Lan Su Chinese Garden is a walled classical Chinese garden occupying a full city block in Portland’s Old Town Chinatown. Created after Portland and Suzhou became sister cities in 1988, it was developed through efforts beginning in the early 1980s, built by 65 artisans from Suzhou, and opened in 2000. Its design centers on Lake Zither and uses water, covered walkways, bridges, pavilions, and named structures to create a carefully composed landscape rooted in Chinese garden tradition. With more than 400 plant species, many drawn from older Oregon stock, it remains a symbolic cultural link between Portland and Suzhou despite maintenance, vandalism, and tourism challenges.

Portland, Oregon · USA