Happy New Year, friends!

With the arrival of 2026, I have found myself doing what many of us do this time of year: reflecting on the past twelve months and asking, “What moments made this year feel meaningful?” There were so many incredible cultural milestones at Lan Su, yet one particular moment keeps rising to the top of my highlight reel. And yes, buckle up, this is officially Part III of my China travel blog series.

They toured our Lan Su 25: Then and Now Photo Exhibit, which showcased everything from our last 25 years: archival construction photos from 1999, festival moments from the 2020s, and portraits of the many incredible humans who have shaped Lan Su across the past 2.5 decades. Although the garden’s classical architecture is undeniably remarkable, it is the people here in Portland, our staff, volunteers, program partners, artists, performers, and community collaborators, who continue to bring life into the pavilions and walkways and make Lan Su what it is today. My team and I spent many sleepless nights assembling this exhibit, digging through archival photos, and raiding our volunteers’ social media feeds (with their consent of course). It became a true labor of pride.

To my surprise and secret delight, they loved it. This was not polite, diplomatic nodding but genuine enthusiasm. They asked many questions and, even as outsiders, were struck by the community spirit, cultural care, and passion that fuel Lan Su behind the scenes.

Then came the moment when I almost leaped across the courtyard. The Deputy Director of the Garden Bureau turned to me and asked, “Can we bring this exhibit to Suzhou?” I restrained myself from giving him a hug (I really did), but I quietly handed his team a USB drive with all of our posters just in case.

Fast forward one month. I am in Suzhou with a small Lan Su delegation. We walk into Surging Wave Pavilion (滄浪亭), the oldest existing classical garden in Suzhou, built in 1044 CE, and we are carrying a mixture of “wow” and giddy anticipation. We are greeted by city representatives in an ornate courtyard, and then we see them: frame after frame of Lan Su history, beautifully installed in a garden pavilion where misty bamboo shadows dance across the images. City hosts and local visitors gather for a small but heartfelt unveiling ceremony, cameras flash,

and suddenly, our little 25-year-old garden from Portland feels very, very, very seen.

Afterward, reporters and community members surround our Executive Director, Elizabeth, eager to understand this “young” Chinese garden growing across the Pacific. As our group was whisked away for a tour of the garden, I sneaked back into the courtyard to (make my husband) capture a few photos and take in the moment. Standing in a thousand-year-old garden while looking at photos from our 25-year journey in Portland, I felt something click into place. It became one of my proudest moments at Lan Su. We may not be a thousand-year-old, but our story is full of authenticity, community, and care.

If you ask me, I think that is very legendary.

Here is to more cultural blossoms taking root through gardens and imagination, and to the many connections that carry us across oceans and generations in the years ahead.