The Moongate Garden

Today is the Mid Autumn (Moon) Festival, 中秋节, thought about this garden (ok, I admit it has nothing to do with the festival other than having moon in the name) we visited last month. The Mongate Garden was inspired by the gardens and architecture of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China. It is designed by architect Jean Paul Carlhian. The Temple of Heaven 天坛 in Beijing was designed using a geometrical, axial layout, centered around the cardinal points of the compass. Granite and water are used abundantly in the Moongate Garden, making it very relaxing, even in the heat of the summer – DC can be humid.

The Moongate Garden is a small part of the Enid A. Haupt Garden at the Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle) in DC. Nearby, there are Hirshhorn MuseumSackler Gallery, Freer Gallery of Art, Ripley Garden … SacklerFreer, Haupt, Ripley, Hirshhorn, most of them were self-made in their chosen profession and some were even immigrant. I hope in the near future, we would see more museums/galleries bearing names Zhang, Wang, Li, Zhao, and the like in China/USA.

I know a couple, both are from China. One came to USA in 1963 starting high school and one in 1982 to attend college. They both are successful professionals, especially the late arrival who’s in the new economy (whose boss is consistently listed at the top as the richest man alive – since the company IPO’ed in 1986). The early arrival insists that their children make their own living and donate their money but the late arrival insists to leave the entire estate to their three children. This story, if it’s any indication, we would be seeing more and more museums/ galleries donated by Chinese in a generation or two? Yoga pix

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月亮的联想

今天是中秋节,想到我们上个月参观的这个华俯 Moongate Garden 月亮门花园. 该花园的灵感来自于北京的天坛公园,由建筑师 Jean Paul


One Response to “The Moongate Garden”

  • Nielsine Says:

    There s no problem using flash or tripods, and there s easy access. But they do close the gates overnight; the gardens are open 7AM to 7PM.

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