Suzhou was twinned with Kanazawa in 1981 and the year 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of Suzhou-Kanazawa friendship. The two cities have initiated friendly exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, culture, craft, education, sports, environmental protection, etc., which has yielded rich fruit.
To enhance local residents’ understanding of Suzhou, Kanazawa is planning to introduce Suzhou in four different sessions from this year to April, 2022. Last Saturday (May 22), Kanazawa posted pictures of Suzhou classical gardens with the Humble Administrator’s Garden and Lingering Garden as the representatives on Facebook and microblogging platform Weibo to present Suzhou flavor to Japanese people.
As an icon of Suzhou for the world, Suzhou gardens are recognized as the highlights of Chinese classical gardens.
Hundreds of classical gardens, big or small, sprung up in Suzhou in the Ming (1368 – 1644 AD) and Qing (1644- 1911 AD) dynasties. Dozens of the gardens remain well-preserved today and nine were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Humble Administrator’s Garden
拙政园/拙政園
With an area of 5.6 hectares (13.8 acres), the Humble Administrator’s Garden is the largest and most renowned classical garden in Suzhou. It is one of the four most famous gardens in China and a 5A-class tourist spot. The garden is made up of three parts, namely the east, central and west parts, and centered on a pond, with all the pavilions, terraces, corridors fronting the water.
The Lingering Garden
留园/留園
The Lingering Garden, covering an area of 5.6 acres, is one of nine “Classical Gardens of Suzhou” on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and reputed as one of China’s four famous gardens. It boasts striking architecture, perfectly combined corridors, artificial hills, rocks, and water features.
The Lion Grove Garden
狮子林/獅子林
The Lion Grove Garden is best known for its complex rockery maze. The large multi-story rock maze rises to seven meters or about 23 feet and has numerous openings and routes. Many tourists come to the garden especially for the amazing labyrinth every year.
The Master of the Nets Garden
网师园/網師園
The Master of the Nets Garden is made up of a residential quarter and the garden proper. Inside the refined residential quarter, the halls are linked closely by a corridor. The garden is delicate but substantial, and is centered on a pond and decorated with plants, rocks, pavilions, and stone bridges.
The Surging Waves Pavilion
沧浪亭/滄浪亭
The Surging Waves Pavilion covers an area of 1.08 hectares and is the oldest of the Suzhou gardens that can be traced back to the Northern Song Dynasty (960 – 1127 AD).