Wuxi, China

Wuxi has contributed much to Hamilton’s Chinese Scholars’ Garden.

Wuxi has played an important role in creating the Chinese Scholars’ Garden at Hamilton Gardens. Work officially started with the planting of a magnolia called 'The Friendship Tree' in the Blossom Court by the Mayor of Wuxi in 1986. 

Wuxi gifted the tiles, turtle, table, seats and rock to the garden. The rock comes from Lake Taihu, next to Wuxi, and was presented by the President of the Wuxi Municipal People's Association for Friendship in 1991. The Ting Pavilion – 'Leaning-against-river-pavilion' – is a replica of one in Wuxi. 

The garden was formally opened by the mayors of Wuxi and Hamilton in 1992.

In 1998 a Wuxi delegation presented the Celestial Yuan of Taihu (bronze turtle), a figure from Wuxi legend sent by the Dragon King to save the people of Wuxi. It symbolically protects the garden from floods from the Waikato River.

The NZ Chinese Association (Waikato Branch) and the New Zealand China Friendship Society (Hamilton Branch) were also involved in developing the Chinese Scholars’ Garden.