沧浪亭在苏州现存园林中历史悠久,和狮子林、拙政园、留园代表了苏州宋、元、明、清不同时期的园林,合称“苏州四大名园”。相比其他热门园林,这里人少清静,园内以假山景色取胜,复廊上精美的花窗也值得欣赏。
北宋文人苏舜钦被贬后建造了沧浪亭,园名取自楚辞《渔父》“沧浪之水清兮,可以濯吾缨;沧浪之水浊兮,可以濯吾足”之意。园林的大门在西北角,未进园便见园外一池绿水,过桥,进园。园中央是大片假山,山顶有亭子——沧浪亭,其他建筑都环绕着假山。入园后有御碑亭,里面陈列着和沧浪亭相关的史料,可以先去了解下,再游览的时候就不会一头雾水只是“到此一游”了。然后先别去左边的假山,走右边的路,逆时针绕园一周,再去山顶是沧浪亭的假山,这样的游览路线比较合理。
园林首先给人的感觉是假山很多,其次是复廊很长,还有就是标志性建筑沧浪亭,这些构成了园林的精华。假山顶沧浪亭的柱子上,有上句出自欧阳修、下句出自园主苏舜钦的对联一副:清风明月本无价,近水远山皆有情。在亭子里坐坐,可欣赏园林四周葱郁的景色。复廊穿梭于园林中,有棚,雨天也不会影响到游园的兴致。复廊墙上有一扇扇镂空花窗,花纹各不相同,据说全园共有108种花窗样式。
假山北边,假山与园外河水之间的一段复廊充当了沧浪亭围墙的角色,透过花窗,可以看到园外的水景,复廊上还设观鱼处、面水轩这样的临水建筑,可以跨出围墙,与水景亲近。从沧浪亭外看园林,因河水绕园,会觉得园林以水景为特色,园内的秀色又透过复廊的花窗露出,一般园林都是围墙高竖,沧浪亭因复廊而若隐若现。在沧浪亭内看景,会觉得园林以山景为特色。而站在复廊里,既能看到水景,又能看到山景,巧妙地将二者融于一体。
假山西南有院中种着桂花、用来赏桂的清香馆,五百名贤祠,和嵌着御题文征明小像石刻的仰止亭。
假山东南有园中大的建筑,主厅明道堂,是以前文人讲学的地方。墙上悬有三块宋碑石刻拓片。
再往南的三间相连的厅房“翠玲珑”周边种满翠竹,竹风习习,竹叶沙沙作响,在竹林中散步,扑面而来清新的感觉。
沧浪亭南端,又有一处假山,山上伫立着看山楼,也是园中的制高点。假山的东边是园主会客用的屋子瑶华境界。
园林的西北角大门附近有茶室藕花水榭,人不多,茶水也不贵,十来元的样子。
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夏日园内蚊虫较多,记得带好驱蚊剂。