Design

Within China's Forbidden City, and not yet open to the public, is the elegant, intimate Qianlong Garden, built as a retirement retreat for the Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century. A visionary patron of the arts, Qianlong designed the garden to reflect a perfect union of art, architecture and nature. This lavishly illustrated volume gives an in-depth analysis of that design and also interprets 90 of the superlative artworks commissioned by the Emperor for his garden.