Jiangsu Suzhou Tiger Hill, China

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Suzhou Tiger Hill

The Tiger Hill is outside of Suzhou, a city of Jiangsu Province, with its original name "Haiyong Hill".

The hillside are covered with pine trees and plum trees, and many rivers are surrounded this 34 meters high hill. It is a historic and cultural interest and got its name "Tiger Hill" in Eastern Jin Dynasty (265-420A.D.).

King of the Wu State, He Lu, in the Spring and Autumn Period (722~484B.C.), had his palace built on the hill and was believed to be buried here after his death. During the years of Jin Dynasty (265-420A.D.), people built two temples on the east and the west of the hill; and called it "the Tiger Hill Temple".

In 1341, the 4th year of Zhizheng Period of Yuan Dynasty, tow hill gates were built. In the years of Tang Dynasty, people chiseled the hill to irrigate springs and built dams to keep water. During the last few years of Yuan Dynasty, a soil city was built around the hill and the hill became an old castle with many great views since then.

There are many historic relics connected with fairy tales on the hill. During the trip, you will see a well-named Hanhan Spring in the west of the hill and a stone named Shijian. If you are going north, you will find a tomb of a female singer, to the east is the Sun Wu Zi Pavilion.

There is a giant stone sits at the end of the road, can hold a thousand people named "Thousand People Stone". There are inscriptions made in Later Zhou and Ming Dynasty on the stone. Besides the inscriptions, there is a stone stand named "Sheng Gong Stand".

It is said that monk Zhu Daosheng was once preached on the stand. His speech was so touching that even the stones were nod. This is the original of the Chinese common saying: "When monk Sheng Gong preach, the stones nod".

Climbing along the stone stairs, you will see the pagoda of Yun Yan Temple, which has eight sides and seven floors. The pagoda called "the Tiger Hill Temple Pagoda" in Eastern Jin Dynasty. Due to its old age and lack of repair, the pagoda was fence up in Ming Dynasty.

Now, after several times rebuilt, it is firm enough for the visitors to climb the structure. The pagoda is also called "the Oblique Pagoda of China", for its center of gravity is more than one meter away to north.

People says traveling around the Tiger Hill just like reading a history book, one day is not enough. Going down the hill, the road will lead you to the back hill, which has a great forest.