There is a popular saying in China "In Heaven there is paradise; on Earth, there is Suzhou and Hangzhou." Suzhou has been praised as a "paradise on Earth" since ancient times. Back then, Suzhou was a prosperous economic and cultural center. Even over the passage of time, with the dramatic changes that have taken place in the world, Suzhou still enjoys great prosperity and recognition.
Suzhou's appeal lies not in its skyscrapers, expressways or supermarkets. Sights such as these are found in its neighboring city, Shanghai. Those who visit Suzhou, like me, marvel at its small bridges, murmuring brooks, classical gardens and water towns.
This was my first trip to Suzhou. Before I set out, I did a lot of research on the Internet, but I encountered an unexpected big problem after arriving at Suzhou Shuttle Bus Station at six in the evening. It took me over an hour to find a taxi during rush hour! Fortunately, this didn't influence my impressions of the city. After dropping my luggage at the hotel, I headed to Guanqian Street, home to a lively bazaar in the heart of Suzhou.
Guanqian Street was named for its location in front of Xuanmiao Temple, or Temple of Mystery. Throughout its 150-year history, a number of time-honored shops selling pastries and cakes, such as Daoxiangcun and Huangtianyuan, have come to thrive here.
A section of Quanqian Street between Bifengfang and Taijiannong is called Gourmet Street, and has many restaurants specializing in Suzhou cuisine, a variation of Jiangzhe cuisine. Among them, Songhelou, meaning "Pine Crane Pavilion," stands out as the grandest and most famous.
The restaurant has been in business since 1757, serving everyone from emperors to ordinary people like me.
At Songhelou, a waitress introduced the name and history of the dishes. You shouldn't miss the world-famous Song Shu Gui Yu, or "Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish." The restaurant created this dish, a fried boneless fish coated with a sweet-and-sour sauce. It is one of the most famous Chinese dishes, and also one of the most difficult to make. Liu Guipin from Songhelou Restaurant gave me a little bit touch of history and reality about the dish. .
"According to a folk legend, Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty about 300 years ago tasted it while touring southern China. He loved it to no end. It's made with a whole Mandarin fish, a type of freshwater perch. You can find it in the markets by the brown spots on its tail. The fish is completely de-boned with a cleaver in a manner difficult to describe without pictures, but the result is a boneless fish with the head and tail still attached. After being fried, the head of the fish looks big with its mouth wide open, the tail bends upwards, and the body looks just like a squirrel with its fur stood up. The dish makes a sound like a squirrel squeaking when it is sprinkled with the dressing, which is made from shrimp meat, dried bamboo shoots and tomato ketchup. Thus, the Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish is complete in color, smell, and flavor, and will arouse the appetite of whoever sees it."
A leisurely stroll down Guanqian Street is necessary after such a large dinner. Many stores along the street sell local products, including handicrafts, silk, embroidery and paper fans. You can pick up some products as gifts for your friends. Sightseeing along Guanqian Street is a main leisure activity for Suzhou locals, as commerce, culture, religion and tourism are all components of the atmosphere here.
Guanqian Street allows visitors the opportunity to experience the prosperity of Suzhou. The Caizhizhai Tea House, which is said to be the best place to enjoy Pingtan performances, a kind of storytelling art in the Wu dialect, is also located on this street. Enjoying a few cups of tea while taking in a Pingtan performance is a great way to relax while experiencing local culture.
It's already become a common knowledge that the tour of Suzhou cannot be called complete without a stop at Zhouzhuang, often called the "Venice of the Orient." However, the town, about an hour bus ride from Suzhou, is gradually losing many of its elegant, ancient touches as a result of the booming commerce and tourism. Fortunately, there are many other choices for visitors nowadays, including Tongli, Mudu, and Luzhi. I decided to visit Mudu to avoid the crowds and discover a real water town.
Located by Taihu Lake in western Suzhou City, Mudu Town has long been distinguished as the number one town in southern Jiangsu Province. The town was built beside the mountains, and its people all live near the water, a habit which is rarely seen in ancient towns located to the south of the Yangtze River.
There is a legend about its name, Mudu, which means "timbers blocking the river." It is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period, about 2,000 years ago, when the King of Wu Kingdom was building Guanwa Palace for his concubine, Xishi, one of the most beautiful women in ancient China, a huge amount of timber floated downstream and blocked the river, giving the town the name of "Mudu."
The legendary story moved Catherine from Germany, and she related her impressions to me.
"The legend is very beautiful. It is about all wood getting stuck in the canal because the palace was to be built. Yes, it is a very nice story."
Four of the ancient dwellings along the main canal have been restored, and offer a glimpse of the opulence enjoyed by the nobles during the Ming and Qing dynasties. All four dwellings are within walking distance of the town gate, and although they are similar in design, each has its own unique characteristics.
At the eastern end of Santang Street, Mudu's main street, lies Yan's Garden, the former residence of Yen Chia Kan, a senior official of the Nationalist Party, or Kuomingtang. The garden occupies more than one hectares of land and showcases the finest workmanship of the dwellings.
As I entered the garden, artificial hills and water, flowers and trees, pavilions and terraces spread out before me.
My guide told me that Yan's Garden is considered a masterpiece because of its delicate design.
"At that time, gardens were commonly designed behind the living quarters. However, Yan's Garden is delicately designed with four mini-gardens."
The living quarters are located at the center of the garden, with the four mini-gardens radiating outward like satellites. The miniature gardens are named after the four seasons.
"The Spring Garden has a single towering magnolia tree to highlight the theme; the Summer Garden is blessed with a large lotus pond; the Autumn Garden features sweet-scented osmanthus trees; and the Winter Garden is dotted with plum blossom trees."
The four gardens are connected by a long corridor, interspersed with pavilions and rockeries. Each step reveals a new scene, reflecting an architectural philosophy practiced by garden builders in this part of China.
If Yan's garden is the most poetic and elegant, then Hongyin Villa is the most spectacular garden in town.
Buildings are spaced widely, with scenery as natural and gorgeous as in Xanadu. It is said that the private garden contains so much beauty within its miniature landscape that it was considered a must-see for Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty whenever he toured the southern region of the empire.
The emperor added some royal touches to the villa. The escorted officials, led by Prime Minister Liu Yong, lodged at Hongying Villa, which consisted of two Ming Dynasty gardens: Xiuye Garden and Xiaoyin Garden.
The villa also contains a two-story theater with upturned eaves. In front of the stage, a broad yard is flanked by a corridor on either side. Of all the garden-like mansions in Mudu, only Hongyin Villa boasts of such a stage, which testifies to the imperial splendor of the private garden. Scaled-down versions of operas are presented in karaoke-style throughout the day, so most visitors have a chance to observe this ancient form of entertainment.
My three days in Suzhou passed very quickly, and it left me without exploring many Suzhou attractions, such as Tiger Hill and Hanshan Temple. Fortunately, I still got a taste of the real Suzhou: Tranquility, elegance, and harmony with nature contribute to the serenity of the city.
Author: Wang Lu Date: Feb 4, 2008
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