When he visited Suzhou in 1952 as a senior architectural student, Liu Shaozong found no one was taking care of the city's classical gardens, some of which have since been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

"There were people living in the gardens and centuries-old pavilions being used as stables. The plants were being eaten by horses and cows," said the 81-year-old landscape designer.

But even in their unkempt condition, the gardens deeply impressed Liu with their unique structure and well-designed details.