Exquisite Suzhou: Classical Garden Edition

Author: Jiang Hui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: The water town ancient city Wu culture is the theme of Suzhou, and the famous scenic spots, temples, monasteries, bridges, and pagodas scattered throughout the city are the framework and subheadings of this thematic article. From the city gates, city walls, ruins of the Palace of the Lady of the Pavilion, and the site of Sun Wu's training ground built over 2,000 years ago by King Wu, to the Baogong Dike built by Bai Juyi in the Tang Dynasty, the ancient tombs of Fan Zhongyan's family in the Song Dynasty, and Fan Gong Temple; from Tiger Hill Pagoda, Ruiguang Pagoda, Twin Pagodas, Shangfang Pagoda, Lingyan Temple Pagoda, and the tallest Beisi Pagoda to the largest existing Song Dynasty architecture Xuanmiao Temple and the Tang Dynasty sculptures of Baosheng Temple, Zijin An Temple, and Song Dynasty sculptures; traces of millennia are all documented in Suzhou, with ruins to be found and buildings to bear witness. As for the historical sites of the Ming and Qing dynasties, they are even more numerous. Suzhou has 10 national key cultural relic protection units, 58 provincial-level cultural relic protection units, and 351 municipal and county-level cultural relic protection units. Not to mention the vast number of ancient bridges, ancient trees, ancient residential houses, as well as the ruins of ancient alleys, streets, shops, and teahouses that are still under protection. Even the thick dust of thousands of years cannot obscure the radiant brilliance of Suzhou's ancient city's historical sites, nor can it seal the uniquely local cultural essence of Wu culture that deeply permeates every corner. This book introduces the owners, architectural arts, and other contents of famous Suzhou gardens such as Yi Yuan, Zhuozheng Yuan, Liu Yuan, Wangshi Yuan, and Shizilin.