Taiwan Travelogue: Zhishan Garden

Just a stone's throw away from the National Palace Museum of Taipei is a charming classical garden, Zhishan Garden (至善園).
The ticket stubs from the entrance to the National Palace Museum grants free admission to this garden, which is accessible through a small path from the walkway to the museum.






Taking a walk in the garden makes one feel as though they have been momentarily transported out of Taiwan in an out-of-body experience and ended up in one of those ancient gardens in China; with the tranquility that beckons from beyond the fish ponds, pavilions, and willowy trees which sway in the wind pieced together as a panoramic masterpiece of art before one's very eyes.
(If you have been to China, or any Chinese-themed garden, you'd know what it means).

I had been expecting a quick walk around the garden; thinking that this would be yet another typical Chinese garden, but I was quickly filled with a euphoric sense of relaxation and curiosity to enjoy a little more of the garden's beauty before concluding that this is just, as I have thought, another garden.
I was not disappointed, for the garden; with its land coverage of an approximation of 1.88 acres, was filled with captivating Chinese inspired architectural landscapes and it is no surprise that the garden was designed after the renowned structural styles introduced back in the Song and Ming dynasties in China.



The grounds will take more than an hour or two to explore and to appreciate; and unless you are a local, you will not have the luxury of time and leisure to take in each and every tree in the garden. However, that does not mean you will not be able to enjoy it with a quick round of exploring as the garden's directory provides a clear guidance on the recommended attractions to look out for, at a glance.

The following are the key landmarks to look out for in Zhishan Garden:-

1. Grand entrance


2. Pine Wind Pavilion



3. West Bridge Pavilion



4.  Dragon Pond (near to Pine Wind Pavilion)

5. Brush Washing Pond
(near to West Bridge Pavilion)


6. The Cage-changing Goose; by Master Calligrapher Wang His Chih



7. The Winding Canal


8. The Orchid Pavilion

The key attractions are strategically located across each other; forming the complete landscaping of the garden and one can enjoy a stroll in the morning or the evening; accompanied by the breezy wind (especially in the winter months) blowing against your cheek, and feeling that zen-like peace calming the nerves in your system.

It is interesting that this beautiful garden was a transformation from what was once an ammunition depot of the Military Intelligence Bureau of Taiwan; and governed by the Ministry of National Defence who later made the decision to relieve the land of its military duties (probably relocation) in 2002. Renovation and architectural design works followed soon after; transforming what was probably filled with old war-like buildings and barracks into a cultural and ecological wonder which was then officially opened to public; and formally introduced as the Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden, in Taipei.
It is not surprising to see that the design of the garden was injected with the bits and pieces of Chinese inspirations; with the focus on feng shui, Chinese-themed architecture and incorporating the themes of folklore into the making of this enchanting garden.



Even the trash bins are designed to resemble an ancient Chinese bottle









A stroll in the garden, though a sidetrack/detour from the National Palace Museum left a memorable impression and nature always does it best, to calm the rush from a full-itinerary typical kind of traveling day~

Marina Barrage: A Reservoir in the Heart of Lion City

A brainchild of former Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the Marina Barrage is the first reservoir to be built right in the heart of the city among the other 14 scattered across the country.


Boasting of 10,000 hectares of an urbanized catchment area, it is almost one-sixth of the size of the country itself!


The dam/reservoir was built across the Marina channel, and is not just serving the sole purpose of being one of Singapore's water supplies, as the entire area is simply an award-winning masterpiece to promote an eco-friendly system as I continue to share on the amazing attractions discovered during my trip here in April 2011.


The Marina Barrage, besides being one of the water conservation and supply system for the entire country, also serves its other functions to the environment and even being the latest attraction in the city.


The Reservoir/Dam

As mentioned above, this is the 15th reservoir to join the chain of dams in Singapore, although it is the first to be built right smack in the middle of the city.
Strategically located at the mouth of the Marina channel, this is now a freshwater reservoir.
A little bit on the facts of Singapore's water conservation and supply:
There are four ways of water supply provision in the country;
a. Imported water (one of the sources being from Malaysia; her closest neighboring country)
b. Local water catchment areas (stormwater, rain)
c. Desalinated water
d. NEWater - reclaimed and clean water

The above four ways are known as the National Four Taps; and are the pillars of the long term water supply for the country for a long period of time.

The Marina Reservoir alone, can provide at least 10% of Singapore's water needs.

The Marina Barrage

Going green is the theme applied to the design of this place; and it is evident from their bagging of the Green Mark Platinum Infrastructure Award in 2009.

When I was here, I was in awe at the simple yet unique and environmental friendly architecture, and I was not even the least surprised to find out about the roles played in maintaining and sustaining the environment.


One of the many functions include rainwater collection; whereby the annual rain supplies the natural water resource which will be collected and processed to be safe for water consumption/usage to meet the demands of the population.


The many other features in the design of the barrage includes the natural lighting and ventilation, solar panels, water-efficient, power-efficient with the design used in the overall architecture of the place.

The Pump House

Glass and louvers were used at the external walls; which allow the natural light from the sunlight to shine into the building; thus reducing the need to turn on the switch for lights and air-conditioning.

The Green Roof


Besides being a spot for family gatherings and friendly recreational activities, one would be amazed to find that recycling and eco-friendly concept is the main backbone of its construction.
The name; Green Roof was also derived from the fact that the grass and soil served as a natural heat insulation for the building; thus reducing the need for air-conditioning and saving the costs to power up the building with electricity.

The washrooms within the building also used water-efficiency concept; through its water taps and also waterless urinals.
The Solar Park is also housed here; and boasts of the largest collection of solar panels throughout the country.

If you are interested in many more features of this place, don't forget to drop by the Sustainable Singapore Gallery on your way in or out to find out more about Singapore's efforts in creating sustainability in the environment through the wide arrays of displays of the works in the country.

One may question the decision to build a reservoir in the city, as it exposes the water to the risks of pollution from the nearby cities and buildings around.

However, the government is doing their part to ensure that maintenance is constantly being carried out to sustain the usability of the water in the reservoir.

A little yacht docking yard spotted.


Besides, Sitting in the heart of the city provides the perfect landscape for an urban setting and view of the beautiful skyscrapers in the background



Singapore has once again proven that modernization and urbanization along with advanced technology can go hand in hand with the environment.
Thumbs up for a major Green project, and definitely one of the eye-openers, if not the GREEN wonders of the world!:)



For more information on the Marina Barrage, go to their official website here