Suzhou is a place with outstanding people and beautiful scenery. Many celebrities’ hometowns are in Suzhou. The saying “a place nourishes its people” applies here. Suzhou is a good place indeed. And then there are Suzhou’s attractions: gardens, ancient towns, all are wonderful places.
Suzhou North Railway Station
1. I have been thinking about Suzhou for a long time. I remember when I was little, my grandmother would speak in a dialect. The dialect sounded a bit delicate and had the flavor of a Jiangnan woman. Later, when I heard people from Suzhou speak, I felt that it was a little similar to my grandmother’s dialect. So I was biased and felt there was a connection between Suzhou and me. I didn’t go and ask my grandmother, but sometimes it’s necessary to pursue a topic until you get to the bottom of it. That’s a good thing, but occasionally leaving a little mystery is also a part of life’s fun.
That’s how Suzhou gained a different position in my heart.
Actually, I might have been attracted to the gardens of Suzhou – that unique tenderness of a Jiangnan woman, which I lack and envy. Could it be that if I go to a garden in Suzhou, I can also become like that, and gain a little more of that special temperament which other places cannot give me?
It turns out that the places we want to go hold our expectations of ourselves.
2. When I arrived in Suzhou, it was raining lightly. Everything was just right. The city, bathed in rain, was clean enough to make me temporarily forget the unpleasantness of a rainy day. My first impression of Suzhou was that it was grand and clean.
The subway station was also new, which made me happy. There were even seats. At that moment, you confirm in your heart that you have truly left Shanghai.
Xuemiao Temple on Guanqian Street
My first stop was Guanqian Street, which is said to be the busiest street in Suzhou. It took me some time to walk through it all, turning left and right. Although most of the shops were similar to those in big cities, the unique ancient-style buildings still had a unique charm, making people completely ignore the commerce and start to appreciate the wonderful combination. Even someone like me, a science student, could feel a sense of joy.
After eating some Suzhou snacks, I went to Xuemiao Temple. It’s not much different from any ordinary temple, but I don’t know whether it was because I was alone or because of the temple’s architectural style and structure that I found it so appealing, my state of mind was completely different from usual. Going to a temple alone makes your heart quieter and more devout. When you make a wish, you are also clearer about what you want.
A view of Xuemiao Temple
The Guanqian Street stop ended with a devout wish. I realised that I could actually like the atmosphere of a temple. I’m really not someone who’s superstitious, by the way.
3. Next, because I was only planning to stay in Suzhou for one day, and I had to go back to Shanghai to deal with potential work, after a lot of thought, I decided to go to Tiger Hill, a 5A National Scenic Area.
When you get off the train station or get on the subway, you can see a slogan: “It is a regrettable thing to come to Suzhou but not visit Tiger Hill.” This slogan is so good, it really captures the consumer’s psychology and has a good understanding of it – everyone wants to avoid regret when traveling to a new place, and this slogan was also one of the main reasons I chose Tiger Hill in the end.
A view of Tiger Hill
When I got to Tiger Hill, it was raining a little harder. When I climbed to a small pavilion, it was raining even harder, so I just took a break and looked down. The garden in the rain, that lush expanse, merging with the pavilion in front of me, was truly beautiful. It’s easy to think of the most poetic things. This is real artistry. The scenery doesn’t intoxicate people, but people intoxicate themselves. Perhaps they don’t know that someone is looking at them foolishly, their hearts filled with joy.
Never mind, I continued walking even though it was raining. I was eager to see more, and after only a few steps, it was so beautiful. Wouldn’t it be even more tempting further on? I climbed to the top of Tiger Hill Pagoda in one go. Many people were gathered there taking photos, and some were even playing recordings from their phones to learn more about this thousand-year-old world-renowned pagoda.
Tiger Hill Pagoda
To be honest, it looked pretty ordinary. It reminded me of the pagoda at Peking University by the Weiming Lake. Maybe that’s when I started to develop a different kind of affection for pagodas. This time at Tiger Hill Pagoda, it was more magnificent and ancient, and more people came to see it, so it meant something different to me, making me feel more reverent.
4. After saying goodbye to Tiger Hill Pagoda, I started to look for the Sword Pool mentioned in the travel guide. The name reminded me of fierce ancient swordsmen fighting by the pool. After asking several people, I finally saw it with my own eyes. If it hadn’t been for the sign that said “Sword Pool”, I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell what I was looking at. It wasn’t disappointing, but it was indeed quite small. But then again, it’s true, if it were big, it wouldn’t be a pool anymore.
I really like the Sword Pool. The pool walls are covered with dense vegetation, and there’s a real sense of heroism. There were some yellow fish in the pool, but I don’t know why, they weren’t swimming around, but were instead blending in with the tranquility of Tiger Hill, sitting peacefully there, as if they were indifferent to the visitors.
A view of the Sword Pool
Another view of the Sword Pool
After seeing the Sword Pool, I had seen all the famous attractions of Tiger Hill. Because of the rain, I didn’t want to stay any longer. I walked around a few more places and decided to head back. It turned out that my concerns were justified, because soon it started to rain heavily. Before I could find shelter, I was already soaked.
But I didn’t get angry. Perhaps that’s the magic of travel. Even if something ordinary happens during your trip, even something that’s a little embarrassing in daily life, it becomes a little cute. It’s almost like it wouldn’t be a trip without these things.
A temple within Tiger Hill
Travel also made me re-examine life. Simply by changing locations, you can have a completely different feeling about life. If you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, Suzhou is a great choice. Take a walk in the gardens, and the competitive pressure of a first-tier city will disappear. When you go back, you’ll be a new person: )
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