Wu County
Since its creation the Lingering Garden has been well received by critics and has inspired artists. The East Garden is described and praised in "Sketches of Gardens and Pavilions" by Yuan Hongdao (magistrate of Changzhou County), "...It is the best of its kind south of the Yangtze River." It was also described in the work "Notes on the Hou Yue Tang" by Jiang Yingke (magistrate of Wu County). After the East Garden was transformed into the Lingering Garden it was again praised by Yu Yue in his "Notes on Lingering Garden", "The rockeries plants pavilions towers and halls are among the best in Wu County."