For example, when choosing plant varieties, people preferred plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemums, which are hailed as the "four nobles" by the Chinese literati, representing the noble spirits of traditional culture.

The Craft of Gardens, or Yuanye, the first Chinese treatise on the art of gardening, was published in 1634, and has been a lasting guideline for the development of gardens not only in China, but also in Japan and other countries.

Perhaps, Suzhou gardens epitomize a famous line in the book. It wrote: "Though being artificial, they seemed like natural wonders."

"Unlike their Japanese counterparts, which often follow rigid design formats and unveil the pathos of things, people want to maintain an emotional affinity with nature in Suzhou gardens," He explains. "That affection for life thus brings more diverse scenery and a cozier living environment."

In centuries past, Suzhou also largely directed the development of ancient Chinese landscape gardens as a whole.

For instance, Suzhou gardens were among the favorite destinations of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperors when touring southward from Beijing. Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) visited Lion Grove Garden six times.