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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 Endeavour 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. These are just some of the
highlights of what
is to be found there:
The Tomb of King He Lu: In 496 BC during the Spring and Autumn
Period (770 BC - 476 BC), He Lu, King of the Wu perished during
the war fought against the Yue. His son buried him within the
hill and three days after the funeral a white tiger came and sat
upon the grave as though guarding it. From that time on it has
been known as Tiger Hill.
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.
Two sealed wells in Tiger HillSword Testing Stone and Sword
Pool: King He Lu was a zealous collector of rare swords and it
is said that he tested them upon this stone. The crevice thus
made in the rock is the only evidence of the existence of these
swords, as it is believed that they were buried beneath the
Sword Pool as funerary objects. Another mystery that surrounds
the tomb is the whereabouts of the remains of the 1,000 workers
who built it and who were put to death upon completion of the
task.
Lu Yu Well: Lu Yu was an authority on the art of tea and wrote
the first ever book on the subject entitled 'The Treatise of
Tea'. As an old man, he lived on Tiger Hill and it was here that
he wrote the final part of his book. Lu Yu excavated the well
and declared that the water from it was the third best in all
China. Consequent upon the research and teaching of Lu Yu tea
growing and consumption came to be important factors in the
daily life of the citizens of Suzhou.
Verdant Mountain Villa: Built in the tenth year of the reign of
Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) the villa is a
masterpiece of the splendid gardens for which Suzhou is so
famous. The Verdant Mountain Villa (Yongcui Shanzhuang) was
designed so that it embraced the natural vistas and views from
the halls and porches are most pleasing to the eye.
Hanhan Spring Wanjing Villa: The ancient art of bonsai tree
growing originated in China and there are thousands of
magnificent specimens on display at this villa. Many of the
specimens you can see have been awarded prize palms in
prestigious bonsai competitions. The miniature replicas of full
sized gardens are sure to amaze you and will give an insight
into the skill and artistry of Chinese master gardeners that has
been handed down from long ago.
There can be little doubt that Tiger Hill is a wonderful sight
with its leaning pagoda, waterfalls and landscaped paths. It is
hard to believe that the hill was man made to be the burial
place of king but this is yet another part of the wonder that is
China, a land that will never cease to amaze and enthrall the
visitor with its heritage.
 Back
to the Suzhou
tour packages.
You can also take the advantage of your
Shanghai tour and pay a side trip
to Suzhou to experience the beauty and quietness in this world-famous
City of Garden!
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