About the authenticity of Chinese gardens

To be considered as authentic, a garden in China must be built and planned around seventeen essential elements.
These are the proximity to the home; 2) small; 3) walled; 4) with small individual sections; 5) asymmetrical; 6) various types of spatial connections; 7) architecture; 8) rocks and water.

Furthermore ther must be trees; 11) plants; 12) sculptures; 13) jie jing, or borrowed scenery; 14) chimes; 15) incense burners; 16) inscriptions; and finally the use of feng shui for choosing site.