This small reproduction of a Classical Chinese scholar’s garden truly is a remarkable place, but to get the full effect, it’s best to take the guided tour (included in admission). Untrained eyes will only see a pretty pond surrounded by bamboo and oddly shaped rocks. The engaging guides, however, can explain this unique urban garden’s Taoist yin-yang design principle, in which harmony is achieved through dynamic opposition. To foster opposition (and thus harmony) in the garden, Chinese designers place contrasting elements in juxtaposition: Soft-moving water flows across solid stone; smooth, swaying bamboo grows around gnarled immovable rocks; dark pebbles are placed next to light pebbles in the paving. Moving with the guide, you discover the symbolism of intricate carvings and marvel at the ever-changing views from covered serpentine corridors. This is one of two Classical Chinese gardens in North America (the other is in Portland, Oregon) created by master artisans from Suzhou, the garden city of China. While you’re in Chinatown, also make sure to check out the ornate China Gate on Pender Street, and the Sam Kee Building at 8 W. Pender St., at only 1.5m wide (4 ft. 11 in.), the narrowest commercial building in Canada.