Classical Chinese gardens in Suzhou city. classical gardens in suzhou city

The city of Suzhou, located in Jiangsu Province, in southeast China, is often referred to as the "Venice of the East". Walking around the city at least once, you will understand that such a comparison is fully justified. The city stands on the Grand Canal of China, a waterway connecting Beijing and Hangzhou. Many small canals depart from the main one and turn the city into a Chinese analogue of Venice.

Many tourists from all over the world come to Suzhou to swim through the canals on a traditional Chinese boat, admire the scenery from the cozy stone bridge or walk along the quiet narrow streets. However, Suzhou is truly famous for its gardens, which are considered among the best in the world.

The history of the emergence of garden art in China began three thousand years ago, but the first gardens appeared in Suzhou around the 9th century AD. e., and reached its greatest prosperity in the 18th century, during the reign of the Qin dynasty. In 1997-2000 8 of the most significant gardens have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The garden was built in 1509, and got its name thanks to Wang Xiancheng, an official, at whose expense this garden was built. He devoted almost 20 years to creating this garden when he was fired on charges of corruption. Thanks to his perseverance and hard work, this garden is considered one of the four most beautiful gardens in China.

The garden consists of three parts - Eastern, Central and Western, interconnected by a large pond. In the Eastern part there is the Hall of Orchids - the main building here, and the Blue Pavilion, majestically hanging right above the lake. The central part of the park inspires with its harmony and grace. It is a part of the lake with two islands located on it, connected by two zigzag bridges. The ancient Chinese built bridges of this shape because they believed that evil spirits could only move in a straight line. The western part of the garden is occupied by buildings gracefully located along the shore of the pond. The main hall is divided into two parts: the 36 Chinese ducks hall and the 18 camellias hall. The idea of ​​the creators is such that in summer the visitor can look at the ducks swimming in the lake, and in winter admire the stone camellias, effectively standing out against the background of white snow.

This small park is famous for its stone labyrinth of bridges, passages and stairs of various shapes. The garden was founded in 1342 by the Buddhist monk Tianzhu in honor of his teacher Zhi Zheng. According to legend, Zhi Zheng reached nirvana on the Lion Peak of Mount Tianmu, in honor of this garden was named "Lion Grove". Due to its uniqueness, many in China knew about this park; twice it was visited by emperors, and one, struck by its unusualness and beauty, ordered to build a copy of it in his summer residence in Chengde.

The smallest of the famous Suzhou parks was founded in 1140 by a retired official who was fond of fishing. The size of the garden is only 65 by 50 meters. Despite its size, it has collected all the elements of a Chinese classical garden. On the territory of the garden there is a lake, pavilions with picturesque courtyards and original openwork partitions. A special place here is occupied by the Pavilion for observing the moon. In this pavilion, visitors can admire the Moon in the sky, contemplate its reflection in a special mirror or the water surface of a pond. The garden was not created for the public, the mandarin who built it spent time in it meditating, or discussing philosophical topics.

A person who has visited Suzhou Gardens at least once will forever remember their special atmosphere, tranquility and beauty. And those who are going to visit Suzhou should definitely devote at least a few hours to visit them.

While Shanghai and Beijing are full of examples of modern and ancient Chinese architecture, magnificent gardens can be admired in the amazing and attractive city of Suzhou, sometimes called the Venice of the East for its many canals on which it is located. Suzhou itself is also worthy of attention, but its gardens are really famous all over the world. There are several gardens in the city, and each of them has a non-trivial beautiful name: “Garden where you want to stay”, “Garden of a modest official”, “Garden of Languor”, “Garden of the Master of the Networks”, “Blue Wave Pavilion”, “Emerald Gazebo”, “ Lion's Cave" and many others. The names alone can attract the attention of curious tourists.

All gardens are not just magnificent, they differ significantly from each other. You can come here at any time of the year and in no case will be disappointed: the melancholy of winter, the colors of autumn, the lotus flowers in summer, the flowering of trees in spring - all this makes the already beautiful gardens even more magical and attractive. True, due to the high popularity of this place (both among the numerous Chinese and among tourists), it is better to choose a time either before closing or early in the morning, otherwise the talkative crowds may slightly blur your impressions. Walking through the Suzhou Gardens is necessary to take your time, feeling connected with nature and marveling at the true skill of human hands, which arranged the natural chaos into harmonious forms.

The cosiness of the small "Garden of the Master of the Nets", the bizarre and mysterious stones of the "Lion's Cave", the beautiful lotuses and pretty pavilions of the "Humble Official's Garden", the man-made hills of the "Blue Wave Garden" - these are all Suzhou Gardens. Paved paths, flowers, small arches made of stones, “bonsai”, bizarre trees, transparent quiet ponds, slides, galleries and carved arbors, greenery of plants - all this coexists in the gardens so harmoniously that sometimes it seems created by higher powers.

Naturally, it is impossible to visit all the Suzhou Gardens in one day – here even a week will not be enough, but it is worth choosing at least a couple of them for yourself. You can choose from the most popular and attractive gardens, as well as those with significantly fewer visitors (here you can feel the absolute unity with nature). Wander along the garden paths between the trees and feel that China is not only multi-tiered pagodas and palaces with characteristic roofs. China is also the most amazing nature, which the inhabitants of this magnificent country have learned to make even more beautiful and cozy!

Book a hotel in Suzhou

To get acquainted with the sights of China, in particular with the interesting places of Suzhou, you will need somewhere to settle down. Especially for you, below are Suzhou hotels, divided into three categories: popular hotels, luxury hotels and cheap hotels. Here you can book a room in the Suzhou hotel in advance according to your wishes and financial possibilities. For your convenience, here is information about the location of hotels relative to the city center, as well as the number of stars.

Simply select the hotel you like by clicking on the "View Hotel" button. Next, you will find yourself on a page where you can book a hotel. There you can also find more detailed information about it, reviews, ratings, photos, location on the map, features and, of course, prices.

If you would like to see other hotels, you can simply select the city "Suzhou" from above, and you will see a list of all Suzhou hotels available for booking.

It doesn't matter if you have set foot on Chinese soil for the first time or have lived in this country for several years, traveling in China is a great way to learn more about the culture, history and life of our Chinese contemporaries. With the help of our project, you can not only expand the geography of tourist places in the country, but also learn local life hacks. Go?

Suzhou (苏州)

urban area in Jiangsu Province (江苏)
the historical part of the city is located on the water
population: 2.05 million people
keywords: Venice of the East, silk, gardens, Chinese Grand Canal, bridges, bridal fashion center, kunqu opera, tea house

Why Suzhou?

Suzhou has a history of 2500 years. This city has always embodied the idea of ​​sophistication and elegance of traditional Chinese culture. Today it is a modern city that has managed to organically combine history and modernity, skyscrapers and cozy, high-tech and provincial pace of life.

The main attractions of the city are gardens, old streets, parks and canals. If you have long dreamed of seeing a traditional Chinese city, then you should definitely come to Suzhou. Here you will feel unity with nature and history against the backdrop of a dynamically developing modernity.

How to get there?

The best and fastest way to get to Suzhou from Shanghai is by high-speed train, but you can also take a regular train. The ticket price will be from 12.5 yuan for the slowest train, the trip on which will take up to 1 hour and 20 minutes. The railway station is located to the north of the city centre.

The second most popular way is the bus. The city has four bus terminals that connect Suzhou with Wuxi, Zhouzhuang and Tongli.

Where to live?

One day of light is enough to visit Suzhou. That is, you can leave Shanghai in the morning, spend the day in Suzhou and come back in the evening. But if you are a big fan of bridges and canals, then here are some recommendations for choosing a hotel in Suzhou.

It is better to choose a hotel in the old town, since almost all the sights are located there. The famous gardens are located in the historical center of the city and are relatively close to each other. Therefore, we advise you to settle on the streets of Guanqian Street (观前街) or Pingjiang Road (平江路). The location of the hotel on Shiquan Street (十全街) or near Suzhou University (苏州大学) will also be convenient. Booking sites offer a lot of options, the choice depends only on your preferences. When booking a hotel on Chinese resources, you should definitely clarify whether the hotel has the right to accommodate foreigners.

How to move?

The city has a well-developed public transport system. You can use the subway (travel price from 2 to 6 yuan), buses (ticket price 2 yuan) and taxi (landing 10 yuan, and the trip will cost from 15 to 60 yuan). The subway in Suzhou continues to be built, so it is better to download an online map, as paper maps become outdated very quickly. If you want to try something unusual, then we advise you to use the services of auto rickshaws (starting price 2 yuan, price for a long-distance trip by agreement). The original design of the strollers will not leave you indifferent.

If you like an active way of getting around, you can rent a bike. But for this you have to download one of the many mobile applications. The most popular services are Mobike and Ofo.

What to do?

It is worth going to Suzhou to look at the gardens and canals. The first private gardens in Suzhou were built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), but private gardening, like the city itself, flourished in the 16th-18th centuries. At that time it was one of the richest cities in the country. Located on the banks of the Grand Canal, which connects the granary of the empire with the capital, and not far from the Yangtze, the main shipping route from west to east of the country, Suzhou was a center of trade of all-China importance. The decline of the city in the second half of the 19th century was provoked by the Taiping Uprising, and by the end of the 1940s, little was left of the former garden and park splendor. The restoration of the gardens in the last decade and their transformation from private properties into public museums reflects their significant role in Chinese culture.

All traditional parks and gardens in China can be divided into three categories: monastic (at Buddhist temples and monasteries), imperial (including summer residences and hunting grounds) and private gardens. The latter were common in the richest cities of the empire, located near the mouth of the Yangtze: in Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai, Yangzhou. They, in turn, are divided into two types: "static" and "dynamic". The first ones were planned in such a way that they had to be admired while sitting or standing. Therefore, when visiting such "static" gardens, it is important to know from what angle and where to look. The second, "dynamic", assumed that they would admire them while walking - their beauty lies precisely in the dynamics of the changing landscape. So the Lion Grove is referred to the first type, and the spacious Garden of a modest official belongs to the second.

Humble Official's Garden (拙政园)

Ticket price 50 - 70 yuan depending on the season.

The garden was built in 1509. On an area of ​​5 hectares there are ponds, a museum, a tea house and many pavilions. Here you can visit the “Sound of Rain” pavilion or walk along the “perspective gallery”. This is the largest garden in Suzhou. You will definitely fall in love with its bridges, bamboo groves and fragrant lotus ponds. The only drawback of this overly popular place is the crowds of tourists, which can be a nuisance.

Lion Grove Garden (狮子林园)

Ticket price 20 - 30 yuan depending on the season

The garden was built in 1342 by the Chan Buddhist monk Tianzhu in memory of his mentor. Throughout the history of its existence, the garden has been rebuilt and restored several times. The last reconstruction was completed in 1926.

A feature of the park are artificial stone slides. If you look closely and show imagination, then you can see proud lions in stone weaves.

Conjugal Retreat Garden (耦园)

Ticket price 15 - 20 yuan depending on the season.

This secluded place is located away from popular routes, and therefore there are not as many tourists here as in other gardens. The garden is an example of Chinese garden art with the obligatory ponds, bridges and canals surrounded by traditional buildings. Here you can calmly reflect and discuss plans for the future.

Tiger Hill (虎丘)

The hill, 36 m high, is located in the northern part of the city. Hill area 14,100 sq. m. According to legend, Emperor He Lu (6th century BC) was buried in the depths of the hill. After the burial, a white tiger came to his grave, which guards the rest of the emperor to this day. In fairness, it must be said that the grave of the emperor was never found. But the beautiful legend and fabulous nature attracts more and more tourists.

The outer shape of the hill resembles a tiger preparing to jump. Not far from the hill is Sword Lake, and on top of the hill is the Chinese "Leaning Tower of Pisa" - Yunyan Pagoda (云岩寺塔). The height of the pagoda is 47 m, and the angle of inclination is 3 degrees.

Grand Canal (大運河)

This is undoubtedly one of the main attractions of Suzhou. You can't leave the city on the water without taking a cruise boat ride on the Grand Canal. The canal took nearly 2,000 years to build and is still China's most important waterway. The length of the canal is 1782 km, and with branches - 2470 km.

During the cruise you will be able to watch a small performance pintan(评弹). This performance of ballads accompanied by traditional instruments is one of the hallmarks of Suzhou. All ballads are sung in the local dialect at.

Silk Museum

The ticket price is 15 yuan.

Suzhou is famous for the production of silk and silk products. For the past 4,000 years, great masters have been creating unique works. It was here that the technology for the production of silk thread from cocoons was developed. In the museum you will not only learn the history of silk production, but also see the entire production process: from caterpillars to finished products. And on the first floor in the trade pavilion you can buy a silk dress, bathrobe, bed linen and much more.

For the title illustration, a photo of Alina Kochetova was used.

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Suzhou Classical Gardens

Located in Jiangsu province. Suzhou is an ancient Chinese city built on water and is 2500 years old. It is called the Venice of the East.

On an area of ​​0.4 sq. km there are about 100 ancient classical courtyards, more than 60 arches of brick carving and 14 ancient bridges.

The history of the construction of parks and gardens began in China in the 6th century BC during the reign of Prince Wu. Local residents began to plant gardens here in the 4th century during the Eastern Jin dynasty. Since then, the construction of gardens has continued from generation to generation. Under the Ming and Qing dynasties, Suzhou became the busiest place in China. At that time, both in the city and in its suburbs, private parks and gardens were built everywhere. During its full bloom, Suzhou had more than 200 park ensembles, which were so beautiful that Suzhou began to be called "heaven on earth."

Now in Suzhou, several dozen such gardens have been well preserved. The most famous of them are the parks of Zhuozhengyuan, Liuyuan, Wangshiyuan and Huanxushanzhuang. All of them have their own style, they are distinguished by refinement of taste and a high culture of layout.

In 514 BC, the prince of the kingdom of Wu ordered his subject Zixu to build a city here. Since then, 2500 years have passed. Suzhou's location facilitated trade and was a place of pilgrimage for merchants. Until today, the ancient layout of streets along the river channels has been preserved. The patriarchal spirit of antiquity still hovers over the back streets. Merchants and locals gather to discuss news, prices for goods and where to get something. This is a typical picture of South China.

At Taihu Lake, the most fertile land, in the Yangtze River Delta, Suzhou is located - the birthplace of silk.

Modern Suzhou combines antiquity and today. Both old and new Suzhou are prominent representatives of traditional Chinese culture. The city walls and gates amaze with their grandeur, and its ancient pagoda makes an unforgettable impression, especially from a height.

Anyone who has admired the beauty of the classical gardens of Suzhou at least once will never forget them. The ancestors of modern Chinese praised Suzhou gardens in this way - the most beautiful in southern China.

Zhuozhengyuan Garden (Garden of the Humble Official). It is located on an area of ​​4 hectares, of which more than half is in water bodies. This is the largest park ensemble in Suzhou. All pavilions are built near the water: either on the banks of ponds or on piles in the middle of them. There are bridges and passages between the pavilions. The most famous pavilion is Pavilion 36 Mandarin Ducks. Ducks that settled on the local waters are considered a symbol of marital fidelity. The garden was founded by a retired censor in 1513, but after his death, the son lost his father's garden in one night. Subsequently, the garden was chosen as his residence by the Taiping leader Hong Xiuquan, who was considered the younger brother of Jesus Christ. The Taiping state occupied a significant part of southern China, with about 30 million people under its jurisdiction. The Taipings tried to carry out radical social transformations, replacing traditional Chinese religions with a specific "Christianity".

Liuyuan Garden (Garden of Slowness) consists of four parts of different styles.

The Huanxushanzhuang Garden is a unique collection of artificial mountains and gained fame in the Qing era. The main place on its territory is occupied by ponds and water channels, on the banks of which there are artificial mountains covered with trees and shrubs.

The oldest garden in the city is the Blue Wave Pavilion or Canglan. It was built in 1044. The garden consists of heaps of stones, thickets of green bamboo and artificial hills. The peculiarity of the park is that there is no circumferential wall, instead of it the mountains serve as a natural fence. The Bright Path Hall features wood carvings of more than 500 famous people who have left their mark on Suzhou's history.

The Lion Cave Garden, created during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), is famous for its lion-shaped heaps of stones, which gives it its name.

Hanshan Temple. The temple in the northwestern part of the city was built in the 6th century. Repeatedly fires destroyed the temple, the current structure belongs to the end of the Qing period (1644-1911). The main buildings are Mahavir Hall, Sutra Hall, Stele Corridor, Bell Tower and Maple River Building. Since 1979, every year on December 31, a bell has been rung in the temple. Its ringing is reminiscent of ancient traditions and at the same time signifies the coming of the New Year.

In the eastern part of the city are the Twin Pagodas. In Nepal, northern India, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, as well as in Western countries, multi-tiered towers used as temples are called pagodas. They were built in 982 during the Song Dynasty. Pagodas used to stand on both sides of the entrance to the Banzhuo Monastery, but they were destroyed in 1860. Immediately behind the pagodas is the foundation of the ruined temple. Many fragments of the temple are scattered throughout the territory, and among them are bas-reliefs made in the Sung period.

Fengqiao Bridge. The bridge is located on the Ancient Canal, 4 km west of Suzhou. The adjacent landscape area covers an area of ​​45 hectares. On the streets, shops offer a rich selection of local handicrafts: paintings, calligraphic works, silk products, etc. The atmosphere of historical streets is decorated with the magical sounds of the lute coming from the old school, and the chime of bells is heard from the tower of Hanshan Monastery.

Zhouzhuang is one of the most picturesque and famous Chinese cities on the water, located in Kunshan County, just 30 km southeast of Suzhou. The ancient city stands on the Jinghan Canal, which connects Suzhou with Shanghai.

Well-preserved old residential buildings, unusual elegant bridges, beautiful landscape views give an idea of ​​the rich cultural heritage.

During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC), the city area was part of the Yaocheng fief and was called Zhenfengli. In the era of the Northern Song Dynasty in 1086, the local rich and zealous Buddhist Zhou Digong donated 13 hectares of land to Quanfu Monastery, and in gratitude, the locals renamed the place Zhouzhuang (Zhou settlement). Later, in the Ming era, Zhouzhuang turned into a prosperous city, where intellectuals, artists and dignitaries came to live, sparing no expense to build their luxurious villas and graceful stone bridges. The streets of the city are canals, on the banks of which houses with white walls and curved tiled roofs are built. Centuries ago, residents moved along these streets exclusively by boat.

Rivers-streets and passages are connected by bridges, and houses are built along the rivers. Zhouzhuang is especially interesting to visit during the boat races and the Lantern Festival.

Now Zhouzhuang looks more like an open-air museum than a town, although many Chinese still live in their old houses without much modern convenience.

The best time to visit the city is in the evening, when twilight is gathering over the canals and red lanterns hanging from the roofs of houses are reflected in the water.

Shuangqiao Bridge (Double Bridge) is one of the most famous bridges in the city, considered the symbol of Zhouzhuang.

Of the wide variety of bridges, the most typical are the twin bridges of Shuangqiao. These are strong, stone, simple bridges. They consist of one arched stone span and one beamed stone span. Architecturally unique is the "double-pass bridge" thrown over two channels.

The bridge was built in the Ming era during the reign of Emperor Wanli (1573-1619) and consists of two bridges - Shideqiao and Yunanqiao, forming the letter "G" and connecting two rivers - Yinzi and Nanbei. Shidejiao is easily recognizable by its round arch, while the one under Yunanjiao is rectangular. Locals say that the shape of the Double Bridge resembles an ancient Chinese key. In 1984, the Chinese artist Chen Yifei, who emigrated to the United States, exhibited his canvas “Remembrance of the Motherland” depicting the Double Bridge in one of the galleries in New York. Later, the painting was donated to Deng Xiaoping, and in 1985 the UN chose the canvas as a sketch for commemorative stamps. These developments brought the city to the attention of Chinese tourists and the government, and the quiet, authentic Zhouzhuang quickly became one of China's most popular tourist destinations.

Fuanqiao bridge. Located at the eastern end of Zhongshijie Road, Fuangqiao Bridge is one of the city's oldest structures that has survived to this day in its original form. The bridge was built in 1355 during the reign of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. The name of the bridge consists of the Chinese characters for "wealth" and "tranquility". A feature of Fuanqiao is that the arched bridge is complemented on both sides by towers, which now house tea rooms, restaurants and shops. This is a good place to relax with a cup of tea and admire the views of the city.

Shen family residence. Built in 1742, the Shen family residence is an excellent example of Ming architecture. The villa is located on Nanshijie Street, southeast of the Fuanjiao Bridge. The luxurious house belonged to the rich Shen Wansan, the first millionaire of Jiangnan (the territory occupying the right bank of the lower Yangtze). The complex occupies over 2,000 sq. m. The territory is divided into three zones, in total there are 100 rooms, 7 courtyards and 5 arches. The first zone includes a pier where boats moored, and a descent to the river, which used to serve as a place where clothes were washed. In the middle part of the complex there is a tea room, a hall for receiving guests and a 6-meter brick gate, decorated with carvings depicting famous historical scenes. The last zone was intended for living quarters, so there is a more intimate and comfortable atmosphere compared to the central part of the residence.

Zhang family residence. The luxurious residence of the Zhang family is located south of the Twin Bridge (Shuangqiao) on Beishi Road. The complex was built in 1436–1449. during the Ming Dynasty by the wealthy Xu family, and at the beginning of the Qing reign, this residence was bought by the Zhang family. The territory of the complex is 1800 m, inside there are 6 yards and more than 70 rooms. The main and most impressive building in Zhangding is the Yuyan Hall (Jade Swallow Hall), under which the Rujing River flows.