Suzhou temples · Temples in Suzhou
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Temples in Suzhou
Temples in Suzhou
Ding Hui Temple (DingHui Si), DingHui Temple Lane (Off Fenghuang St). A recently constructed temple on the site of a Tang Dynasty temple. Little more than two huge 300 year-old Ginkgo trees and some stone pillar bases remain from the original complex after it was demolished and a factory built atop in 1949. Free. �
Cold Mountain Temple (HanShan Si), (South of the Grand Canal). Established in the Liang dynasty (502-557AD), most of the buildings date from the Tang Dynasty except for the recently built 5 story pagoda. �
North Temple Pagoda, Renmin Lu (Bus #4 from train station, second stop). Viewable from the train station, the peak of the pagoda is Suzhou's most famous. A garden and temples are on the grounds. ¥25. �
Panmen city gates (Pán Mén), DongDa Jie. 7:30AM-5:30PM. Built 2,500 years old by the state of Wu in the Warring States Period. It is renowned for its unique structure as a combined water and land gate. The remaining wall is 300m long and 5m high. Visiting Pan Men includes access to a large and rather lovely garden with ponds and pavilions (feed the koi for ¥�2), a boat ride, the city water and land gate, and an original foot bridge over the grand canal. You can also climb the 2-storey, 53-m high Auspicious Light Pagoda which was built in 1004 B.C. This however is for an extra fee of �12 ¥25. �
Twin Pagodas (Shuāng Tǎ), DingHui Temple Lane. 8AM-5PM. A pair of brick Northern Song Dynasty pagodas stand sentinel over the stark remains of an Arhat Temple from the same era. Mostly intact stone pillars, gracefully carved with floral designs, at the corners of the foundation give a sense the invisible halls size and a stone etching at the rear of the garden helps you fill in the rest. An Octagonal The temple was damaged in the Qing dynasty and abandoned totally at the onset of Chinas republic. The grounds are peaceful but feel like stone graveyard with fragments of carvings displayed around the outer wall or otherwise used as stands for bonsai plants. ¥8. �
Temple of Mystery (Xuán Miào Guān), Guanqian Jie. 7:30-5PM. A large Taoist hall perpetually obscured by a curtain of joss smoke of devotes eager to placate the gods inside. The temple was established in the 3rd century and broadened to its present size in the Song Dynasty, where it became a popular spot for travelling magicians and acrobats. The erstwhile performers have given way to a multitude of stalls selling meretricious worldly goods on which you can easily make your money disappear. The main Sanxing Dian hall was rebuilt in 1811 to hold Song Dynasty deity statues, later destroyed by Red Guards they occupied the hall during the cultural revolution. The present sculptures are modern reproductions. Of greater antiquity is a stone impressed with the footprints of a Taoist god, found in the Ming dynasty. The stone is genuine, but the origins of the feet less certain. ¥10. �
Confucian Temple, (Located in the south west of the old town, near to Canglang Pavilion garden.). A large complex that appears to be closed for renovation in 5/2010 �
Huqiu Tower (虎丘塔; Hǔqiūtǎ; also known as Yunyan Pagoda or Tiger Hill Pagoda). Built during the Song dynasty from 959 to 961. Previously a Buddhist temple, the site was burned during the cultural revolution. Some buildings have been reconstructed and the is a 48-m tall brick pagoda with seven stories and eight sides remains, though now shy of its wooden outer skin. The pagoda one of the few remaining examples of pagodas of this type. Tiger Hill is of enormous importance historically and culturally, but much of its significance will likely be lost on foreign visitors. ¥60, tours from ¥60-100 are negotiable. Also for those less able to climb the hill, electric carts make the journey for ¥20 per person.. �
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Suzhou Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
