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A moon gate () is a circular opening in a garden wall that acts as a pedestrian passageway and is a traditional architectural element in 
Moon gates were incorporated into the
Image:20090905_Suzhou_Couple's_Retreat_Garden_4442.jpg, Moon gate at Couple's Retreat Garden in the
Chinese garden
The Chinese garden is a landscape garden style which has evolved over three thousand years. It includes both the vast gardens of the Chinese emperors and members of the imperial family, built for pleasure and to impress, and the more intimate ...
s. The gates serve as an inviting entrance into gardens of the rich upper class in China.
The shape of the gates and their tiles have different spiritual meanings. The sloping roofs of a gate represent the half moon of the Chinese summers, and the tips of the tiles of the roof have talismans on the ends of them.
Moon gates were incorporated into the architecture of Bermuda
The architecture of Bermuda has developed over the past four centuries. The archipelago's isolation, environment, climate, and scarce resources have been key driving points, though inspiration from Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas is evi ...
in the late 19th century, around the same time that the British territory began importing Easter lily bulbs from Japan for cultivation. Bermudan moon gates are slightly different from the original Chinese designs, as they are often left free-standing or attached to low wall. In Bermuda, it is regarded as good luck for newlyweds to step through the gate.
Gallery
Classical Gardens of Suzhou
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou (Chinese: 苏州园林; pinyin: ''Sūzhōu yuánlín''; Suzhounese ( Wugniu): ''sou1-tseu1 yoe2-lin2'') are a group of gardens in the city of Suzhou, in Jiangsu, China, which have been added to the UNESCO World Heri ...
File:HK Lai Chi Kok Park Chinese Arch 1.JPG, Lai Chi Kok Park Chinese Arch
File:HK LikWingTongStudyHall MoonGate.JPG, Tong Study Hall MoonGate
File:Zhonghe 8-23 park.jpg, Zhonghe park
Image:Moon Gate.jpg, Moon Gate, National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, National Arboretum, Washington DC
File:Met, chinese gate.JPG, Entrance to the Astor Court, a Ming-style garden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 100 ...
File:A Moon gate in Great Wave Pavilion 2012-03.JPG, Moon gate in Great Wave Pavilion
References
Architecture in China Chinese gardening styles Garden features Architectural elements {{Garden-stub