On top of Tiger Hill in Suzhou is a very old pagoda that was built in the tenth century. Over a thousand years later, it remains aloft, though it leans considerably to one side. Because of its tilt, no one is allowed to venture in. Instead, it’s boarded off and peaceful. There are trees and moss growing on the stone walls and it is surrounded by a leafy courtyard with benches and picnic tables. Completed in the Song Dynasty, the pagoda and park have a long history. The area has been mentioned by wistful poets and scholars who used to wander amongst its bamboo groves. In recent years, when they dug underneath in an attempt to repair the faltering supports of the pagoda, they found a chest of ancient Buddhist manuscripts. According to a plaque at
... read more