Day 9 Suzhou

Today my uncle drove me to Suzhou again, only this time because it was a Saturday, my cousins came along too. They are totally not fans of historical sites but they wanted to keep me company.

Tiger Hill of Suzhou is a popular tourist place, not just in modern times but also in ancient times. Many famous calligraphers in the past have left their message here. Most notably Su Shi, who even stated that "not visiting the Tiger Hill once in one's life is a shame". Their calligraphy praising this place is displayed in the entrance.
It was odd to me that so many historical legends can be associated with such a small area. Although this province developed early in comparison to others in China - with its warm weather and rich water resource, the ancient country-state of Wu was formed around 600 BCE. There are many interest spots in park, but the most notesworthy ones are probably the Sword-testing Rock, Sword Pond and the YunYan Pagoda. As a child I was always fascinated by the legends of exquisite swords created through sacrifices of men. The Sword-testing rock, according to the "legend", has x-shaped crack said to be cut by the great swords. The Pagoda is the Chinese leaning tower. The architectural style is beautiful, both inside and out.

Tiger Hill is a little touristy but the sceneries are still pretty good. The park is well maintained, and if I really taken the time to absorb what each of the buildings and sites signify, it might have taken me 4 or 5 hours. Time is limited, as we head back to Shanghai downtown.