Tour of Two Cities and an Ancient Town

Tour of Two Cities and an Ancient Town: Wuxi （无锡）, Suzhou （苏州） and Zhouzhuang （周庄）

Departure at 10 am on Friday, 18 July (missing class will be made up on the afternoon of 17 July) and return in the evening of Sunday, 20 July

Tour of Taihu Lake

Covering an area of 30,000 hectares, Taihu Lake is huge and proved so appealing to visitors that many gardens were created by the lakeside over the milleniums. Yuantouzhu (Turtle Head Garden) is one of these. Extending into the lake like a turtle frolicking in the water, the garden is famous also for the inscription on the cliff carved during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) by an anonymous traveler. Done in powerful strokes, it reads: Embracing Wu and Yue (Wu and Yue were ancient names for Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces). Other scenic spots at lakeside include Sanshan (Three Mountains), which look like giant tortoise swimming in the ripping lake, Jinyuan Garden that faces Meiyuan Garden across the lake, and Majishan Mountain in the distance. The vast lake rippling under the blue sky is dotted with tugboats and fishing junks.

One of the most awe-inspiring sights in Wuxi, or the whole Jiangsu Province, is the Great Buddha at Lingshan, along the shores of Taihu Lake in Wuxi. The largest statue of the Buddha anywhere in the world, this bronze colossus stands 88 meters tall; its lotus flower pedestal brings the entire structure to over 100 meters. The statue was built only several years ago, but has already become a major tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over

China

. The Buddha stands on the side of a hill, facing lake Taihu, an ideal location according to Chinese feng-shui.

The statue stands at the end of a long boulevard of many smaller attractions related to Buddhism and the great statue. First inside the entrance gate is a massive bronze pillar, topped with a huge lotus bud. The shaft of the column is worked into a wild array of sculptures of looming Buddhist guardian gods, lions heads, and auspicious symbols, while bronze dragons and other mythological animals crouch in a reflecting pool, all with the great statue of the Buddha looming in the distance. As impressive as this is, four times a day its is transformed into an extravagant celebration of the birth of the Buddha. The huge bronze leaves of the lotus bud slowly open to reveal a statue of the baby Buddha, who slowly rotates in a complete circle, while the statues of dragons become fountains, spraying jets of water from their mouths over the open lotus flower. The lotus flower is a traditional symbol of Buddhism, since it is white a pure despite growing from the mud, just like humans can reach enlightenment despite the troubles of the world.

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.

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.

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.

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.

- 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.

- The No.1 Silk Factory: Suzhou is famous for its silk production. In the factory you can see how the silk is processed from the silk worm to the final woven cloth.

Wuxi

Geography:
Wuxi is east of Nanjing (about two hours of bus ride) with the Yangtze River to the north and the Taihu Lake cutting into it in the south. Its neighbors include Changzhou in the west and Suzhou in the east. This part of

China

features a sweep of flat land, except for emerald hills in the southwestern part. Some 100 low green mountains and hills, along with some 1,000 winding rivers and numerous reflecting lakes form a beautiful painting scroll.

Wuxi lies in the North Asian tropical humid temperate zone, with annual temperature averaging 16 degrees Centigrade. It is blessed with plentiful of sunshine and precipitation and a long frost-free period. With four distinct seasons, the city is typical of the area sough of the Yangtze River, featuring lushness, pleasant weather and an enchanting environment.

As the transport hub for the area, Wuxi has easy access to railway, highway, air and water transport facilities. It is bisected by the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, Nanjing-Shanghai Expressway, Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, National Highways No.312 and 104, and Jiangsu provincial roads. It takes up to two hours to reach Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, and Shanghai. Sea travel is also convenient via Jiangyin and Zhangjiagang harbors, both close to the city. Six flights link the city of Wuxi with major parts of the country. Posts and telecommunications are well developed, and people can make direct calls to friends in 156 countries and regions. The city also has express mail business tics with 27 countries. As one of the major information centers in

China

, Wuxi reaches the world at palm size in terms of developed access to the Internet and telecommunication facilities.

Location: located between north latitude 3107' - 3200', east longitude 11931' - 12036'; situated in the middle of the Yangtze Delta, Taihu Plain southeast of Jiangsu province; the Yangtze River to the north and Taihu Lake south;183 kilometers away from Nanjing, 128 kilomenters from Shanghai

Neighboring Areas: Zhejiang, Anhui, Shandong provinces and Shanghai Municipality

Physical Features: mainly plain terrain, dotted with low mountain and hills

Population: 4.32 million
Urban Population: 1.73 million
Nationalities: Han, Hui and Manchu
Area: 4,650 sq km

Climatic Features: subtropical monsoon maritime climate; mild and humid with 4 distinct seasons; long frost-free period of 230 days, enough sunshine of 2000 hours annually

Average Temperature: annual average of 15.5C
Rainfall: average annual of 1000 mm

Mountains: Mt. Xishan, Mt. Huisha, Mt. Junzhang, Mt. Maji

Rivers: the Yangtze River; Taihu Lake; Jinghang Canal

History:
Some 10,000 years ago, people lived and multiplied in what is now Wuxi. In 202BC a country was set up here for effective government People in the area have since the ancient times been building water works for agricultural production. They were also good at engaging in handicraft industry and business. When the Grand Canal was dug during the Sui Dynasty (581-618), business people flocked to Wuxi by boat During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), various parts of the surrounding areas sent their grain tributes to Wuxi for onward shipment to the imperial court in Beijing. During the ensuing dynasties of Ming and Qing (1368-1911). Wuxi grew into national-level rice, silk and cloth markets, attracting business people from various parts of the country.

The early 20th century saw Wuxi emerge as a cradle for national industry, with two brothers from the Rong family and some others running cotton mills, flour mills or silkworm cocoon filature factories. By 1937, Wuxi ranked third in

China

in terms of industrial output value, and was the largest of the four rice markets in the country. Because of this, Wuxi was affectionately mentioned as 鱼米之乡. Wuxi made rapid progress after the founding of New China in 1949. During the ongoing reform and opening period that began in late 1978, farmers in the suburban areas were the first in

China

to start what we today call “township enterprises” Foreign investment has also been a powerful tool for progress. As the number one city in Jiangsu Province in terms of comprehensive strength, Wuxi is today one of the Top 15 key economic centers in

China

.

Wuxi's Economic Order in China (2001)

GDP 136 billion Yuan 10th

Per-capita share of GDP 31,267 Yuan 6th

Total output value of industry 201.8 billion Yuan 7th

Investment in fixed assets 40.5 billion Yuan 13th

Retail sales of consumer goods 39.08 billion Yuan 18th

Total value of exports USÂ¡Ã§3.6 billion 14th

Amount of foreign capital used USÂ¡Ã§1.357 billion 11th

Per-capita disposal income of urban residents 9,454 Yuan 11th

The latest report from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences shows that the city of Wuxi ranks Number 6 on the list of the most competitive Chinese cities. A report from the United Nations indicates that among the 25 Chinese cities with the highest development potential the city of Wuxi ranks Number 15.

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.

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".