Celebrating the pleasures of garden living enjoyed by the elite of late imperial China, this book brings together poetry, prose, paintings and prints from imperial China to show the many facets of life and leisure in the Chinese garden. From music to lanterns, from chess to drama, all kinds of cultural activities could be enjoyed in a garden setting, alone or with friends and family. Here, too, the garden owner and his (or sometimes her) companions could appreciate the changing seasons with all their variety of scent, sound and colorful blossom. No wonder that dwelling in a garden was often compared to the carefree life of a Taoist immortal. This anthology, compiled by a leading expert in Chinese garden history, incorporates many original translations of classical Chinese poetry and prose.