Bamboo
Botanists consider the bamboo a giant grass, or graminae. Extremely supple, it bends in the wind without ever breaking. It is the Confucian symbol of the true gentleman. The hollow bamboo stem grows in sections joined by hard, thick joints; its leaves are narrow, delicate and pointed. There are more than one thousand species of bamboo, ranging in height from less than one metre (3 ft) to more than 30 metres (98 ft).

Bamboo shoots are a part of the Chinese diet. Bamboo is also a favorite food of the panda, the black and white mammal that is China's emblem. Bamboo is also widely used throughout Asia to make an array of objects for daily use. The seven buildings in this garden were constructed using lightweight yet strong bamboo scaffolding.