This summer, 10 students and two faculty members are traveling to China to enhance their Chinese language skills while experiencing the country’s vast and diverse cultural landscape. Please enjoy this next blog post below from Jeanne ’26 where she recounts a full-day adventure to Suzhou, featuring legendary tales at Tiger Hill, serene strolls through UNESCO gardens, and shopping in the ancient Pingjiang District.
This Saturday, June 14th, we departed at 9 am for our day trip to Suzhou. I woke up bright and early and ate bao zi (stuffed steamed buns, yum) for breakfast on my way to the metro. After the long commute, I took a break in the shelter of the air-conditioned CIEE building before meeting outside in the heat and humidity with my fellow adventurers for the launch of our excursion.
While the bus ride was long, it was filled with beautiful views of either cityscapes or nature. After an hour and a half, we exited the bus and were greeted, once again, by light rain. However, we did not let this day’s continual sprinkles interfere with our plans. Our first stop was 虎丘(Tiger Hill). We were led by a wonderful guide who escorted us through the rocky mountainous paths to the temple at the top of the hill, all the while telling us stories of swords splitting rocks, kings, tigers, and tombs. Tiger Hill was previously known as “the Hill Emerging from the Sea,” but its name was changed upon the death of the famous and prominent King Helu. Local legend claims that three days after the king was buried, a white tiger was seen roaming about. People speculated it had come to guard the king’s burial site. Some of my witty peers drew parallels between this story and the timing of Jesus’s death and resurrection in the Bible.
When we reached the top, we saw the Tiger Hill Pagoda, which, despite leaning at a distinct angle, will never fall since government engineers intervened and took measures to ensure that it remains standing. It is frequently called the “Leaning Tower of China!” After descending the mountain via dozens of stairs, we entered a peaceful garden. Offering many comfortable seats, the garden allowed the group to take a much-needed break to rest.
After leaving the garden, we all boarded the bus again and drove 40 minutes to our lunch venue. Lunch was a traditional Chinese meal, as one might expect. Our large, round table had a lazy-Susan in the middle. This rotating platform allows the dishes to be spun around so that all the diners can eventually access each dish easily. The lunch included eggplants, bok Choi, lotus roots, steamed eggs, rice, different meat dishes, and much more, including the ubiquitous tea. Satisfied and sated, we left the restaurant and walked to the Humble Administrator’s Garden.
Also known as 拙政园 in Chinese, this garden is the largest in Suzhou, covering around 13 acres. Many consider it to be the finest garden in all of southern China, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was created in the 16th century by a very influential and powerful man who retired from the Emperor’s court to become a
gardener. The Humble Administrator’s Garden is expansive and is composed of dozens of buildings, pavilions, a pond, and numerous landscaping wonders, including many gorgeous flowers, bushes, and trees. The tour was lengthy but fascinating in its history and amazing in its beauty.
When we exited the garden, we turned to the last segment of our trip. The Pingjiang Historical District (平江历史文化街区） is an ancient component of Suzhou, with over 2,500 years of history. The group was allowed free roam of the narrow street filled with bustling shops, just as long as you remained with a buddy. Some popular stops among our party were the White Rabbit Candy shop and a tea shop where you could buy hibiscus leaves to create lovely drinks. Following our free time, we made our way back to the bus and settled in for our long drive back to CIEE headquarters. After arriving and eager to get home, I immediately headed back in the dark to the metro station. Exhausted from our field trip but happy to have experienced it, we looked forward to our final destination for the day, our homestay families, and the warm welcome we knew awaited us
