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A scenic journey into the past

In the bustling city center of Macao Peninsula, there is an oasis of tranquility which blends architecture, history, art and horticulture into one delightful experience
by
Welcome to Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, the only garden in Macao built in the Suzhou style, a manifest of traditional ornamental features such as quaint moon gates, shady walkways, man-made hills, ponds, trees and shrubs. The nostalgic atmosphere attracts not only history and art enthusiasts, but also the elderly residents of the area, who visit the park every morning to practice Tai Chi or Cantonese opera singing.  
 
Revered as a historical landmark today, Lou Lim Ieoc Garden was originally the back garden of a luxurious mansion complex owned by the wealthiest man in town a century ago. Constructed in the early 20th century, it was already a sight-seeing attraction at that time, drawing upper-class sightseers to seek entry through advanced reservations. To this day, the black-and-white photos taken by those curious visitors offer us a glimpse into its original face before multiple renovations.
 
An opulent beginning 
 
The mansion complex was built on land used for growing vegetables in a village called Longtian. Construction began in around 1904 and was completed two decades later. Sprawling from today’s Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida to Rua do Almirante Costa Cabral, it hosted the largest private garden constructed in Macao.
 
The complex was conceived by Lou Kao (originally named Lou Wah-siu), a wealthy Chinese man who acquired the land in 1870. Rising from a humble beginning as a butcher, Lou Kao expanded his business to finance and property, and eventually became the first man in Macao to receive a gambling franchise. He was also a great philanthropist who funded hospitals and schools in Macao and the mainland.  
 
But in 1906, Lou Kao hanged himself at the age 59, following a sudden reversal of the policy on gambling by the Guangdong government, which left him with huge debts. The family business – alongside the construction of the mansion complex – fell to his eldest son Lou Lim Ieoc, who was then 28. 
 
Following in his father’s footsteps, Lou Lim Ieoc ran gambling operations and many other businesses in Macao. In 1913, he served as the first chairman of the Macao Chamber of Commerce. Like his father, he was also a major philanthropist in town, being the key donor of Kiang Wu Hospital.
 
It is believed that Lou Lim Ieoc invited Liu Jianlian, a scholar from Xiangshan, to design the garden. The main entrance of the complex was originally located on Rua do Almirante Costa Cabral. Named by Lou Lim Ieoc as Yu Yuan (Yu Garden), it was home to several signature buildings, including the private house for the Lou family, and the Iong Sam Tong pavilion and the Spring Grass Pavilion in its exquisite back garden, which served as the usual venues for receiving guests.  
 
In May 1912, Yu Yuan welcomed its most important guest ever – Dr Sun Yat-sen – months after the Xinhai revolution in the previous October. The meeting was initiated by Lou Lim Ieoc, who had allegedly supported Sun during his revolutionary struggle. The photo of this famous meeting, also attended by over a hundred of Sun’s Chinese and Portuguese friends, still hangs at the Iong Sam Tong pavilion to this day.
 
The fall of a prominent family
 
The untimely death of Lou Lim Ieoc in 1927, caused by a severe stroke, set the family on the path to decline. Ten years later, the family lost their gambling franchise. Unable to afford the high costs of maintenance, they began to sell parts of the mansion complex. 
 
The complex soon became the site of two secondary schools, which still exist in Macao today. Fleeing the Sino-Japanese War from Guangzhou in 1938, Pui Ching Middle School rented the entire garden area to hold classes there; afterwards, Leng Nam Middle School used the Iong Sam Tong pavilion as a classroom.
 
In 1953, with the support of Ho Yin, one of Macao’s wealthiest businessmen, Pui Ching Middle School bought half of the complex to build its permanent campus on. The area included the private house of the Lou family, which would later become the administrative building of the middle school. With Leng Nam Middle School moving out, the other major parts of the complex, including its back garden, fell under the ownership of Ho In. 
 
In 1973, Ho In sold the garden to the then-Portuguese Administration at a low price of 2.7 million patacas for the purpose of preservation. By then, the garden had fallen into disrepair. The government thus carried out a massive restoration project. Wan Shui, the famous Buddhist monk from Kun Iam Temple, was invited to create inscriptions and couplets for the pavilions in the garden.
 
In 1974, the garden was opened to public for the first time. At 1.78 hectares, it was less than half the size of the original Yu Yuan. The garden would be named after Lou Lim Ieoc, to commemorate his contributions to society. 
 
A living history
 
In 1992, Lou Lim Ieoc Garden was selected as one of the eight major attractions of Macao, offering a sense of the past with its aesthetic Suzhou style design. Although the garden has undergone rounds of renovation, it still retains 70 percent of its original look, according to André Lui, a local architect who specializes in cultural heritage, and who has scoured through relevant documents and photos from the past.  
 
As you enter the garden through its current entrance at Estrada de Adolfo Loureiro, the first thing you see is the iconic Moon Gate, engraved with auspicious animals, birds and plants. To its right, you will find Iong Sam Tong pavilion, which houses a collection of 290 family items donated by the Lou’s to the government in 2009.
 
Behind the Moon Gate is a splendor of lush-green foliage, home to some of the oldest trees in Macao. The famous Spring Grass Pavilion, residing at the back of the garden, now serves as an exhibition hall for art and cultural events. Nearby, is the usual final stop of the scenic garden tour – the Bridge of Nine Curves, famous for its unconventional wavy structure.   
 
However, André Lui has an interesting opinion in this regard: “In a Chinese garden, each element is meticulously designed with profound meaning and symbolism. Visitors often have to follow a designated tour route in order to understand what the designer was trying to convey through the elements,” he explains. “However, as we can no longer enter the garden from the original entrance, we are actually touring the garden in the opposite direction.”
 
So on your next visit, be sure to try out a different tour path, which may lead you to some unexpected discoveries in this beautiful garden that provides a link to the city’s past and quiet place of rest and tranquility. 
 
 
Lou Lim Ioc Garden
– Macau Tea Culture Museu
– Tea Museum
 
Close by
 
Dr. Sun Yat Sen Memorial House in Macau
Av. Sidonio Pais, Macau
open: 10 am to 5pm
 
General Ye Ting’s Former Residence
76 R. do Alm. Costa Cabral, Macau
open:  am to 6 pm 
 
Flora Garden
Av. de Sidonio Pais, Macau
6 am –10 pm
 
Bus Routes nearby:
2, 2A, 5, 9, 9A, 12,
16, 22, 25, 25X, 
28C, n2
 
 
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