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Suzhou, Hangzhou, Zhouzhuang Tour & Day Trips
Suzhou is located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province, owns a beautiful landscape known as ''Heaven on the Earth''. Since ancient years, this city has been benefited from its favorable geographical location. The Grand Canal of Sui Dynasty (581-618), which flows from Beijing to Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, has irrigated Suzhou, aiding its illustrious culture and turning it into a civilized and prosperous land.
Suzhou is built by He Lv, the King of Wu, in 541 B.C. during the Spring and Autumn Dynesty, the 2,500-year-old Suzhou is cradle of Wu culture. The 8,483-square-km city proper abounds with historical and cultural legacy. It has been chosen as one of China's 24 historical and cultural cities and one of the four tourist cities with top environmental protection (the other three are Beijing, Hangzhou and Guilin).
Suzhou is a key silk production center in China and its embroidery is one of the country's four major schools. Its allure also lies in its performing arts including folk songs of Wu, Kunqu Opera, and storytelling, as well as stelle carving, calligraphy and paintings. One of the four renowned gardens in Suzhou, Liuyuan, or Lingering Garden, was first built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)and was rebuilt by a Qing official. Its Taihu Lake rocks boost its reputation both at home and abroad.
The core of the two-hectare garden is a pond, with hills to the northwest and buildings to the southeast responsible for a good many of the contrasting effects. The eastern section features mainly halls and courtyards. The imposing Wufengxian (Five-Peak immortals)Hall is the largest hall of all the Suzhou gardens. The western section is dotted with vegetation whereas the northern section is reminiscent of a peaceful countryside. An exemplary work of classic gardens in southern China and one of four famous gardens in Suzhou, it was built in 1509. Wangxianchen gave his garden this name, meaning humble Administrator's Garden, because it was built after he was dismissed from the imperial court.
The design makes good use of the natural terrain. This five-hectare garden is centred on a pond and includes pine forests, hills, bamboo groves and meandering streams.The yuanxiang (Distant Fragrance) Hall in the middle section is surrounded by numerous scenic interests, such as ponds, rocks and pavilions. Looking through the hall windows,the beautiful things unroll before your eyes just like a Chinese landscape painting.
