Places of Interest

"Up in heaven, there is a paradise; down on earth, there is Suzhou."

Suzhou has been a famous historical and cultural city in China, an ideal place where many officials and scholars in times past purchased and planned their garden-residences as retreats for their retirement years.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Suzhou saw a period of feudal economic prosperity and cultural flowering. Consequently, the number of privately-owned gardens in the city of Suzhou and its environs increased a great deal and now amounts to over 280. A galaxy of great masters emerged and the art of landscaping and gardening reached its apogee.

To date, many are still well-kept and are open to the public. The Humble Administrator's Garden and the Lingering Garden, noted for their artistic perfection and individual characteristics, are known as China's four most famous gardens along with the Summer Palace in Beijing and the Imperial Mountain Resort in Chengde.

A Suzhou garden in its origins - "urban scenery" is a microcosm of the world made up of the basic elements of water, rocks, plants and buildings. They are arranged in such a way that they reflect the sequential beauty in the garden - reflecting as well, the passage of time, the dissimilarities between mornings and evenings, and the succession of seasons - all within the boundaries of the walls.

Ancient Chinese garden builders were all highly educated, good at verse and painting, well accomplished in literature and Chinese calligraphy and painting. Indeed the classical gardens of Suzhou are the places where people can cultivate their minds and take great pleasure in studying Chinese aesthetics. On a garden walk, there are countless different experiences - garden courts in succession, small bridges, murmuring brooks, whitewashed walls, gray roof-tiles and more. It is impossible to explore and learn about them all.

"With mountain chains and rivers ahead, you might think that there's no way through. Why, shady willows and brilliant flowers keep one more village out of sight." In a word, there's an enchanting impression as mesmerising as infinity itself.