Nestled on the edge of a busy thoroughfare on the outskirts of the town of Santa Lucija, in the south of Malta, lies an oasis of calm: The Chinese Garden of Serenity. The hustle of belching traffic melts away as soon as you enter the garden, a space which is characterised by a balance of natural elements.

When you walk into the garden, you quickly realise that it consists of four connected areas, each representing aspects of Chinese philosophy and thought. Corridors, bridges and apertures are used to create separate scenes, framed to reflect the principles of Confucianism: order, self-control and harmony; while the gurgling brooks echo the more natural approach of Taoism.

The complementary forces of yin and yang are also materialised in the scenery, with the garden’s landscaping using the essential forces of earth and water. Indeed, like many Chinese gardens around the world, the one in Santa Lucija follows the East Asian principles of integrating pure, organic elements, such as rock, within the design. Here, the stone has not been placed on the sidelines, as a frame to a more bucolic picture, but, rather, it takes centre stage in rock piles set at counterpoint to the waterways.

Visitors move through the garden, as they move through life, with different areas of the space representing the different moods of man, from birth to maturity and then, death. Fountains, sheltered corridors and rooms encourage introspection, a life thought about and well-lived.

The Chinese Garden of Serenity is open every day from 8am – 6pm and entrance is free.