Day 10
– Tues. Jan. 7: Today we took a day tour to Suzhou with a group of about a dozen people. It was very enjoyable. Although the weather was cool and drizzling,
we managed to avoid any major rain. It took a little over 2 hours each way to
get from Hangzhou to Suzhou; the bus picked us up around 7:00 am and dropped us
off again around 7:00 pm.
Ten of Suzhou’s classical gardens are still in a good state of preservation, and four of them are UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites. The classical Chinese garden comprises two parts: a residential section and a garden, which seeks to create a picturesque natural environment on a miniature scale and often reflect the Buddhist, Taoist, or Confucian philosophies of their creators. The classical gardens of Suzhou are considered the cultural and artistic essence of folk architecture in China, and thus the reason Suzhou is often referred to as “Paradise on Earth.”
Ten of Suzhou’s classical gardens are still in a good state of preservation, and four of them are UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites. The classical Chinese garden comprises two parts: a residential section and a garden, which seeks to create a picturesque natural environment on a miniature scale and often reflect the Buddhist, Taoist, or Confucian philosophies of their creators. The classical gardens of Suzhou are considered the cultural and artistic essence of folk architecture in China, and thus the reason Suzhou is often referred to as “Paradise on Earth.”
The
first stop was Panmen Scenic Area Park. The seven-story Rui Guang (Auspicious
Light) Pagoda was originally built by Sun Quan, the King of Wu, in 247 (The Three Kingdoms Period) to commemorate his mother. Damaged and rebuilt
several times over the ages, the present structure most likely dates to around
1125 (Song Dynasty). The Pan Men Gate was originally built under the Wu
Kingdom of the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC) and is the only
surviving of 8 gates which, together with a city wall and surrounding canal,
served to protect the city. The
brainstorm of Premier Wu Zixu, the double water city gate was a pioneering work
in architectural history. Wu Zixu
created the protective wall surrounding the area, which was fortified by
massive wooden gates that could be protected from fire by dropping water
through holes in the wall above the gates. The double gates also created an
entrapment pit for invaders who could be attacked by archers from above. The
city tower above the gate was built in 1986 to mark the 2,500-year anniversary
of the city. We visited Wu Zixu’s Memorial Temple adjacent to the gate before
walking outside the gate to see Wumen Bridge, the highest ancient bridge in
Suzhou. Built in 1084, it’s single arch spans the canal at a height of 11
meters and a length of 66.3 meters.
Pan Men Wall, Gate & Tower
Pan Men Gate Wheel
Wumen Bridge
After
visiting Panmen, we took a boat ride along the Grand Canal and a smaller canal
that offered a unique view of the old city, which Marco Polo referred to as the
Venice of the East.
Cruise along the Suzhou Canals
Cruise along the Suzhou Canals
Cruise along the Suzhou Canals
Cruise along the Suzhou Canals
After
the canal cruise, we visited Hanshan (Cold Mountain) Temple, an important
Buddhist shrine originally built during the Liang Dynasty (502-557). The temple
was made famous by the poem A Night
Mooring near Maple Bridge by Zhang Li, a poet of the Tang Dynasty
(618-907). The poem describes the midnight bell rings of Hanshan Temple. The temple commemorates Han Shan and Shede,
famous monks who are believed to bring harmony and peace to couples, families,
and the world. The temple was rebuilt in the 19th century after
being destroyed in the Taipei Rebellion and now presents the style of the
architectural style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It remains one of the most
important Buddhist temples in China.
Hanshan Temple
Puming Pagoda
After
a lunch break at a local restaurant, our next stop was the Lion Forest Garden
(Shizilin Yuan). Built in 1342 by a group of Zen Buddhists, it is the only
surviving garden of the Late Yuan Dynasty.
The garden, also known as the Kingdom of Rockeries, is famous for its
labyrinth of man-made limestone mountains, winding pathways, and caverns. It
also has a stone boat modeled on the one found at the Summer Palace outside of
Beijing. Once attached to a monastery, it is reported that architect and
designer I.M. Pei formerly tended the garden.
Hall of Peace and Happiness - Lion Forest Garden
Nine Lions Peak - Lion Forest Garden
Stone Boat - Lion Forest Garden
Our
final stop of the day was the North Pagoda Garden (Beita) or Bao’en (Thanksgiving)
Temple, which is the oldest temple in Suzhou and also home to the largest
Buddhist monastery there. Like Panmen’s Ruiguang Pagoda, the North Pagoda was
also reportedly built during the Three Kingdoms Period (238 – 251) by Sun
Quan. The entire city of Suzhou can be view from the top of the pagoda. According to one of the monks there who told my fortune, I am very kind-hearted and have a special connection to the Buddha. Just saying.
Bao'en Temple Pagoda
Feng
shui played an important role in the design of all of the gardens and temples
that we visited today, and the location of the city is reported to have
excellent feng shui properties. Everyone on the tour seemed very friendly
and it was a very enjoyable day. We
could have easily spent another day enjoying more of the city. In fact, our
guide said it would take an entire month to see all of the beautiful sites that
the city has to offer.
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