China - Spring 2018, Suzhou – 3 Canglang and Pan Men

The Canglang Pavilion

Canglang Pavilion and its canal

     We spent only two full days in Suzhou. The second day, much like the first, was occupied with visiting two other gardens in the city. Our first stop was The Canglang Pavilion.

small interior garden 

       We took the metro from the convenient stop not far from our hotel to The Canglang Pavilion. After getting off the metro the garden is just a short walk and a right turn down a canal lined street. Parts of the garden are on both sides of the canal. As before, I was able to enter the garden free of charge since I am over 70 and Road Buddy got in for 50%.

small pond and simple buildings

lovely etched glass chandelier

     The Canglang Pavilion 滄浪亭 (Great Wave Pavilion) is an older, smaller and simpler garden than the Humble Administrators Garden, but it's interesting for the contrast. The relative simplicity of the garden has a kind of rustic charm in comparison with the more lavish Humble Administrator's Garden. The scale is also much smaller. The garden was built in the 11^th Century AD by a poet of the Song Dynasty named Su Shunqin. It is the oldest classical garden in Suzhou recognized by UNESCO.

 lotus themed open air window

interestingly curved building and walkways around the pond

moon gate into the small garden

the lotus pond

       After visiting the main garden, you can cross the canal and enter another garden through a moon gate. This smaller garden is dominated by a large lotus pond. With its drooping weeping willows just sprouting new leaves it was especially charming and serene.

fine lattice work on the covered curbing walkway

doors have different unusual shapes, this one like a vase

sensuous Red Camellia

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Panmen Scenic Area

statue dedicated to a heroic ox that worked hard
to build the site and died when it was finished

Ruiguang Pagoda 

     The second stop of the day was the Panmen Scenic Area. We had intended to use public transportation, but, due to various complications, ended up walking a couple of kilometers, stopped off at a local dumpling shop for a light lunch, then walked the rest of the way until we spotted the entrance the the park.

large scale landscape garden blooming in early Spring

Pan Men - the  "Land and Water Gate"

the main canal

       The Panmen 盤門 Scenic Area is what remains of the old city wall, the southern gate, and the park adjacent to it. The Pan Men or Pan Gate is located in the southwestern part of the Main Canal that surrounded Old Suzhou. The original structure is estimated to be around 2500-years-old. The southern gate is especially interesting for its water flow system. With an ingenious floodgate system it had the ability to control the flow of water in the main canal. Due to its use as a gate for the flow of water as well as a gate to the city, the Chinese people call it the "Land and Water Gate".

the floodgate (not shown) is raised and lowered by means of winches on either end 

a pond full of goldfish

and, of course, lovers in Spring

       The scenic area is noted for the "three landmarks of Pan Gate": the Pan Gate itself; the 7-step Ruiguang Pagoda, the earliest pagoda in Suzhou built in 247; the Wu Gate Bridge, the original entrance to the Pan Gate and the highest bridge in Suzhou at that time. The Ruiguang Pagoda is constructed of brick with wooden platforms and has simple Buddhist carvings at its base. The entire scenic area is a large scale landscape garden built with the traditional elements of water, stone, plants and wooden structures.

Wu Gate Bridge

      Our visit to the Panmen Scenic Area was the last stop on our itinerary in Suzhou. Next stop is West Lake in Hangzhou a couple hours by high speed train south of Shanghai.