The six Harmonies Pagoda is situated on the Yuelun Hill which overlooks the Qiantang River and lies to the south of West Lake. It is one of the masterpieces of the architecture of ancient China. This pagoda was originally built during the period of Northern Song Dynasty by the ruler of Wuyue state and a part of which became the Zhejiang Province. The name Liuhe comes from six Buddhist ordinances and it is believed that this pagoda was build in order to clam the tidal waters of the Qiantang River for aiding navigation. In the year 1121, this pagoda was completely destroyed in a battle.

Six Harmonies Pagoda

The pagoda present today was constructed using woods and bricks during the period of Song dynasty and subsequently during the Ming and Qing dynasty. Additional exterior eaves have been added to this pagoda. It is in the shape of octagon and about 60 meters or 196 feet in height and it appears like being a thirteen storey structure although it has only seven interior stories. There is one spiral staircase which leads to the top floor and each of the seven ceilings are painted and carved figure which includes flowers, animals, characters and birds. Each storey of this pagoda includes four elements that are exterior walls, zigzagged corridor, a small chamber and the interior walls. When viewed from outside, this pagoda appears to be layered bright on the supper surface and being dark underneath which reflects the harmonious alteration of light as well as shade.

Six Harmonies Pagoda

You can have the spectacular view of the Qiantang River Bridge while ascending the pagoda which spans the surging tides of this river. The Six Harmonies Pagoda nearby is an exhibition centre which details the ancient pagodas in China which was set up in the recent years upon the Yuelun Hill. So, you can visit the Six Harmonies Pagoda and learn the various architectural styles of ancient Pagodas which are found within China.

Xitang is a very popular town having history of more than thousand years. It lies in the Jianshan County in the City of Jiaxing of Zhejiang Province. It dates back to the Period of Spring and Autum and the Warring States. This town was the place of strategic importance on the boundary of the Yue and Wu states. It has a flat terrain which is marked by natural and quiet environment with the rivers running through it. You can get the bird eye view of the whole town and blue water sparkling in the every point the eyes reflections and touch of the houses in water. The handsome Bridges, quiet water, and reflections in the rosy sunset and early morning with fishing boats and glistening lights in the evening forms the amazing picture. A full sense of poetry can be observed when the south lower reaches the Yangtze River.

Xitang Water Town

There are many well preserved buildings of the Ming dynasty and Qing Dynasty in this town. They have a very high artistic quality and research value. These are famous for various corridors, bridges and lanes.

The covered corridor is one of the most beautiful scenes of this town. It offers very distinctive features and is historic as compared to other water towns. It has many sections and the whole covered corridor is more than thousand meters long which attracts visitor from all over the world due to its charm. It is tile roofed which is built along the riverside and provides the shelter to the people for avoiding the hot sun and rain. So, you will never be caught in the sun or exposed to the hot sun while visiting this wonderful town. One of the sections of this corridor is very elegant and it has carved decorative patterns which are praised by a large number of tourists due to its artistic perfection. There are high back davenports on the one side of the covered corridor where you can take rest along the river.

Xitang Water Town

Su Dangpo, a famous Poet of Song Dynasty has compared the West Lake to Xi Zi, the most beautiful women of ancient chain in his composition. These poetic sentiments leave no one in doubt about the glory of the scenery of West Lake which inspired them.

West Lake was originally a shallow inlet of sea and due to the lying down of the silt the area of about 5.68 km has become the famous lake. The cultural landscape of this lake was initiated in the ninth century and it took its shape in the 13^th century and has been thrived since 18^th century. It has been the home of the Chinese culture, paradise of all strata of Chinese people and a famous lake in china for over ten centuries and has longest history and biggest influence. It was also listed in the World Heritage List in June 2011 by the Committee of 35^th World Heritage Conference in Paris.

West Lake

This lake has an average depth of five feet and comprises of five distinct sections. The largest part is called Outer lank which is bounded by the Yuehu Lake, North Inner Lake, Lesser South Lake and West Inner Lake. It is surrounded by hilly peak on its three sides and has been a center for attraction for centuries. The lake an its environment has all the elements of a traditional Chinese garden on a grand scale. The natural and strange shaped peaks, springs, forests, dense foliage and blossoms especial in the spring time are enhanced by the treasures of architectural and sculpture features.  All over the year, the panorama is very much pleasing to the eyes and the weather is intoxicating.

There are various features of this lake which are worthy to be noted. There is a man made island to the south of the centre of the Outer Lake which is known as island of Little Oceans enclosing four small lakes. You can get the views of Three Pools Mirroring the Moon at the night and when the night candles are lit you can see the impression of the reflection of three moons. The North Inner Lake and Outer Lake are ideal spots for admiring the vistas. The Tow Peaks Embracing the Sky is another sight when you will cross the lake by boat.

West Lake

If you have ever wanted to escape from the noisy metropolis then you can go to the Thousand Islets Lake or the Qian Dao Lake for experiencing something special and something new.

Thousand Islets Lake is a pure lake having clean and fresh air and more than 80 percent of the area covered with forests. It is relatively a new lake which was formed in the year 1959 due to the construction of a New Anjiang Hydroelectric Power Station. This is a beautiful lake which is having 1078 islets which shows different views in different seasons. It is a rich lake which is abounded with fish and surrounded by the trees of tea, mulberry and fruits. This lake is a delightful lake for many activities, enjoying the natural scenery, observing the wild animals and local culture.

Thousand Islets Lake

Thousand Islets Lake lies in the Chun’an County, which is about 150 Km to the west of Hangzhou City and 140 km to the southeast of Mt. Huangshan. It is like the pearl in the route of the Hangzhou-Thousand Islet Lake-Mt. Huangshan and very famous all over the world.

Thousand Islets Lake is popular for mountains, exotic caves, crystal clear water and strange stones. The scenic area can be divided into mainly six sections based on the geographical locations i.e. Southeast Lake District, Central Lake District, Southwest lake District, Northeast Lake District, Northwest Lake District and Fuxi Stone Forest. Each one of these is having its own striking and unique landscape.

Thousand Islets Lake

The best time for visiting this lake is during the autumn and winter when there is less rainfall. The fine weather, fresh and cool air and clean water are most enjoyable at that time. You can also taste some of the distinctively cooked seafoods as well as local foods. You can also take some souvenirs like hemp embroideries, inkstones and products made from pearls to home.

Thousand Islet Lake is the largest forest park in China currently. It has also been awarded with many titles and received appreciation from both domestic and international tourists which makes it a place worth visit.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is also known as the Grand Canal and is the longest and earliest artificial river in the world. This canal is about ten times to that of the length of Suez Canal and about twenty two times to that of Panama Canal. It originates in the north near Beijing and ends in Hangzhou to the south. Five river systems and six provinces are connected by this canal. In history, this canal served as the artery of communication between north and south.  For over 2500 year, many rich historical relic sights have been discovered along this river. Like the Great Wall of China, this canal is regarded as one of the greatest project of Chinese ancient time.

Beijing-Hangzhou Grand canal

This canal is divided into mainly seven parts having different names- Tonghui River, North Canal, South Canal, Lu Canal, Middle Canal, Li Canal and Jianganan Canal. Each of these canals lies in the different province of China. Scenery along each of these sections of the canal is very charming and worth visiting. However, the sceneries in the Hangzhou Province are most attractive and marvelous. More than 40 sites can be admired and they include various museums, squares, parks, bridges, temples and local residences.

Beijing-Hangzhou Grand canal

You can take a cruise on the Grand Canal in the section where it passes through the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. The first ever cruise line on Grand Canal was launched in the Wuxi City of Jiangsu Province in the early 1980s. it has attracted a lot of visitors from worldwide. The line later was expended to more cities which include Changzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Yangzhou.

There are Cruise Ships available on this canal from Yangzhou to Suzhou. In the section of Hangzhou, you can find many Hydro-busses leaving from different wharf offering visitors a chance for admiring the scenery of canal in less than two hours.

The poem of A Night Mooring near Maple Bridge was written by the Zhang Ji, who was a poet of Tang Dynasty. In this poem, Zhang has described that the midnight bell ringing of the Hanshan Temple or The Cold Mountain Temple. Since that time, this temple has become very famous and especially for its Buddhism culture and bell rings.

This temple is situated at about three miles or five kilometers from the Fengqiao Old Town of Suzhou. It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, a famous monk Han Shan had came to take the charge of the temple and hence this temple was named after him. It was originally built during the Liang Dynasty and was repaired in the following dynasties. It covers an area of about three acres or 10,600 square meters and represents the architectural style of Qing Dynasty. It includes Sutra Collection Building, Grand Prayer Hall, Fengjiang Pavilion, Bell Tower and Tablet Corridors. In the year 1995, a five storey Buddhism pagoda which is about 138 feets in height and called as Puming Pagoda was erected. It became the symbolic building of this temple. There are many other historical relics in this temple like statue of han Shan, the stone tablet inscription of A Night Mooring near Maple Bridge poem and few other tablet inscriptions written by some famous intellectuals of ancient China.

Hanshan Temple

Hanshan Temple is one of the most famous temples in the Chinese history and often boasts about its bell rings. This bell was modeled in the year 1904 which is not on the tower. Every year on the Eve of New year of Chinese lunar calendar, this bell is tolled for praying for the safety and happiness of the coming New Year and this festival attracts hundred of tourist from domestic and abroad.

The Hanshan Temple is a Buddhist Temple and the statue of Buddhist Patriarch Sakyamuni is there for people for making offerings in the Hall of Grand Prayer. There are bronze statue of three eminent monks in the Hongfa hall which are Xuang Zang, jian Zhen and Kong hai. This temple is the place where most important Buddhism activities are held.

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Su Shi, a famous poet of Song Dynasty said, ‘It is a lifelong pity if having visited Suzhou you did not visit Tiger Hill’. This shows the importance of this local beauty spot having many attractions which this article will endeavor describing for you.

Also known as the Surging Sea hill, the Tiger Hill is a large hillock which covers over three acres or about 14100 square meters and about 36 meters or 118 feet in height. You will find many historical sites which traced back to about 2500 year ago while climbing on this hill. It is a small hill but having rich history.

Tiger Hill

The tomb of King He Lu is famous as in 496 BC during the autumn and Spring Period, He Lu, King of Wu was perished during the war fought against Yue. His son buried him within this hill and after three days after the funeral white tiger came and sat upon the grave as guarding it. Since then, it is being known as the Tiger Hill.

Tiger Hill Pagoda lies on the summit of hill and Yunyan Temple’s Pagoda. It is one of the oldest pagodas in Suzhou and has become a symbol of this city. It has the distinction of being the Leaning Tower of China. It was built during Song Dynasty and is seven storeys after the style of the timber pagodas which was build during the early period of Tang Dynasty.

Tiger Hill

Sword Testing Stone and Sword Pool is the another attractive destination of Tiger hill. King He Lu was a collector of rare swords which he tested them upon this stone. The crevice in the rock is the evidence for the existence of these swords and it is believed that they were buried under the Sword Pool as funerary project. Other interesting places are the Lu Yu well which is famous as Lu Yu has excavated this well and declared that the water of this well is the 3^rd best in China and also for the Lu Yu tea growing and consumption. Verdant Mountain Villa and Wanjing Villa are some other attractions.

Zhouzhuang Water town, situated in the Kunshan City is the most famous water town in China. It is about 30 kilometers to the southeast of Suzhou. It has profound cultural background, elegant watery view, well preserved residential houses of ancient times and strong local customs and traditions. Zhouzhuang was the part of fief Yaochen and known as Zhenfengli in the autumn and Spring Period during 770 to 477 BC. Ti was donated to the Full Fortune or Quanfu Temple by Zhou Digong which was a very devout Buddhist in the year 1086, during the Northern Song Dynasty; it has got its present name in the memory of the donor.

Zhouzhuang Water Town

It has an area of about half of a square kilometer or 124 acres and 60 percent of structure of Zhouzhuang was built during the period of Ming and Qing Dynasty. You can have the breathtaking sights by taking the convenient transport in Zhouzhuang, gondola.

Zhouzhuang is divided and surrounded by many lakes, rivers and bridges along the rivers which show distinctive views of the water town. The twin Bridges Yongan Bridges and Shide bridges are most famous and considered as the symbol of Zhouzhuang. Twin bridges look like the old style Chinese key. Fuan Bridge was built in the year 1355 during the Yuan Dynasty and is located at the eastern end of Zhongshi Jie. It is combination of single arch bridge and towers of this bridge are used as tea rooms, stores and restaurants. It is the best place for appreciating the views while taking a rest.

Zhouzhuang Water Town

Shen house is located at the southeast of Fuan Bridge and was built in 1742. It was private property of Shen Wansan who was the first millionaire of Jiangnan or the South of Yangtze River during the early of Ming Dynasty. This has architecture of Ming Style and covers are area of about two thousand square meters. It has over 100 rooms and divided into three sections. Each section is connected by the aisles and arcades. The first on is the water gate where the family of Shen washed clothes and moored boats and middle part has the tearoom, gate tower and main hall. Other attractions include Zhang House,  Milou Tower and Hengxu Taioist Temple.

Lion Grove Garden is located in the north east of Suzhou city at 23 Yuanlin Road and has a profound cultural background with convenient development advantages. It is one of the four most popular gardens representing gardens of ancient and classical style of Suzhou City.

Lion Grove Garden

It was built by Monk Tianru and a group of Xen Buddhist disciples in 1342 during the Yuan dynasty in the memory of their master Monk Zhongfeng. This garden has been changed hands and renamed many times. It has significant history as Monk Zhongfeng has apperceived the sutras of Buddhism at the Lion Cliffs on the Xitianmu Mountain in the Zhejiang Province. There are many rocks in the shape resembling Lion in this garden. This garden was given the name of Lion Grove at first and this was changed to the Bodhi Orthodox Temple or Puti Zhengzong in the year 1342. This garden has been a popular center of activities and literati’s and Buddhism activities. Many poems and paintings were inspired by this garden at that time. After the death of Monk Tianru and disbandment of disciples, this garden grew dilapidated day by day. In the year 1589 during the Ming Dynasty, Monk Mingxiang rebuilt the garden and the temple which was seperated during the reign of the Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty. The Governor of Hengzhu, Huang Xingzu bought this garden and renamed it to She Garden. The garden was repaired and decorated by his son Huang Xi and gave a new name Five-Pine Garden in the year 1771. It was again ruined due to the downfall of Huang and purchased by Bei family in the year 1917. Later it became steady and well protected after 1949.

Lion Grove Garden

It covers and are of about ten thousand square meter and ideal for site seeing as it has ornamental towers and pavilions in different style and each one having his own story and history. True Delight Pavilion is one of them and is magnificent due to its royal style. The other attractions are Standing in Snow Hall which has a Buddhist story and Pavilion for Greeting the Plum Blossoms where poets and painters indited. There are plum trees all around the pavilion and the utensils and furniture are decorated and carved beautifully with the plum blossom designs. There are many stales and tablets, paintings and calligraphy in this garden including some precious artworks from Ming Dynasty.

Lingering Garden occupies an area of about 23,300 square meters or about 5.8 acres and is located outside the Changmen Gate of Suzhou in the Jiangsu Province. It was originally a private garden and one of the four most famous gardens of China. It posses the typical Qing Style and is well known for its exquisite beauty of its magnificent halls and the buildings having various shapes, sizes and colors. This Garden was also listed in the world heritage site by UNESCO in the year 1997.

The lingering Garden

It has a history of over 400 years and has changed several times since then. Each of the owners did his best to make this garden a perfect one. It was build for the first time in the year 1593 during the period of Ming Dynasty by Xu Tai, a retired official. It was bought by Li Shu during the Qing Dynasty. As a lover of calligraphy, he had carved masterpieces on the both sides of the corridors of the buildings. He had also collected the unusual shaped stones in the garden. The succeeding owners also followed his model while doing the restoration works. This garden almost demolished in the year 1930 and was repaired by the government and made open to the public.

Like the other famous gardens of Suzhou, this garden also creates the stunning natural landscapes within the limited space. This garden has domiciles, private gardens and ancestral temples. There are buildings, trees and flowers blended harmoniously in the surroundings of this garden. This garden is divided into central, eastern, western and northern parts according to the style of the buildings.

The Lingering Garden

The central part of this garden is the main essence of the whole complex. This was the original Lingering Garden and other parts were added during the Qing Dynasty. You can reach there after going through the winding corridors from gate of the garden. The central part is divided into eastern and western part. The former part has pools and hills while later part dominates in classical buildings. The Celestial Hall of Five peak is the largest hall in the eastern part of the garden and western part has natural scenery.