem by Bai Juyi, a prominent poet of the Tang Dynasty.
Bai’s poemsays: How can I have no ideal, but I am restrained; Whence I can return to myhometown river, I will cast off on my boat untied.
Bai is anofficial who had very high status in poetry. This is also an example whichdemonstrates that officials in the ancient times showed their dislike of theirstatus in their literature.
This boatshape structure on the water was built in the Ming Dynasty. This type of buildingwas used for social functions, and was popular among the rich families. In the Summer Palacein Beijing,there is another such building which was built by the royal family.
The title ofthe building was originally brush-painted by Zhu Zhishan, one of the fourprominent artists in Jiangnan area in the Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately ZhuZhishan’s writing did not survive. This calligraphy was a reproduction done bya famous doctor during the Qing Dynasty. There ismore calligraphy inside the garden – it was atypical way of decorating in the ancient times.
Come insideof the building, take a look around, you will understand why they built a boat-shapedhouse on the water. In front of the bow, there are two stone tow heads. The Bowarea is higher, the middle part is lower, and the rear part is two stories high.There are windows on both sides of the front area. The middle area is open,with benches installed on both sides and the bench backs tilt towards theoutside. This kind of bench is said to have been the invention of a king toplease his wife. Sitting on the bench or standing by the window, you can easilysee the water, fish and water plants. This is therefore a very good way for anaged scholar to take an imaginary boat journey.
During theTongzhi Emperor’s time, this garden became a market place annexed to the Town God Temple, Nanxiang steamedbun were first sold in this Untied Boat. Nanxiang steamed bun has become verypopular in Shanghai.Nanxiang steamed bun restaurants have been open in YuGarden and in the downtown area of Shanghai.
The pond bythis Untied Boat is called Teasing Goose Lake.Across this Teasing Goose Lake,there is another building which is also partially set on the water. It wasoriginally built in the Ming Dynasty, entirely from bamboo. The principle ofsymmetry is not just used in palaces in the West and the East; it has also beena tradition in the Chinese landscape architecture.
Now, sittingin the Untied Boat, extend your view across the lake, over the bamboo house,you’ll see a little hill behind, and streams around the hill. On the lake, you’llsee a little pavilion with a statue on the top of the roof. The statue isactually a crane standing there, extending its wings for flight to the South. Thepavilion is named White Crane Pavilion. White cranes do indeed fly South, but this name is also derived from ancientliterature. The name of the town is called Nanxiang, which is Flying to theSouth in Chinese. People believe the town was named after the crane statuepavilion.
Now let’smove on from the Untied Boat. Please walk towards the East where we will haveother places to see.
