摘于林语堂先生于1937年发表在美国的 The Importance of Living 一书。
"According to a Chinese writer, an ideal Chinese garden should be like:
Inside the gate there is a footpath and the footpath must be winding. At the truing of the footpath there is an outdoor screen and the screen must be small. Behind the screen there is a terrace and the terrace must be level. On the banks of the terrace there are flowers and the flowers must be fresh. Beyond the flowers there is a wall and the wall must be low. By the side of the wall there is a pine tree and the pine tree must be old. At the foot of the pine tree there are rocks and the rocks must be quaint. Over the rocks there is a pavilion and the pavilion must be simple. Behind the pavilion there are bamboos and the bamboos must be thin and sparse. At the end of the bamboos there is a house and the house must be secluded. By the side of the house there is a road and the road must branch off. At the point where several roads come together, there is a bridge and the bridge must be tantalizing to cross. At the end of the bridge there are trees and the trees must be tall. In the shade of the trees there is grass and the grass must be green. Above the grass plot there is a ditch and the ditch must be slender. At the top of the ditch there is a spring and the spring must be gurgle. Above the spring there is a hill and the hill must be deep. Below the hill there is a hall and the hall must be square. At the corner of the hall there is vegetable garden and the vegetable garden must be big. In the vegetable garden there is a stork and the stork must dance. The stork announces that there is a guest and guest must not be vulgar. When the guest arrives there is wine and the wine must not be declined. During the service of the wine, there is drunkenness and the drunken guest must not want to go home."
他（林语堂是引用他人的话）把中国古人理想的家居环境总结得淋漓尽致，那便是:
门内有径, 径欲曲; 径转有屏, 屏欲小; 屏进有阶, 阶欲平; 阶畔有花, 花欲鲜; 花外有墙, 墙欲低; 墙内有松, 松欲古; 松下有石, 石欲怪; 石面有亭, 亭欲朴; 亭后有竹，竹欲疏; 竹尽有室, 室欲幽; 室旁有路, 路欲分; 路合有桥, 桥欲危; 桥边有树, 树欲高; 树阴有草, 草欲青; 草上有渠, 渠欲细; 渠引有泉, 泉欲瀑; 泉去有山, 山欲深; 山下有屋, 屋欲方; 屋角有圃，圃欲宽; 圃中有鹤, 鹤欲舞; 鹤报有客, 客不俗; 客至有酒, 酒欲不却;酒行有醉，醉欲不归。
不知为什么当客人出现后, 这里没有提到茶, 略觉遗憾，也许应该把后面的几句改为“....鹤报有客,客欲直; 客至有茶, 茶欲新, 茶后有酒, 酒欲陈；酒行有醉，醉欲不归。”为妙!
我在网上搜索了一组图片，供理想家园探寻者圆梦。
门内有径, 径欲曲
径转有屏, 屏欲小
屏进有阶, 阶欲平
阶畔有花, 花欲鲜
花外有墙, 墙欲低
墙内有松, 松欲古
松下有石, 石欲怪
石面有亭, 亭欲朴
亭后有竹，竹欲疏
竹尽有室, 室欲幽
室旁有路, 路欲分
路合有桥, 桥欲危
桥边有树, 树欲高
树阴有草,草欲青
草上有渠, 渠欲细
渠引有泉, 泉欲瀑
泉去有山, 山欲深
山下有屋, 屋欲方
屋角有圃，圃欲宽
圃中有鹤, 鹤欲舞
鹤报有客,客欲直
客至有茶, 茶欲新
茶后有酒, 酒欲陈
酒行有醉
醉欲不归
