Wangshi Zhuozhengyuan ji 王氏拙政園記

Wangshi Zhuozhengyuan ji 王氏拙政園記 is a description of a private garden in Suzhou written during the Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Wen Zhengming 文徵明 (1470-1559). His original name was Bi 壁 (or 璧), with Zhiming serving as his courtesy name. He was from Changzhou 長洲, Jiangsu, and styled Hengshan 衡山. Alongside Zhu Yunming 祝允明 (1461-1527), Tang Yin 唐寅 (1470-1524), and Xu Zhenqing 徐禎卿 (1478-1511), he was celebrated as one of the "Four Talents of Jiangsu" (Wuzhong si caizi 吳中四才子), renowned as masters in painting and calligraphy. As a painting teacher, Wen is also counted among the "Four Masters of the Ming" (Ming sijia 明四家), alongside Shen Zhou 沈周 (1427-1509), Tang Yin, and Qiu Ying 仇英 (c. 1494-1552). His collected writings are known as Putian ji 甫田集.

The Wang in the book title refers to Wang Xianchen 王獻臣 (bornb 1469). Wen Zhengming notes in his "Record" that Wang Xianchen had resigned from official service and enjoyed the pleasures of a leisurely life here for twenty years, suggesting that Wang's retirement to the countryside likely occurred around 1513. Completed in 1532, just over thirty years after Wang Xianchen began constructing the "Garden of Unpretentious Administration" (Zhuozheng Yuan 拙政園) in 1506, this work provides one of the earliest textual records of this renowned Suzhou garden. It thus holds significant historical value in the study of Chinese garden history.

Wen's text is divided into two sections. The first section describes the geographic location, natural environment, and main scenic features of Zhuozheng Garden. It includes one hall, one pavilion, six smaller pavilions, and twenty-three features such as verandas, railings, pools, terraces, and enclosures, making a total of thirty-one. The second section explores the cultural significance of Zhuozheng Garden. The garden's name comes from Pan Yue's 潘岳 (247-300) rhapsody Xianju fu 閑居賦, which states: "Build a house and plant trees, enjoying freedom and self-satisfaction. Tend the garden and sell vegetables to provide daily meals; this is the administration of the unpretentious."

The text is preserved in the Futian ji.