If there is one specific place in China that I've always loved, it would be Suzhou. Is it any wonder that people throughout the ages have laid exultant accolades at her door with some referring to the city as a place close to paradise on earth?
上有天堂，下有苏杭
Who could blame the poets for praising the city so zealously when it has been well regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world for centuries with its canals, bridges and classical gardens. Indeed the resplendent place where the goods of all provinces flow. Reason enough that I find myself heading over there again, bypassing other more notables cities such as Hangzhou and Nanjing, to this relatively smaller city. Relatively when it comes to China since even their purportedly smaller cities easily outstrip most other cities outside the region.
Even though it was mid week at quite an unseasonable hour, the colossal railway station in Suzhou still had quite a crowd and I shudder to think how it would be during the mass migration of the Spring Festival. Wouldn't surprise me that the unfortunate would get trampled in the ensuing chaos!
Such a huge sigh of relief once we left the spartan gray neo-Communist building in the outskirts of the city and headed towards the more historical centre. Not only are the streets beautifully clean and well maintained with the dreamy tree-lined canals beside them, even the bus stops are built as traditional dappled grey gazebos with curved tiled black roofs reminiscent of the ancient structures around them.
Just a vision from an old Chinese watercolour painting with delicate gazebos and pagodas interspersed with a filigree of tree-lined canals and backwaters.
Situated as we were in an old lodge right in the middle of the historical district, everything is only a short distance away. Just down the windy narrow lanes overhung with weeping willows and mimosa trees, we would find ourselves in the midst of bookstores, silk houses and souvenir stores selling everything from ceramics to snuff bottles.
Can't argue the fact that the mercantile Chinese, even despite the brief blip of red communism, have always prized materialism.
And did I mention they had restaurants and teahouses practically every few metres from posh dining palaces offering fine foods with entertainers singing Kunqu through the night to the messier stalls by the roadside serving braised chicken feet to dozens in the queues! No matter what they say, the Suzhounese do know how to enjoy life. So it should come as no surprise that bureaucrats and ministers have been known to retire here in the later stages of their lives for the past millennia.
Entertainment and food aside, let's not forget the artistic side of the fabled city.
Didn't take me long to find myself seated on a wooden stool with paintbrush in hand to colour in a traditional Suzhou woman's dress, all while Charming Calvin stood by with a steaming cup of Longjing green tea in hand. Ancient watercolours of Chinese ladies in Ming and Tang costume screenprinted onto silk pillows and table runners for us to paint on. Something Calvin obviously flat out refused to do so - leaving him to while away the time lazing about the store admiring the peerless scenery outside.
What better way to spend a lazy afternoon in Suzhou?
上有天堂，下有苏杭
Who could blame the poets for praising the city so zealously when it has been well regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world for centuries with its canals, bridges and classical gardens. Indeed the resplendent place where the goods of all provinces flow. Reason enough that I find myself heading over there again, bypassing other more notables cities such as Hangzhou and Nanjing, to this relatively smaller city. Relatively when it comes to China since even their purportedly smaller cities easily outstrip most other cities outside the region.
Even though it was mid week at quite an unseasonable hour, the colossal railway station in Suzhou still had quite a crowd and I shudder to think how it would be during the mass migration of the Spring Festival. Wouldn't surprise me that the unfortunate would get trampled in the ensuing chaos!
Such a huge sigh of relief once we left the spartan gray neo-Communist building in the outskirts of the city and headed towards the more historical centre. Not only are the streets beautifully clean and well maintained with the dreamy tree-lined canals beside them, even the bus stops are built as traditional dappled grey gazebos with curved tiled black roofs reminiscent of the ancient structures around them.
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| Finding our way through the rabbit warren maze of narrow lanes and canals took a while! |
Just a vision from an old Chinese watercolour painting with delicate gazebos and pagodas interspersed with a filigree of tree-lined canals and backwaters.
Situated as we were in an old lodge right in the middle of the historical district, everything is only a short distance away. Just down the windy narrow lanes overhung with weeping willows and mimosa trees, we would find ourselves in the midst of bookstores, silk houses and souvenir stores selling everything from ceramics to snuff bottles.
Can't argue the fact that the mercantile Chinese, even despite the brief blip of red communism, have always prized materialism.
And did I mention they had restaurants and teahouses practically every few metres from posh dining palaces offering fine foods with entertainers singing Kunqu through the night to the messier stalls by the roadside serving braised chicken feet to dozens in the queues! No matter what they say, the Suzhounese do know how to enjoy life. So it should come as no surprise that bureaucrats and ministers have been known to retire here in the later stages of their lives for the past millennia.
Entertainment and food aside, let's not forget the artistic side of the fabled city.
Didn't take me long to find myself seated on a wooden stool with paintbrush in hand to colour in a traditional Suzhou woman's dress, all while Charming Calvin stood by with a steaming cup of Longjing green tea in hand. Ancient watercolours of Chinese ladies in Ming and Tang costume screenprinted onto silk pillows and table runners for us to paint on. Something Calvin obviously flat out refused to do so - leaving him to while away the time lazing about the store admiring the peerless scenery outside.
What better way to spend a lazy afternoon in Suzhou?
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