Jiang Donghua, 67, has kept two gifts from Duisburg that he values a lot. A pair of gardening shears from an old friend remembering his participation in the construction of a Chinese garden in Duisburg decades ago, and a cup symbolizing the long-lasting friendship between China and Germany.

The retired landscaping worker at the garden construction company affiliated with the Wuhan Landscape and Ecology Group was a member of the Chinese team that went to Duisburg 37 years ago for the construction of Yingqu Garden in the Duisburg Zoo, which has stood as a symbol of friendship between the two cities.

Wuhan and Duisburg became sister cities in 1982, afterward, Wuhan decided to present Duisburg with a Chu-style garden. Nevertheless, the creation of the garden was a challenging endeavor. Originally constructed at the Wuhan Zoo, it was subsequently dismantled, packed into 14 containers and transported to Duisburg. Meanwhile, Wuhan sent a team of 10 people, including carpenters, construction workers, a painter, a design engineer, an interpreter and managers to Duisburg to assemble the garden.

Jiang remembered that they spent a total of 90 days in the German city.

"The people in Duisburg are exceptionally friendly, and the city was both beautiful and modern," he recalled. "The German craftsmanship spirit deeply touched me. It was truly an unforgettable experience that will stay with me for life."

The garden, spanning an area similar to that of a soccer field, showcases typical Chinese architectural features, including the prevalent use of mortise-and-tenon structures adorned with stone lions, pathways, waterways and rock formations. Within the garden, one can find a variety of plant species such as bamboo, weeping willows, water lilies, metasequoia and wintersweet trees, which represent Wuhan.

Upon its official opening to the public in 1988, the garden was enthusiastically embraced by the local community. According to official statistics, it currently attracts approximately 800,000 visitors annually.

Exceptional beauty

Soren Link, the mayor of Duisburg, reminisced about his childhood visits to Yingqu Garden.

"Many people in Germany are familiar with this Chinese garden and recognize its exceptional beauty, using it as a means to learn about Chinese culture," he stated.

During a visit to Wuhan in March, he encountered three workers who had been involved in constructing Yingqu Garden. Each of them was presented with a cup bearing the Duisburg logo as a token of appreciation. Link expressed gratitude for their journey to Germany and conveyed his desire for the enduring friendship between Duisburg and Wuhan.

Hu Songbing, general manager of the garden construction company linked to the Wuhan Landscape and Ecology Group, said that the garden has been damaged in some places due to aging. Thus, a few years ago, Duisburg expressed a desire for Wuhan's assistance in restoring the deteriorating sections of the Yingqu Garden. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Wuhan packaged and dispatched 40 metric tons of ancient garden-building materials to Germany through the China-Europe Railway Express. Through three video conferences and 43 email correspondences, Wuhan supported German technicians in accomplishing the repair and refurbishment tasks.

On Aug 17, 2022, Yingqu Garden completed its first large-scale renovation in more than 30 years and reopened to the public. On that day, Duisburg Zoo welcomed in excess of 8,000 visitors, four times its usual attendance, Hu said.

Sergej Manske was visiting the garden with his two children on the first Sunday of April.

"I've been to many gardens, but I like this one the most. It is not too spread out, and has more cultural elements," he told China Daily. "I haven't been to China before and I definitely want to visit the country!"

Hu said that Europeans have a strong affinity for garden culture. Gardens are seen as vessels of cultural significance, and many Europeans view gardens constructed by Chinese artisans as genuine embodiments of Chinese heritage.

"This garden has a history of more than 30 years and holds certain historical value. Therefore, the German workers exercise great care and precision during their restoration efforts," he said.

Furthermore, he noted that the garden has evolved into a venue for exhibiting Chinese culture, hosting numerous events related to China. It has also become a preferred location for residents to organize traditional Chinese-style weddings.

Zhang Mingyao, co-director of the Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr in the University of Duisburg-Essen, said the teachers have recently produced an audio guide of the garden in both German and Chinese, and the zoo installed a plate with a QR code at the garden entrance to guide visitors.

"It will help visitors better understand the story and culture represented in the pavilion, the bridge and the painting in this Chinese garden," he said.

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