Suzhou is in the distance of only one hour from Shanghai by the special express. To be said that powerful clans once competed for power in the gardens, to compare with noisiness of Shanghai, Suzhou shows far quiet and settled atmosphere.

(pic01) The starting point on the trip to Suzhou with the railway is Shanghai Station. It was full of the crowd of the unemployed and the beggar around the station as heard it. When coming in the assignation room in the station, it was dim but comfortable so the bustle of the outside was incredible. Free hot water was distributed in the car whether that was the commuting time zone. Chinese who became accustomed to travel were bringing the glass jar in which tea leafs were put in.
(pic02-03) We got to Suzhou Station of a bright making by the special express in one hour or less. There are a lot of day trip courses from Shanghai, too.
(pic04-09) It is Hanshan Temple as famous for the watch-night bell. You can always strike the bell though it was much smaller than I thought. The party of Hsi Yu Chi was met from the roof. The main priest here is a great calligrapher from generation to generation. When I secondly visited there in 2000 the generations was altered from 1997 and he was younger. However, he responded to visitor's request (according to the amount of the offering) as usual, and had written calligraphy. The local guide remarked that the value would go up in the future if you got it before it was too late.

(pic10-18) Zhuozheng(Humble Administrator's) Garden. It is a beautiful garden with the lotus pond having relaxed manner compared with Shanhai YuYuan Gardens.
(pic19-25) Ancient Panmen Gate is in the back of Suzhou Sheraton and you can enjoy the light from the window of the hotel. This gate is a very fortress facing to canal as Suzhou was enclosed by The Grand Canal and another waters. It is possible to look about the wave of the roofing tile of the town from on the arched bridge of the stonework laid on the canal. A doubtful curios were sold at the sleeve of the bridge.
(pic26-31) Liuyuan, or the Lingering Garden was next visitting. It was first laid out in 1522 AD, and the famous garden of today was completed through the repair that happens one after another.
(pic32-33) Suzhou is known of silk fabrics and embroideries as the special product from old age, too. It takes time when it is a thing of this size, and the person who can make it is limited.
(pic34-40) Huqiu, the Tiger Hill is King of Wu, He Lu's grave during the Spring and Autumn Period. The millennium-old Yunyan Pagoda of about 50m as the symbol is leaning about 15degrees, but it is not easy to understand because only the top floor was put straight afterward. The visited day was the day of the festival of the local minority by chance.
(pic41-42) My memory was vague though I thought that it was The Master-of-Nets Garden.
(pic43) The beautiful shuttle special express of two stories covers between Wuxi, Suzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou.