Tour of Suzhou （苏州）and Zhouzhuang
（周庄）
Friday –
Sunday, 17 – 19 July
Departure
at
2 pm on Friday, 17 July
Itinerary:
Friday,
17 July
Departure
from Nanjing to Suzhou
Dinner
in Suzhou
Possible activity after dinner: Cruise the Grand Canal
The Grand Canal ranks
alongside the Great Wall of China as the country's greatest engineering
achievement and it is the longest man-made waterway in world. Cruising on the
Canal, you can see the local peoples' life.
Saturday,
18 July
Tour of
the Humble Administrator's Garden
China's gardens generally can be divided
into two kinds: the royal garden, represent by Summer Palace in Beijing and Mountain Resort of Chengde, and the private garden, represent by private
gardens in Suzhou.
Located in the northeastern part of Suzhou city, Humble
Administrator's Garden, with a total area of 51,950 square miles, is the
largest private gard
en in Suzhou, as well as one of
the four most famous classic gardens in China (the others are: Summer Palace,
Mountain Resort of Chengde and Garden for Lingering
In in Suzhou). Around 1513,
during the Ming Dynasty, the imperial inspector Wang Xianchen,
returned to Suzhou after retiring from public life and
built his garden. The name Humble Administrator's Garden was inspired by the
essay "To cultivate my garden and sell my vegetable crop is the policy of
humble man".
The garden is representative of Chinese classical gardens in the Ming Dynasty,
which are focused on a central pond with pavilions, terraces, chambers, and
towers located nearby. Humble Administrator's Garden is a typical example of
the art of horticulture south of Yangtze River as well as a treasure house containing arts of
architecture, calligraphy, carving, painting, and bonsai.
Lunch
Tour of Tiger Hill
A famous Song
Dynasty poet, Su Shi said, 'It is a lifelong pity if having visited
Suzhou you did not visit Tiger Hill.' This
epitomizes the general opinion of those who have seen this local beauty spot
with its many attractions that we shall endeavor to describe for you.
Tiger Hill, known also as Surging Sea Hill, is a large hillock covering
some14100 square meters (over three acres) and is 36 meters (118 feet) in
height. Climbing the hill, you will find a number of historical sites some of
which can be traced back over 2500 years to the founding of Suzhou. Although the hill is relatively
small it has rich history.
Tiger Hill Pagoda
The pagoda stands on the hill's
summit and is the Pagoda of the
Yunyan Temple. As the oldest pagoda in the
vicinity of Suzhou it has come to be a symbol of the
city and has the distinction of being China's Leaning Tower. Built during the Northern Song
Dynasty (959-961) it is a seven-storey octahedron after the style of the timber
pagodas built during the early Tang period. It is 48 meters high (158 feet) and
for the past four hundred years has leant 359' to the northwest.
Departure
for Zhouzhuang in the late afternoon
Dinner in Zhouzhuang
Sunday,
19 July
Tour Zhouzhuang
Lying at the middle point between
Shanghai and Suzhou, Zhouzhuang
is an ancient town of Kunshan City,
Jiangsu Province, which abounds with rivers and
lakes. It is thought by many to be the best water town in China. This ancient town has a history of
more than 900 years old dating back to the Song Dynasty (960-1275) with many
houses built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. There
are about 100 houses with courtyards, and 60 of them have arch gateways made by
carved bricks.
With lakes on four sides, the beauty of Zhouzhuang
is specially to be found along the waterside lanes and around a number of the
stone bridges. A different vista at every turn can be found here.
After lunch,
visit the Suzhou-Singapore Industrial Park and the ultra-modern art center in
the park
As China's modernization drive gained momentum in the late 1980s, many
Chinese delegations visited Singapore, a southeast Asian nation that achieved
economic miracle within 30 years of independence. The Chinese visitors were
eager to learn modern management methods, while Singapore was also planning
Economic Regionalization, which focused on overseas investment.
In 1992, the idea of developing a modern industrial township with Singapore
experience was broached. During his tour of southern China that year, China's
late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping said: "Singapore enjoys good social order
and is well managed. We should tap on their experience, and learn how to manage
better than them."
After rounds of discussions and site surveys, both governments decided to
join hands in developing a modern industrial park in the east of Suzhou. The
China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (CS-SIP) was thus born on Feb. 26, 1994
when Chinese Vice Premier Li Lanqing and Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew
signed the Agreement on the Joint Development of Suzhou Industrial Park in
Beijing.
Return
to Nanjing. Tour ends.
Profiles of
Suzhou and Zhouzhuang
Suzhou
Population:
5.71 million (urban population: 1.05 million)
General Information:
Suzhou is one of China's oldest continuously inhabited
towns and is, by Chinese criteria, among the country's most beautiful cities.
As is said in an ancient Chinese proverb, "In Heaven there is Paradise. On Earth,
Suzhou." The city's extensive network of
canals is still a vital link for local transportation, truly making
Suzhou the "Venice of the East."
Geography:
Suzhou is situated in the south of
Jiangsu Province, in the middle of the Yangtze
Delta; in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of
Taihu Lake, bordering on Shanghai in the east,
Zhejiang Province in the south ,
Taihu Lake in the west and the Yangtze River in the north.
Climate:
In the north edge of subtropical zone, monsoon maritime climate; mild and
humid; with enough sunshine
Restaurants:
Restaurants do an especially brisk business during the city's numerous food
festivals, the most popular ones coinciding with changes in season. One of the
most esteemed is the crab feast, which takes place in early autumn.
Suzhou Economy:
Until 1949, silk was the city's mainstay. There has been considerable
industrial diversification in the last 30 years, including metallurgy,
chemicals, machine tools, electronics, and precision instruments. The tradition
of craftsmanship has been nurtured and advanced under the modern rubric of
light industry, which includes jade and wood carving, sandalwood products, lacquerware, velvet, and tapestries.
History:
Historical records indicate that Suzhou was settled over 3,000 years ago.
In 518 BC it rose to prominence as the capital of the
Kingdom of Wu. At that time the city was said to
have "eight gates and eight water gates." It acquired its present name ? "plentiful water"
? in 589 AD, when work began on the Grand Canal. Marco Polo, who visited
Suzhou in the 13th century, found a
"noble city and great," with "quite six thousand bridges of
stone."
More important, it was a busy merchant town, renowned in China for its fine textiles in gold and
silk. The silk industry, still famous today, was developed as early as the Tang
Dynasty (618?906 AD). From the 15th century on, there
are repeated historical references to silk-workers' strikes, often violent. Yet
the people of Suzhou are regarded as graceful and
subtle, in part because of the mellifluous quality of the local Wu dialect. Accord-ing to a popular saying,
"Argument in Suzhou is more pleasing
than flattery in Guangzhou."
The city was held briefly by the Taipings in the 19th
century. Treated as an adjunct to Shanghai by the Western powers, it was made
a japanese concession at the
end of that century. Suzhou was occupied by the japanese during World War II, and
later held by the Guomindang until 1949.
Suzhou Tourism:
It is difficult to dispute the local claim that Suzhou has the most beautiful gardens in
all of China. Natural ponds and waterways have
been enhanced by more than 150 exquisite gardens that combine traditional
elements - pavilions, temples, and rock sculptures with distinctive
arrangements of trees and flowers. The aim has been to create as many
perspectives as possible within a confined space and to replicate in miniature
scenes from nature not found locally.
Shopping:
Handicraft fanciers will also enjoy Suzhou, which is known for its embroidery,
sandalwood fans, jade carvings, wrought gems, and, of course, silks. Selections
are available at the Friendship Store, across from the "Wonderful
Lookout" or at the department store, located on Ziyuanchang
just across the street from the Pleasure Garden. Both are within 4 km. (2.5 mi.) of
the above-mentioned hotels.
Other shops
of interest include the Antiques Store; the Renmin
Market; and the Arts and Crafts Shop.
Cuisine:
Suzhou has a well-earned reputation for
dining. The city's restaurants, usually small and simply furnished, have
traditionally attracted patrons from as far away as Nanjing and Shanghai. Regional seafood
specialties includes fish, shrimp, and crabs.
Local fishermen congregate at a small shallow lake 8 km. (5 mi.) northeast of
Suzhou. There, armed with bamboo traps,
they snare crabs as they emerge from the crevices where they have just laid
eggs. The resulting dish is called dazhaxie.
Suzhou is also known for its sweets. The
renowned Daoxiangcun Candy and Cake Store and Huangtianyuan Stuffed Dumpling Shop on Guanqian Street features saltwater pumpkinseed
candy, pine nut and sesame cakes, and dried and roasted nuts.
Suzhou Culture:
The city has a number of educational institutes, of which the National
Embroidery Institute is most notable. The quality of Suzhou embroidery perhaps rivals that of
any in the world today. Sukun opera and Pingtan drama both survive as reflections of the area's
distinct cultural heritage.
Zhouzhuang City:
General Information:
Zhouzhuang lies at the middle between
Shanghai and Suzhou, is an ancient town of
Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province, where abounds with rivers
and lakes. So it is thought by many to be the best waterside town in China.This ancient town has a history of more than 900
years old with many houses built in the Ming and Qing
Dynasties. There are about 100 houses with courtyards, and 60 of them have arch
gateways made by carved bricks.
With lakes on four sides, the beauty of Zhouzhuang is
specially to be found along the waterside lanes and around a number of the
stone bridges. A different vista at every turn can be found here. All those
make a visit most enjoyable. Also, one can enjoy the fairyland atmosphere of
the evenings here when the myriad stars twinkle as though in communication with
the glittering lights.
Zhouzhuang Tourism:
Zhouzhuang, one of the most famous water-towns in China, is situated in
Kunshan City, 30 km southeast of
Suzhou. It is noted for its profound
cultural background, well-preserved ancient residential houses, elegant waters
and traditional lifestyle with a strong local flavor.
In the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), Zhouzhuang was a part of the fief Yaocheng,
called Zhenfengli. Zhouzhuang
got its present name in 1086 during the Northern Song Dynasty, in the memory of
Zhou Digong, a very devout Buddhist, who donated this
piece of land to the Quanfu (Full Fortune)
Temple.
The town covers an area of 3600 hectares. Most of its residential houses, about
60 percent of the total, were built during the Ming and Qing
dynasties, during the period from 1368 to 1911.
Shuangqiao (Twin Bridges): As Zhouzhuang
is surrounded and at the same time divided by lakes and rivers, the 14 stone
bridges crossing the rivers form eye-catching views in town.
Twin Bridges, or the
Shide Bridge and
Yongan Bridge, in the northeast of the town, are
the most famous and have been considered as the symbol of Zhouzhuang.
The bridges were built during the Wanli reign
(1573-1619) of the Ming Dynasty. Shide Bridge lies east-west and has a round
arch, while Yongan Bridge goes north-south and has a square
arch. Joining each other after crossing the two rivers, Yinzi
Creek and Nabeishi River, respectively, the Twin Bridges
look like an old-fashioned Chinese key. In 1984, Chen Yifei,
a promising contemporary Chinese painter, exhibited 38 of his canvases in a
New York gallery owned by Armand Hammer,
chairman of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation. One of his works, Memory of
Hometown, which depicts the Twin Bridges, drew worldwide attention to Zhouzhuang. The painting was chosen as the design of the
first-day cover of the United Nations' postage stamps in 1985.
Fuanqiao Bridge: Located at the eastern end of
Zhongshi Street, Fuanqiao Bridge was built in 1355 during the Yuan
Dynasty. The unique trait of the bridge is the consummate combination of the
single-arch bridge and the bridge towers used as tearooms, restaurants and
stores, as well as a venue to appreciate the water views.
The Shen House: Located at the southeast side of
Fuanqiao Bridge, the Shen
House was Built in 1742 as a private property of the
descendants of Shen Wansan,
the first millionaire in the area south of the Yangtze River in the early Qing
Dynasty. The whole complex is of the Qing
architectural style. It occupies an area of more than 2,000 square meters and
has over 100 rooms divided in three sections. The first section includes the
water gate and wharf, where the Shens moored boats
and washed clothes. The middle section includes the gate tower, the tearoom and
the main hall. The bricks of the gate tower are carved with lively and
ingenious figures, which either tell historic stories or express good wishes.
The tearoom and main hall, where the owner met his guests, are very elegantly
furnished. The last section, which consists of several buildings in a different
style, is comfortably furnished. In Datang Tower, a colored sculpture of the
legendary Shen Wansan is
displayed, while precious cultural relics collected by the family are exhibited
in Xiaotang Tower and Back Hall.
The Zhang House: It was built by Xu family in the Zhengtong reign (1436 - 1449) of the Ming Dynasty and
bought by the Zhang family in the early Qing Dynasty.
Located to the south of the Twin Bridges, the Zhang House has more than 70
rooms in an area of about 1,800 square meters. The
Ruojing River winding through it makes the Zhang
House a dapper and graceful residential house with a tranquil courtyard, a pond
and various halls.
Milou Tower: Once called the Des' Tavern,
Milou Tower perches next to
Zhenfeng Bridge situated at the southwest corner of
Zhouzhuang. It is famous for being a rallying place
of the literati in old times. Numerous poems, songs and stories about
Milou Tower have been widely spread in the
country.
Chengxu Taoist Temple: Standing on Zhongshi Street, on the opposite of the
Puqing Bridge, Chengxu Taoist Temple, also known as Shengtang
Hall, was built during 1086-1093 of the Song Dynasty. After several expansions,
it became one of the most famous Taoist temples in the Yangtze River Delta. In
an area of 1,500 square meters, there are masterpiece Taoist architectures in
simple but majestic style, including the Shengdi and Doumu halls, and the pavilions of Yuhuang,
Wenchang and Shengdi.
Besides these historic sights, the local folklore, traditions and legends of
this water-town, such as the dragon boat race, the "granny tea" and
the Wansan home-style banquet are also indispensable
elements of a tour to Zhouzhuang.
Zhouzhuang Attractive points:
Zhouzhuang is the most developed 'water town' of jiangnan. Because of that it is very commercial. I guess I
have to admit that it has the best scenery.
Description:
Known as a collection of beauty, Zhouzhuang, once
called Zhenfengli, is an ancient water town of
Kunshan City in
Jiangsu Province and where rivers and lakes abound.
It is located between the cities Shanghai and Suzhou. The town has stood up well through
the years, 900 to be specific, and remains as it was so long ago. The typical
style and features of the water town and even its inhabitants' way of life
remains unchanged. The houses built by the streams have sidewalks, which have
naturally evolved into streets used for transportation, together along with the
water lanes. Overhead stone bridges span over the water lanes, providing
convenient passage for the local people. Murmuring streams flow under small
bridges and courtyards. These bridges and courtyards are each surrounded by dwelling
quarters, which are typical features of Zhouzhuang
and even the whole of East China.
Zhouzhuang is like a water nymph standing on a lake.
The layout of its water lanes is perfectly arranged so that it looks like the
Chinese character "#". Many stone bridges are built over them,
linking up the households on either side of each stream. These stone bridges
are very old, 14 of which were built between the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The most representative among them are the
Twin Bridge, Fu'an
Bridge, Zhenfeng Bridge and
Fuhong Bridge. There is a beautiful saying that
is popular among the folks in China-"the Heavens have their Paradise while the earth is proud of having
Suzhou and Hangzhou." Zhouzhuang
is just like Water Lily in-between.
Moreover, Zhouzhuang boasts rich cultural resources
like Grandmother Tea, and such simple local customs as fast boating.
Grandmother Tea
People of Zhouzhuang have a way of drinking tea. They
use ancient tea sets, boil water in pottery or earthen jars, and have bamboo
slices or branches as fuel. Several minutes after washing the tea, they pour on
it boiled water. By such means, the tea, beautiful in color, is both fragrant
and tasteful. But why is it called Grandmother Tea? People used to see groups
of old women sitting together and drinking tea leisurely. Hence,
the name.
Fast Boating
Fast boating goes far back to the Qing
dynasty, originally started to raise the morale of soldiers. Later on, people
held races on holidays, in weddings, and during the time of harvests. At
present, travel boats are provided for tourists to do sightseeing around.
Bambooware
Bambooware and bronze braziers have also won enormous
acclaim for Zhouzhuang. The durable bambooware is known far and wide for its fine workmanship,
while the exquisite bronze braziers of many shapes once won a prize in the
South Pacific Industrial Expo and the reputation of "Zhouzhuang
Braziers".