The Classical Gardens of Suzhou

Suzhou is one of the famous historical and culture city in China. The construction of private gardens in Suzhou started during the 6th centry B.C. and was in vogue during the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644). By the end of the Qing Dynasty(1644-1911), there were more than 170 gardens in the city and its suburbs. Hence Suzhou is known as the "garden city". The city has still a dozen gardens. The famous gardens are the Surging Waves Pavilion, Lion Grove, Humble Administrator's Garden, Lingering Garden, West Garden, Fisherman's Garden and Pleasure Garden and etc. The Suzhou gardens were all private gardens, taking up very small spaces. But conceived in traditional Chinese painting of landscape and flowers and birds, inspired by the Tang and Song poetry, the gardens have involved a great variety of artistic and imaginative techniques to exquisitely put artificial hills, trees, pavilions, towers, platforms, lakes and bridges into a small area to achieve the predominance of spontaneous scenes which vary from garden to garden, and to create an artistic effect of viewing big scenes in a small garden. Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuozhengyuan) is known as the "Best of the Famous Gardensin Southeast China". The gardens built in different times of Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasty all demonstrate unique features of their own in the representation of nature, history, culture and art.

Tongli

Tongli is another charming and historic water town outside Suzhou. It's located fairly close to Zhouzhuang, making it easy to visit both in a day - although they have many similar features, each has its own distinct personality, and many tourists feel that seeing them gives a new perspective on what makes each place so special. Canals run between the two towns, and you can experience a true taste of the old riverside lifestyle by traveling between them by boat! Tongli has a rich historic atmosphere - most of its buildings are still traditional one and two story houses and shops with white walls and black tile roofs, and the local government has recently begun remodeling the few modern buildings so they too match the historic atmosphere. Tongli has a very different mood from it neighbors, however - instead of the tight alleys dense feeling of Zhouzhuang or Luzhi, the canals of Tongli are lined by wide cobblestone sidewalks. Trees grow along the embankments, and the wider walkways are great for a pleasant stroll or whiling away the hours at a sidewalk teahouse. One of the Suzhou region's finest gardens is hidden amongst the alley and canals of Tongli. Behind a small and unassuming doorway (to avoid the attention of bandits) lies the UNESCO recognized Tuisi Yuan, a true masterpiece among Jiangsu gardens. The name of the garden is means "to retire and contemplate" - the owner of the garden, Ren Langshen, was a government official who was forced out of office by his rivals, and planned to retire to the calm of the garden and consider his life. Past the standard reception lies the calm and beautiful Wanxiang Hall, a courtyard two verandahs on two stories. The floor is tiled with small stones in a repeating pattern, except where several strangely shaped rocks rise from the pavement to make the base for a cluster of small trees and stalks of bamboo. The upper verandahs were reserved for the unmarried young women of the family and their guests - Confucian propriety dictated that they could not mix with adults from outside the family, but from behind the carved balustrades they could watch the comings and goings of the mansion. Their chambers also look out over the centerpiece of the garden - the pond and the buildings that surround it. The area around the pond is truly beautiful - although it is not as large as some of the other Suzhou style gardens, every piece is perfectly places. Waterside terraces, a rockery topped with a small pavilion, bridges between the sections of the surrounding buildings, and trees and clumps of bamboo are all set up to make a magnificent hall. Every place on the pond offers and beautiful and unique vista.

The Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan)

The Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan) is considered the greatest of all southern Chinese gardens. During the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521), the site was occupied by Dahong Temple. At that time, a censor named Wang Xianchen appropriated the temple and converted it into a private villa, but the Wang family could not maintain the garden and sold it a few years later. In the coming centuries the garden repeatedly changed hands and was reconstructed many times, so the garden we see today is far removed from the one enjoyed by Wang Xianchen. Today's garden consists of three parts; the central part which is properly called Zhuozheng Yuan, the eastern part once called Guitianyuanju (Dwelling Upon Return to the Countryside), and a western part formally called the Supplementary Garden. The entire site was once a piece of level swampy land. When the garden was first constructed, the earth was scooped to make lakes and piled up to make islands. The original garden was simpler than the one today but just as large, containing a variety of pavilions and trees, as evidenced in such sources as the Records of the Wang’s Zhuozheng Yuan and the "Painting of Zhouzheng Yuan." Despite its beauty, the garden fared badly in the later Ming dynasty. The eastern portion was parceled off while western and central halves became the villas of government officials. Neglect continued until the reigns of Emperor Shunhi and Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, when the garden was extensively repaired. The changes in the Kangxi period were particularly great, modifying whole portions of the plan.

Hanshan Temple ( Cold Mountain Temple )

Have you ever heard of the poem A Night Mooring near Maple Bridge written by Zhang Ji, a poet of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)? In this poem, Zhang described the midnight bell rings of the Hanshan Temple (Cold Mountain Temple). Since then, the temple has become famous, especially for its bell rings and Buddhism culture. Cold Mountain Temple, also called Hanshan Si in Pinyin, is situated five kilometers (about three miles) from Fengqiao Old Town in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. It is said that in the Tang Dynasty, a famous monk Han Shan came to take charge of the temple, hence its name. Building originally commenced during the Liang Dynasty (502-557), and was repaired again in the following dynasties. Now, covering an area of about 10,600 square meters (about three acres), it presents the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It includes the Grand Prayer Hall, Sutra-Collection Building, Bell Tower, Fengjiang Pavilion and Tablets Corridor, etc. In 1995, a five-storey Buddhism pagoda as high as 42 meters (about 138 feet) was erected called Puming Pagoda, which then became the symbolic building of the temple. There are many more historical relics in the temple, such as the statue of Han Shan, the stone tablet inscription of the poem A Night Mooring near Maple Bridge and some other tablet inscriptions written by famous intellectuals of ancient China. Being one of the most famous temples in Chinese history, Hanshan Temple often boasts about its bell rings. However, the best known bell described in Zhang Ji's poem disappeared a long time ago. The bell in the tower now, was modeled on the previous one in 1904. Every year on New Year's Eve in China's lunar calendar, the bell is tolled to pray for the happiness and safety of the coming New Year. This festival attracts thousands of tourists both at home and abroad. Cold Mountain Temple is also a Buddhism temple. The statue of the Buddhist patriarch Sakyamuni is there for people to make offerings to in the Grand Prayer Hall. In the Hongfa Hall, there are bronze statues of three eminent monks: Xuan Zang (a Tang Dynasty monk and translator), Jian Zhen (a Tang Dynasty monk who once went to preach Buddhism in Japan) and Kong Hai. Kong Hai was a Japanese monk who studied Buddhism in China in the ninth century. He once visited Hanshan Temple when he stayed in China and after he returned to Japan, he started to preach Buddhism in his country. Until now, Hanshan Temple is still one of the most important places to hold Buddhism activities. Around the Cold Mountain Temple, you can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Maple Bridge, where Zhang Ji's boat was once moored, and get a realistic feel of the ordinary life of the people living in the Fengqiao Old Town. You can also have a look at the famous Jinghang Canal, which is the longest ancient man-made canal in the world.

The Lingering Garden

In the 21th year of the reign of Wanli (1593 A.D.), Xu Taishi (1540 A.D.-1598 A.D.) carrying the ministerial title of Tai Pu Si Shao Qing, built his garden-house called the East Garden. According to what the famous literary man Yuan Hongdao (1568 A.D. - 1610 A.D.) said in his A Record of Gardens, "The East Garden has magnificent multi-storeyed front houses and rear halls, and a range of awe-inspiring stone mountains built by the well-known master Zhou Bingzhong, resembling a long scroll of landscape painting."

The Huqiu

Celebrated in poems and a favorite sight of emperors, the Tiger Hill in the north of Suzhou remains just as captivating today, with a rich historical atmosphere, an ancient leaning pagoda, and centuries old relics in a beautiful natural setting. While the sights and atmosphere of the hill alone make it worth visiting, behind each carved column and calligraphy-graced wall lies a fascinating legend. To make this side of the hill's history accessible to foreign visitors, the park has organized an inexpensive audio guide service to introduce these fascinating stories and legendary figures. The sights of the park are concentrated on one slope and the crest of the hill, making a visit convenient. One you pass through the entrance archways, along a path set into the rock of hill lie historic villas that once housed the tourists of centuries before, the tomb of a virtuous courtesan, and other small sights (all brought to life by the audio guide!) Part way up the hill, the path suddenly opens into a large clearing covered in flat sheets of rock. Looking up, above the steep slopes of the hill looms the massive, ancient pagoda, its skewed angle and tilt clear to see. The rocks walls of the valley are decorated with ancient calligraphy and gnarled hanging vines, and centuries old columns and shrines hide along its edges. A narrow passageway leads out from the valley into a deep ravine, at the bottom of which is pool of water, mysteriously sloping downward, its bottom unclear in the dark water. This is supposedly the tomb of King Helu, who founded Suzhou over 2,500 years ago. He wanted his tomb to remain undisturbed, so he built it in the heart of the hill and diverted a stream to create the pool which covers it. Archaeologists are unable to excavate it for fear that digging would cause the pagoda above to collapse. Even aside from the legend, the ravine is a very atmospheric place - the tip of the pagoda is visible above, while the small trees and vines cling to cracks in its high, sheer stone walls. A narrow path leads up to the pagoda above, crossing over a narrow stone bridge over the ravine.

Lion Grove Garden

Compactly yet harmoniously spaced, the Lion Forest Garden has a prominent part for series of man-made mountains with various buildings around the lake, and an artificial waterfall and cliffs at the edge of the lake on the west. Remains of the 14th century man-made mountains, covering 1,152 sq.m. and being the largest of all at Suzhou, can be still seen today. Noted for its labyrinthine mountains with winding pathways and caverns, old pines and cypress trees, awesome peaks and jogged rocks of grotesque shapes resembling dancing lions with striking and unusual poses, it possesses with pride the true delights of mountain and forest scenery in limited space with a flavor of Zen Buddhism. The Hall of Peace and Happiness, one of the principal buildings in the garden, is a masterpiece of typical Mandarin ducks' hall at Suzhou. Divided in halves, the northern half of the hall differs from the southern half in many particular aspects, such as beam-framing systems, furnishings, pavements, carvings, window designs and so forth. With painted patterns and beam carvings and looking splendid in green and gold, the True Delight Pavilion in the royal style with the "True Delight" tablet inscribed by the Qing Emperor Qianlong is a main viewing place in the garden and differs from the other plain and elegant gardens of Suzhou. Other buildings include the Pointing at Cypress Trees Hall, the Asking Prunus Mume Pavilion and the Stone Boat, etc. The Lion Forest Garden boasts 22 buildings of varied types, 25 tablets and plateaux, 71 steles inscribed with the famous Calligraphy Collection of the Listening to Rain Tower, 23 brick carvings, 5 carved wooden screens, and 13 valuable old trees such as ginkgo biloba L., pinus bungeana Zucc, etc., which fall into 5 catalogues. A group of Zen Buddhist disciples of the famous Abbot Tianru had it built in the 2nd year of the reign of Zhizheng (A.D. 1342) under the Yuan Dynasty. It was then called "the Budhi Orthodox Monastery". Because there was s forest of bamboo, grotesque rocks resembling lions in the garden, and indirect reference to a Buddhist story of the Lion, it was renamed the Lion Forest Garden. Soon after its birth, the garden became a popular place for scholars at Suzhou, who came here to write poems and paint pictures. The well-known Yuan artist Ni Yunlin painted a scroll of the Lion Forest Garden. In the reign of Kangxi (the 17th century), the garden was separated from the temple. The Qing Emperor Qianlong (Hongli) visited it several times. The garden had changed hands a number of times. In 1918 it was purchased and repaired by Pei (now spelled "Bei" in China), an industrialist, becoming the garden one visits today. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Peis donated it to the State. Since 1954, the Lion Forest Garden has been open to the public.

Garden of the Master of the Nets

Sometimes the smallest package can contain the most magnificent gift. The Garden of the Master of the Nets is a clear example of this. It is the smallest of the Suzhou residential gardens, yet it is the most impressive because of its use of space which creates the illusion of an area that is much greater than its actual size. Even more than the architectural achievement is the mood of tranquility and harmony that this humble garden embodies. This exquisite garden was first designed during the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) as part of a residence that was used until the Taiping Rebellion in the 1860's. It was later restored and became the residence of a government official from whom the garden got its name. It is said that in a moment of frustration with bureaucracy he declared that he would rather be a fisherman than a bureaucrat. The garden is divided into three sections: a residential section, the central main garden and an inner garden. The main garden has a large pond that is surrounded by pathways and a variety of buildings such as the Ribbon Washing Pavillion, and the Pavillion for the advent of the Moon and Wind. There are many more buildings that are situated so that there is never a sense of crowding, but always of spaciousness. As is common in Suzhou gardens, the pond has a small pavilion in it. Here the pavilion is accessible by a bridge that is less than one foot wide. As you walk about the gardens and along the walkways, there are often views through windows onto beautiful flowers or plants framing them from a distance and drawing you to a single sight, a moment of peaceful natural beauty. As you walk through the buildings, it is easy to imagine the life that the original residents lived in a feudal society where these gardens were solely for their pleasure and the pleasure of their guests. The various buildings are constructed so that you can always access the main garden from any room. The rooms themselves are quite impressive in design and ornamentation and well represent the style of the Song Dynasty. The inner garden which is only about 660 square feet, has the distinction of being used as the model for the Ming Hall Garden at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and also completely miniaturized for an exhibit in the Pompidou Center in Paris in 1982. This garden is reputed to be the most well-preserved garden in Suzhou and should not be missed. It is small in size, but is like a beautifully cut diamond whose beauty is of never ending fascination and pleasure.

Suzhou Panmen Scenery Area

Lying to the southwest of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, Panmen Scenery Area was built on the base of some historic sites by using the architectural structure of classical gardens. It is famous for its numerous historic relics and abundant human landscapes and has been listed as the National AAAA Tourist Area. Now, Panmen Scenery Area has become a tourist resort showing the unique historic and cultural features of Suzhou. The scenery area which is centered on Panmen City Gate consists of many scenic spots. Amongst them, Ruiguang Pagoda, Panmen City Gate and Wumen Bridge are praised as 'three fine sceneries'. Ruiguang Pagoda Standing at the entrance of the scenery area, Ruiguang Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Suzhou. It is as high as 53.57 meters (175.6 feet) and was built in masonry-timber structure with eight sides and seven floors. It is said that the pagoda was built by Sun Quan (a famous king who established the Wu Kingdom in Three Kingdoms Period (220-280)) in 247 to show his respect to his mother. Unfortunately, in the next thousand years, the pagoda has been damaged badly in the wars, leaving only the brick body of it. In 1978, a little pagoda with Sheli (Buddhist shrine) was found on the third floor of Ruiguang Pagoda and some other cultural relics were also found there, such as Miaofalianhua Scripture written on green paper and bronze Buddhist Statue. Panmen City Gate As the center of the scenery area, Panmen City Gate was first built during the Wu Kingdom of Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC) and it is the only well preserved water-and-land city gate in the world now. It consists of the land city gate, the water city gate, the city gate tower, the Weng City and the city wall on both sides. It was a place with utmost importance for the army in ancient times. The double water city gate is a pioneering work in architectural history. There is a sluice on the gate which can be closed and open by a stone gate at any time to control the water as well as resist aggression. Upon the gate, there is a city tower. It was damaged many times in wars and the extant Panmen City Gate Tower was built in 1986 to commemorate the 2,500-year-anniversary of the establishment of Suzhou. There are many ancient weapons on display on the first floor of the tower. And the city wall is 300 meters long and 5 meters high. Walking along the slope on the north of the city wall, you can see the whole arrangement of Panmen City Gate. Wumen Bridge Not far from Panmen City Gate, visitors can see Wumen Bridge. It was built in 1084 and is the highest ancient bridge in Suzhou now. The bridge is 11 meters (12 yards) high and 66.3 meters (72.5 yards) long. It is recorded that it was made up of three bridges originally and has been repaired many times in history. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it was rebuilt into a single arched stone bridge. There are 50 steps on both sides of the bridge separately. Standing on the bridge, you can see not only the boats coming and going frequently over the river but also the high pagoda and the fine sceneries in a distance. Except for the three fine sceneries, there are many other scenic spots to see around here, such as Premier Wu Zixu's Memorial Temple, Hall of Sirui, Double-Pavilion Corridor Bridge and Century Bell of Tang. After admiring the scenic spots, you will be satisfied with the traditional Chinese activities, including bell tolling, boating and acrobatics. Moreover, the traditional wedding show is also enjoyable.

Canglang Ting

The oldest of Suzhou's classical gardens, the Pavilion of Calm Waves (Canglang Ting) has perhaps the most natural mood. It incorporates a nearby canal, a small wooded hill, and a meandering, almost maze-like arrangement of walkways, groves, and walls to create a feeling of great size, natural calm, and unexpected surprises. The garden lies next to one of Suzhou's canals, and alongside the garden it widens into a small pond (the "calm waves" of the garden's name). You enter the garden by crossing a bridge over the canal and passing through its main gate, where a side door leads to one of the garden's highlights, its double-sided waterside walkway. The wall separating the garden from the pond has walkways on both sides, and its walls are pierced by many windows, each with unique lattice patterns. Walking along the water side you can glimpse a changing panorama of the garden inside through the windows, while from inside the garden you can see the calm waters outside. The windows of the walkway show another of the garden's highlights - its amazing array of different shaped windows and their distinctive latticework. Each one of the garden's several hundred windows are unique in design and decoration. The square framed windows are decorated with elegant latticework in abstract geometric designs or patterns evoking the foliage of plants and flowers, while other windows are more exotically shaped like leaves, flowers, crescents, and even chili peppers! The windows are placed to create interesting panoramas over the garden, hint at areas still to be seen, and add charm and interest. Another special characteristic of the garden is its feeling of great size. Although not that much larger than many other classical gardens, the Canglang Ting is laid out to create the feeling of exploring a large natural area in the heart of the city. Just inside the main gate is a long, low hill covered with small trees, with a path along its crest dotted with tall and strangely shaped rocks. Climbing over the hill and is meant to evoke climbing mountains, and provides glimpses of the other sections of the garden. Unlike some other gardens which are laid out in a clear and orderly fashion, the pavilions and passages in the rear of the garden are meandering and even slightly confusing. Moving through them, a narrow walkway suddenly opens into a thick grove of bamboo, and from there a small side door might lead into an artificial cave, while the door next to it might double back to an elegantly decorated courtyard. Wandering through the green and quiet back sections of the garden yields all sort of unexpected surprises - even though the actual garden is fairly small, even after exploring for an hour there are still some quiet halls or tiny courtyards still undiscovered!

West Garden Temple

West Garden Temple (Xiyuan Temple) covering an area of 10 mu (about 1.6 acres) in Suzhou was constructed in the Yuan Dynasty and features sacred temples and classical gardens. It is generally called of Jiezhuanglv (commandment as its banner) Temple and Fangsheng (free captive animals) Pond in the west garden. West Garden Temple is the largest temple in Suzhou City. It blends garden art and temple art. In the temple you can see the ancient trees flourish, the temple houses layer upon layer, the bending river, the green grass, hear the birds singing and smell the fragrant flowers. What a splendid spectacle it is! Now let's come to the scenic spots located on the middle axis line of West Garden Temple. From south to north along the line are Arches (Paifang) of three rooms, Mountain Gate, Jingang (diamond) Temple, Fangsheng Pond, Daxiong (grand) Palace, and Sutra Collection Pavilion. When you come out of the Jingang Temple, you can find Arhat Temple on your left and Kwan-yin Temple on your right. The Arhat Temple was constructed at the end of Ming Dynasty where there are five hundred arhats of different names, different facial expressions, and who maintain the characteristics of a round face and plump body. They are all seated with clothes of good texture. These five hundred arhats were carved and painted with special care by the skillful craftsman in the southern area of China. Viewing the whole you will find they are of different ages from old to young, and of different personalities from lionhearted to kindhearted. But these characteristic arhats all have one thing in common: they are regarded as the symbol of power and luck by everyone in all walks of life containing the deep connotation of Chinese Buddhism and Chinese Culture. The whole architecture represents the consummate craft of sculpture from the southern area of China, which belonged to the first-rate sculpture of Arhat in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is architecture unique to the West Garden Temple. In the center of the Arhat Temple there is a sculpture of Kwan-yin 13 meters (about 43 feet) high carved by fragrant camphor timber, which has thousands of eyes and hands. The main focus in the temple must be a peculiar figure of Buddha beside the Kwan-yin who has four faces said to represent the four famous mountains of Buddhism: Mt. Jiuhuashan in Anhui, Mt. Emeishan in Sichuan, Mt. Putuoshan in Zhejiang and Mt. Wutaishan in Shanxi. In addition, inside the Arhat Temple there are two well-known sculptures called 'Mad Monk' and 'Jigong Monk' whose words and deeds are also praised by people though they are not the traditional arhats and hence got the name of the 'Live Arhats'. The Arhat Temple with five hundred arhats is the only one in southeastern littoral area. Next let's go to West Garden to visit Fangsheng Pond. In the center of the pond there is an octagonal pavilion standing erect in the water with mansions, flowers and trees around it, and a bending bridge bestriding across the water to create a kind of neat and artful landscape. Fish swim freely and several rare tortoises are well kept in the water. It is said that these tortoises are the offspring of the tortoise from the Ming Dynasty and that they are more than three hundred years old. There are many varieties of fish and turtles in Fangsheng Pond. The name is derived from the Buddhist habit of freeing captive animals. Since People's Republic of China was found, West Garden Temple has been expanded several times with governmental financial support and Buddhists' donations. Now it has refurbished the former styles and features and many new scenic spots have been added to live up to its fame 'The Holy Land of Buddhist Altar'.

Xuanmiao Taoist Temple (Temple of Mystery)

Xuanmiao Taoist Temple (Temple of Mystery) is located on the Guanqian Street in Suzhou. Built in 276 AD, this temple has been renovated many times due to damage sustained during the wars of past dynasties. Originally, the temple was called Zhenqing Taoist Temple. It was renamed Xuanmiao Taoist Temple during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It is one of the most renowned tourist attractions in Suzhou as well as a key cultural relic under state protection. Arriving at the Xuanmiao Taoist Temple, tourists first see Zheng Shan Men (a wooden structured temple). Facing south, it has two side gates: the Western Gate and the Eastern Gate. Some Chinese characters are inscribed on the front and back sides of the plaques hanging on the gates. Zheng Shan Men was originally built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and was rebuilt in 1775. Inside it stand six statues of Taoist Gods including four marshals and two generals. On the right side of the temple stands a tablet which commemorates the restoration of the Temple of Mystery. Covering an area of about 1,100 square meters (1,316 square yards), the San Qing Dian (Pure Trinity Hall) is the main hall of this temple. Built during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), this hall features wood construction. Standing in front of the hall, tourists will find a plaque hung overhead with the three Chinese characters 'San' 'Qing' and 'Dian' written on it. Entering the hall, visitors can see another large plaque hung on the crossbeam with the four Chinese characters 'Tai', 'Chu', 'Chan' and 'Jiao' written by Qianlong (1711-1799), a famous emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In the hall stand statues of the trinity San Qing (three Pure Gods) for people to worship. In the middle is Yu Qing (Jade Pure). On either side of Yu Qing stand Shang Qing (Upper Pure) and Tai Qing (Great Pure). The three statues are gold-gilded clay sculptures, each with a height of about 7 meters (23 feet). They look solemn and imposing as if they were still alive. On the left of the three statues stands a special tablet. An epigraph of Li Longji and the figure of Lao-tzu are both engraved on the tablet. Li (685-762) was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Lao-tzu was the founder of Taoism as well as a great thinker during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC). The figure was drawn by Wu Daozi (680-759), a very famous painter from the Tang Dynasty. Looking up at the ceilings of the San Qing Dian, tourists will be delighted by the colorful patterns of clouds, deer, cranes, and the eight immortals. Also in the hall stand about forty huge vermilion pillars. The bottoms of the pillars are designed in the shape of basins. About one hundred and eighty Taoist Deities are carved on the thirty octagonal pillars standing outside San Qing Dian. The railings in front of the San Qing Dian are constructed from engraved lotus columns and relief stones. They blend harmoniously with the hall. Other halls including the Caishen Hall (Hall of the God of Wealth) and the Wenchang Hall are also worth visiting. In the Caishen Hall stand three Gods of Wealth: Bi Gan, Zhao Gongming and Guan Yu. In the Wenchang Hall stands a statue of Zitong Dijun who determines people's official careers. On each side of him are statues of Confucius and Zhu Xi. Confucius (551 BC-479 BC) was a great thinker and educator during the Spring and Autumn Period as well as the founder of Confucianism. Zhu Xi (1130-1200) was a famous philosopher and teacher during the Song Dynasty.

Suzhou Silk Museum

Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province, is not only a famous cultural city and a city of gardens, but also the silk capital of China. During the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, it was the silk producing center; in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties most of the high-grade silk produced for the royal families was made by Suzhou silk weavers. The Suzhou Silk Museum is located in this famous city, which people call 'Paradise on Earth'. The entire museum design is dignified and elegant - yet unconventional - combining a sense of ancient civilization with modern style. The Suzhou Silk Museum is divided into several parts: the Introductory Hall, the Ancient Exhibit Hall, the Silkworm-Rearing Room, the Silk Weaving Workshop, the Neoteric (1840 - 1919) Exhibit Hall, and the Modern (1919 - 1949) Exhibit Hall. There are also retail stores for purchasing silk. The dominant color of Suzhou Silk Museum is white, which represents the purity of silk. Strolling through the gate of the museum, you can see a long and elegant wall running from south to north, crossing an east-to-west road symbolizing the Silk Road. The wall curves at the entrance, symbolizing the softness and elegance of the silk. In front of the wall, there are three tall sculptures made of white marble. The first shows a girl picking mulberry leaves (the silkworm's favorite food); the second, a girl washing the raw silk fabric; the third, a girl weaving. The three sculptures give the whole museum a dynamic beauty, imparting a sense of freshness to the style of both the construction and the decoration. A tower-shaped roof on the main building of the museum reminds people of the exotic flavor of the Silk Road. Entering the Introductory Hall, the glorious history of silk catches your eyes first. In the center of the hall there is a stone wall on which four Chinese characters are carved. The characters are modeled on the inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells of the Shang Dynasty (16th -11th century BC). These four characters give a summary of all the exhibits of the museum. On the left side of the hall, a huge stone fresco vividly describes the evolution and scientific achievements of silk development in ancient China. A statue of a beautiful woman stands close to this fresco. She is dressed in the ancient costume with a cocoon held in both of her hands. The expression in her eyes seems to tell people that she is thinking deeply. This is the legendary woman in Chinese history and fairytales: Lei Zu, wife of Huangdi , the first person who raised silkworms. On the right side of the wall, a group of large and vivid sculptures depict a camel caravan crossing a vast desert. It is reminiscent of the Silk Road, the road on which the earliest Eastern and Western exchanges took place. Looking up, countless milk-white transparent lights in cocoon-shape remind you of the world of ancient silkworm cultivation. In the Ancient Exhibit Hall, the exhibits present the long history of silk in the form of precious silk relics, models and pictures from its origin in the late period of the Neolithic Age to its production in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is not exaggerating to say that the exhibits in this hall are a concentrated history of Chinese silk in ancient times. Everyone knows that silk, silkworms, and the mulberry bush are closely related. The Silkworm-Rearing Room in the Suzhou Silk Museum replicates conditions during the late Qing dynasty. You will enjoy the relaxing feeling of a simpler time. Here you will see thousands of silkworms all eating their favorite food, mulberry leaves. It is a memorable experience that will stay in your mind forever.