The Venice of the East

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This past weekend was our first program outing: a two-day, one-night adventure to Suzhou and Zhouzhuang. Although our time was short, CIEE did a good job of jam-packing our itinerary and making sure we got the most out of our time away. At 8:30AM on Friday morning, we boarded a bus that took us an hour and a half away from Shanghai to one of the most distinguished of a multitude of canal towns, dotted around the Yangzi delta. Suzhou is renowned for its poetic gardens and beautifully spun silk. Our first stop was for a group lunch and lecture at the Pingjiang Hotel, located along a canal lined with small shops on cobblestone streets. Although we did not have much time to explore this first location, our general impressions were that we were in for an amazing weekend.

Our next stop was the Suzhou Museum, a museum of ancient Chinese art, paintings, calligraphies, and handmade crafts. Although everything on display is hundreds and thousands of years old, the current building is a mix of modern architecture and traditional Chinese gardens designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei. The spectacular style of the building, inaugurated in 2006, and surrounding koi fish ponds and gardens added immeasurable value to the museum. I spent more time enjoying the pathways over the water, fountains, outdoor patios, and bamboo ceilings than the actual ancient artwork. Regardless, with a free entrance, I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who visits China. Outside of the museum, I found one of Suzhou’s edible delicacies: a red bean paste sweet dumpling made to look like a little pig! It was both delicious and cute.

After the museum, we were driven to the Lingering Garden, a classical Chinese garden first commissioned in 1593 that became part of the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2001. The garden, which is over 23,000 square meters, is divided into 4 themed sections and is easily one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever had the luxury of visiting. The paths were paved with small stones in geometric patterns, the trees and flowers set the mood despite the gloomy day, and the rocks/architecture were absolutely magnificent. This central, entrance area which consisted of a large pond and a maze of paths, was my favorite part. Unfortunately, we spent way too much time appreciating the first section without realizing how little time we had in the garden overall. With only 15 minutes to spare, Mike and I sprinted through the 3 remaining sections, one of which was a phenomenal bonsai garden, determined to find the Touching Cloud Peak of the Lingering: the garden’s most famous rock. To the Chinese, thin, tall rocks full of holes that let through water and sunlight are considered the epitome of beautiful “rockery,” as they call it here, and it was indeed stunning.

The next day, we drove 30 minutes to a nearby water town called Zhouzhuang. Unlike Suzhou which had a few canals but was mostly composed of streets, Zhouzhuang only had canals, sidewalks and pedestrian bridges. The cobblestone streets were dotted with little shops where storeowners sat creating the items they sold in their stores. Some were beading jewelry, others were spinning silk; one man was drawing calligraphy inside miniscule glass ornaments through a tiny hole at the bottom with such precision that I could not believe my eyes. I stopped to question a woman selling some of the most detailed embroidery I have ever seen, only to find out the skill and occupation had been passed down through her family for as many generations as she could remember. After lunch, we took a 20 minute boat ride down the canals and enjoyed the views from a different perspective. By the time we got home at 6PM, we were so exhausted that despite it being a Saturday, Maria and I chose to stay in and watch a movie. Overall, this has been one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had thus far in China. I am greatly looking forward to traveling to more Chinese cities and exploring the culture, cuisine and traditions!

Miss you all! <3 Mila

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Photos

Stop 1: Old Suzhou
The canal, Pingjiang Hotel, and delicious, sweet red bean paste piggy!

Stop 2: Suzhou Museum
Architecture, koi fish, bamboo, etc.

Stop 3: Lingering Garden
Panorama of the central area, garden architecture, Touching Cloud Peak rock

The canals of Zhouzhuang
While on a boat...