Guo's Villa – The Last Private Lakeside Garden

#chinatravel Built in 1851 as a merchant's retreat, this UNESCO-listed garden is the only surviving private lakeside estate on West Lake. Its "borrowed scenery" technique frames Leifeng Pagoda through moon gates with the precision of a Song Dynasty painter. 🎋 Why Connoisseurs Adore It ✔ "Floating" Tea Pavilion: A cantilevered structure hovering over lotus ponds ✔ Secret Scholar's Path: Hidden corridor with 32 carved calligraphy stones by Qing literati ✔ Living Bonsai Collection: 400-year-old podocarpus pruned to mimic Huangshan pines