"Due to its special history, this Garden was virtually unknown before it was listed as a UN World Cultural Heritage site.

"[1] The Garden of Cultivation was built in 1541 CE by Yuan Zugeng (袁祖庚, 1519–1590),[2] at that time it was called the Hall of Delights.

In 1659 CE, It was rebuilt again by Jiang Cai, "a respected scholar and minister of Foreign Affairs during the late Ming Dynasty, who protested against corruption by exiling himself"[2] and renamed Jingting Mountain Villa.

[2] Wang Wan wrote, "enclosing walls keep the worldly uproars outside; seclusion makes the inside of the house resemble a country villa; branches of date trees are heavy with fruit over the house; the pond surface is decorated with green duckweed and red lotus.

The structure of the garden is formed along a north to south axis which ties the three main elements of rockery, pool, and hall together.

[4] The garden is very typical of the Ming Dynasty design aesthetic because of its clear composition in plan and the elegance and simplicity of its elements.

It formed part of an overall composition including an open window planted with bamboo, a scholar stone meant to resemble a young girl, a couplet.

The pillar couplets read, "A walk in the morning sun feasts one's eyes on a blooming spring; A climb to the mountain refreshes one's mind with limpid water".

The name is a reference to Ode to Nanjing which reads, "Among its sweet grasses are climbing fig, orchid, common vetch, and aromatic sunchang.

[4] Named for a verse by Yuan Ji, "Cultivation of one's mind brings about longevity which enables one to be as admirable as the great nature.