Tiger Hill
Tiger Hill Pagoda in Suzhou, China
Tiger Hill Photo Gallery (Downloadable Pictures)
A famous Song Dynasty poet, Su Shi said, 'It is a
lifelong pity if having visited Suzhou you did not visit
Tiger Hill.' This epitomises 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 metres (over three acres)
and is 36 metres (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 metres
high (158 feet) and for the past four hundred years has
leant 359' to the northwest.
Sword 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. 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 enthral the visitor with its heritage.
(ChinaTravelGuide.com)
