Zhuxin Manor is located in Leizhu Park, Laosi Village, Jiangxia District, Wuhan, with Pigeon Hill to the east and 10,000 acres of Lu Lake to the west, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, with beautiful scenery hidden inside, it is a pleasant idyllic scenery. The manor covers an area of more than 400 acres, consisting of Chinese gardens, Chinese Zen garden, hundreds of acres of good fields, Hui Inn, etc., everywhere reflecting the arts, simple and elegant temperament. one weekend in June the weather was good, I accompanied my parents to experience a day of poetic idyllic life, wash the dust of the soul, and heal the body and mind exhaustion.
In the garden, the fresh air, fragrant flowers and green trees on both sides of the road make you feel relaxed. The greenery around the pond in the centre of the garden is lush, with yellow flowers, dragonflies and frogs, and the Chinese Huizhou-style inn is hidden in the greenery by the pond, which is refreshing and relaxing. As you pass through the trellis of vines, it is as if you have been baptised by nature, and the hustle and bustle of the city is far from your mind. The wooden bridge creaks under your feet, and sitting in the pavilion on the island in the middle of the lake, you can’t help but sigh that this is the life of your dreams.
Walking up to the entrance of the Zen garden, the old wooden gate, green bricks, grey tiles, flowery windows and horse-head wall come into view together, the flowers on either side of the entrance smile, and the bamboo forest peeps out from inside the fence, beckoning as if to say: welcome to your arrival. The courtyard is not large, but quite exquisite, adopting the typical Chinese courtyard design and Chinese landscape design, with natural and serene materials and alternating light and shadow, reflecting the feeling of tranquillity and serenity, reflecting the strong Chinese style and Zen Taoism in every aspect. From courtyard to courtyard, the scenery changes with every step and surprises abound, with beautiful details such as the round tank water feature, the square stone pond and the original stone door frames throughout. The water feature in the main courtyard follows the beauty of nature, tranquillity, relaxation and freedom are all encapsulated in this small world, and the turtle, as the master of this place, also quietly sucks the rain and dew from the earth and sky. The inscription “A Taste of Zen Tea” in the Zen Room refers to the spirit of Chinese Zen tea, which is “righteousness, purity, harmony and elegance”, and through meditation we can achieve the spiritual realm of both harmony and elegance.
The vegetable field was green and full of harvest, with cucumbers, sprouts, peppers, aubergines and other seasonal vegetables and fruits waiting for us to pick. My parents happily picked ten pounds of vegetables, smelling the fragrance of the fruits and vegetables, with happy smiles on their faces.
It was almost 2 o’clock in the afternoon when we arrived at the inn for rest and dinner. The interior decoration of the reception hall was typical Chinese classical style, the seats were Chinese mahogany furniture, and Chinese ink paintings of pumpkins and grapes were hung on the wall, which was full of farmhouse atmosphere. When we entered the courtyard surrounded by the guest rooms, we were shocked by the poetic image of bamboo forest, strange stones, bridges, flowing water, various trees and shrubs, hiding such a beautiful landscape. White walls, bamboo shadows, birds and flowers, fish blowing bubbles, cool and comfortable. We found a place to sit by the water, sipped tea and watched the clouds float by, and then ordered three farmhouse dishes to try: sliced pork in a pot, wood-fired tofu and roasted eggplant with green beans. The ingredients were freshly picked from the estate’s vegetable fields and cooked in the same way as the farmhouse dishes, making them delicious and authentic.
After a good meal and a good rest, it was getting late and we left the Bamboo Manor with a feeling of reluctance to leave, and we will visit this place again next time we have time.