Zhou Shoujuan · Suzhou

Author: Editor-in-Chief of Han Mo Lin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: Ancient Suzhou is situated amidst a network of waterways, with streets built along rivers and small boats constantly navigating through them. The architecture is designed to face the water, with alleys in front and rivers behind—“small bridges, flowing water, and households,” and “every household is by the river.” “Suzhou’s gardens are the best under heaven.” Suzhou is renowned for its countless gardens. Gardens can be considered a comprehensive art form that integrates architecture, landscape, flowers and trees, carvings, and calligraphy and painting, blending natural beauty with artistic beauty. They are winding and ever-changing, with scenes that shift as one moves. The Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Lingering Garden are among China’s four great classical gardens. Together with nine other classical gardens—Wang Shi Garden, Huan Xiu Villa, Cang Lang Pavilion, Shizilin, Yi Pu, Ou Yuan, and Tui Si Garden—they were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 1997 and November 2000, respectively. Beyond the gardens, Suzhou boasts stunning natural landscapes, including Lingyan, Tianping, Dongshan and Xishan, Dengwei, Yushan, and Yushan, where every corner is naturally scenic. Additionally, numerous temples and monasteries are scattered throughout the city, with cultural relics and historical sites intertwined. The rare brushwork of renowned calligraphers and painters, along with the cultural and artistic heritage of literati, have harmoniously blended Suzhou’s human culture with its natural beauty, adding to the charm of the ancient city.