The Oldest Garden in China

By Anthony Holcroft,
illustrated by Fifi Colston

Whitcoulls: Christchurch NZ, 1985

ISBN 0723307601

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Illustrations

A Chinese emperor is the proud owner of the most magnificent garden in the country — if not the world. Or so he believes. But one day rumours reach him of an extraordinary garden in a far-distant corner of the land reputed to be far finer than his own. Disbelieving, but curious to learn more about this magical-sounding place, the emperor commands his gardeners, brothers Yin and Yang, to each in turn undertake the perilous journey across the mountains to find out if what people say is true, and bring him back something from the garden to prove it. When the brothers fail miserably in their task, they are summarily thrown into the palace's deepest dungeon. So now their little brother Ming decides to try his luck ...

The Oldest Garden in China is a children's book of great beauty, combining richly-textured story-telling with stunning illustrations by Fifi Colston

Illustrations

  • Ming tastes a pear from the garden — illustration by Fifi Colston (unused)

  • Ming tastes a pear from the garden — illustration by Fifi Colston

  • The emperor hears of a garden of unsurpassed beauty — revised illustration and layout by Fifi Colston (unpublished)

  • Yang orders his servants to pluck the largest of the water lilies — revised illustration and layout by Fifi Colston (unpublished)

  • Ming sets off for the oldest garden in China — revised illustration and layout by Fifi Colston (unpublished)