Suzhou
Facts (蘇州)
MY Favourite Places to Visit
 |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
Humble Administrator's Garden (拙政園)
September 2016
Built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty, Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest and most renowned classical landscape garden in Suzhou.
The Humble Adminstrator's Garden is the represent of the gardens in the south region of Yangtze River and considered as the mother of Chinese Gardens. With its classical and gorgeous gardens, it has been a valuable cultural relic both in China and world. Taking water was the mainline, the arrangement in the Garden is very natural in space. The water is wide and peaceful on the surface. Lakes are built in the centre with pavilions standing around, and winding corridors connecting with each other.
Endless waters, winding paths, sheer hills, old trees, green bamboos and all kinds of flowers bring the tourist into a quiet and far-away world.
Lingering Garden (留園)
September 2016
The Lingering Garden is one of nine "Classical Gardens of Suzhou" on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and praised as one of China's four famous gardens.
The Central Garden is the oldest part, and it has buildings around a pond. The Eastern Garden has the miniature mountain called Shi Ping Peak tha tis modeled after TianTai Mountain in Putao. The Garden also showcases demonstrations of two UNESCO Intangible World Heritages called Pingtan (評弹) and Guqin music.
 |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Hanshan Temple (寒山寺)
September 2016
The temple was first built between the years 502-519. It was named after Han Shan, a Tang-dynasty monk who lived there.
The temple has been immortalized by the famous poem Anchorage by the Maple Bridge written by the prominent Tang Dynasty poet, Zhangji. Zhang's poem reads “The moon is down, the raven calls, the cold frost fills the sky; Off near the Gusu Town( Suzhou) as midnight passes by. The chiming of a temple bell comes to my boat tonight". Visitors can still see the Maple Bridge and the stone inscription of the poem.” - 月落烏啼霜滿天，江楓漁火對愁眠。姑蘇城外寒山寺，夜半鐘聲到客船。
Tiger Hill (虎丘)
September 2016
The hill is so named because it is said to look like a crouching tiger. Another legend states that a white tiger appeared on the hill to guard it following the burial of King Helü.
Attractions in the Tiger Hill include Sword Testing Rock (試劍石), Spring of Simplicity and Honesty (憨憨泉), Yunyan Pagoda (虎丘塔), Sword Pond (劍池), Thousand People Rock (千人石).
Suzhou River (蘇州河)
September 2016
If you go to Suzhou, this is a must visit place. Beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and classical gardens line the canals, where you will be able to see if you take a boat ride alongside the Suzhou River. Of course, you will also be able to see ruined residential houses where people are still living in nowadays. A river sightseeing trip where you will be able to pick up a lot of history and culture around Suzhou.
The boat ride lasts for about 60 min and on board is a lady with PeiPa, who is your tour guide, telling you stories and histories alongside the river, as well as playing beautiful PeiPa music to the tourists.
Palace of the Loyal King (太平天國忠王府 )
September 2016
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Zhongzheng Fu is located in the northeast street of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, adjacent to Humble Administrator's Garden and is the palace of Li Xiucheng, the loyalist king of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the Qing Dynasty.
It was the most intact building survived by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and was also preserved in Chinese history . Definitely a memorable historical site worth visiting to understand the history of late Qing Dynasty.
