Chinese Cultural Garden National
Parks
The rich culture of China can be
seen almost all over the world. In
every part of the world there’s
almost always a little Chinatown.
San Jose, California in the United
States is not an exception. In one
of its
prized national parks, the
Overfelt Gardens on McKee Road,
there featured is the serenely
beautiful Chinese Cultural Gardens.
Chinese Cultural Gardens was put up
in 1971 to commemorate Chiang
Kai-shek, Sun Yat-Sen, and
Confucius. It is generally
reminiscent of the essence of the
much treasured Chinese culture.
This beautiful 6-acre garden was
made possible by the dedication and
love for culture of husband and wife
immigrant Frank and Pauline Lowe,
together with Dr. Chen Li-Fu of
Taiwan. The garden’s celebrated and
at the same time functional features
include the Chiang Kai-shek
Pavilion, the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial
Hall, and the Plum Pavilion. It also
has a collection of a few Chinese
artifacts such as the large image of
Confucius, the ornamental Friendship
Gate, a sundial, and a truly
exquisite black marble ton, which
weighs 15 tons and was actually
mined in China.
Chinese Cultural Gardens also serves
as a host venue for the world-famous
Chinese Moon Festival celebration.
The event features arts and crafts
for children and adult alike. There
are also Asian performing arts
presentations, which are truly
awe-inspiring and at the same time
enjoyable.
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