Zhouzhuang and Tour

13th-15th July, 2018

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“Suzhou: One of the 35 beautiful cities in the world you must see in your lifetime.” —The Telegraph, 1 May, 2018

Celebrating 15 Years of the UN Study Programme

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Itinerary

Friday, 13th July

 1:00 pm: Depart from U on tour bus for Zhouzhuang

 4:30 pm: Arrive in Zhouzhuang and check in the water-side hotel

 5:30 pm: Dinner at hotel

 7:00 pm: Show/Performance "Zhouzhuang in Four Seasons"

Saturday, 14th July

 7:00 am: Breakfast at hotel

 8:30-11:30 am: Tour Zhouzhuang, the Water Town

 12:30 pm: Depart for Suzhou

 2:00 pm: Arrive in Suzhou and visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden

 5:00 pm: Dinner

 7:00 pm: Cruise on the

Sunday, 15th July

 7:00 am Breakfast at hotel

 8:30 am Tour Pingjiang Old Street

 11:00 am Visit Suzhou High School and lunch at School

 1:00 pm Depart for with a stop at the Christian Church by the

Dushu Lake

 4:30 pm Return to Nanjing

*Tour details are subject to change depending on local conditions.

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PartⅠⅠⅠ: Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang, one of the most famous water-towns in China, is situated in City, 30 km southeast of Suzhou. It is noted for its profound cultural background, well-preserved ancient residential houses, elegant waters and traditional lifestyle with a strong local flavor. In the (770-476 B.C.), Zhouzhuang was a part of the fief Yaocheng, called Zhenfengli. Zhouzhuang got its present name in 1086 during the Northern Song Dynasty, in the memory of Zhou Digong, a very devout Buddhist, who donated this piece of land to the Quanfu (Full Fortune) Temple. The town covers an area of 3600 hectares. About 60 percent of its residential houses were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. With lakes on four sides, the beauty of Zhouzhuang is specially to be found along the waterside lanes and around a number of the stone bridges. A different vista at every turn can be found here. All those make a visit most enjoyable. Also, one can enjoy the fairyland atmosphere of the evenings here when the myriad stars twinkle as though in communication with the glittering lights.

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Accommodation: Shui Zhi Yun Hotel

Shui Zhi Yun Hotel is located in Zhouzhuang, covering an area of about 60 mu (roughly 40,000 square meters) and a floor area of over 30,000 square meters. The outside of the hotel is built in a local antique architectural style and inside there are comfortable modern living rooms, clean and tidy. The hotel integrates guestrooms, dining halls, a recreation center and a fitness center and office rooms. It adheres to the purpose of “guests supremacy, service first”.

Scenic Spots in Zhouzhuang

Shuangqiao (Twin Bridges)

Twin Bridges, or the Shide Bridge and Yongan Bridge, in the northeast of the town, are the most famous and have been considered as the symbol of Zhouzhuang. The bridges were built during the Wanli reign (1573-1619) of the Ming Dynasty. Shide Bridge lies east-west and has a round arch, while Yongan Bridge goes north-south and has a square arch. Joining each other after crossing the two rivers, Yinzi Creek and Nabeishi River, respectively, the Twin Bridges look like an old-fashioned Chinese key. In 1984, Chen Yifei, a promising contemporary Chinese painter, exhibited 38 of his canvases in a New York gallery owned by Armand Hammer, chairman of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation. One of his works,

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Memory of Hometown, which depicts the Twin Bridges, drew worldwide attention to Zhouzhuang. The painting was chosen as the design of the first-day cover of the United Nations’ postage stamps in 1985.

Fu’an Bridge

Located at the eastern end of Zhongshi Street, Fu’an Bridge was built in 1355 during the Yuan Dynasty. The unique trait of the bridge is the consummate combination of the single-arch bridge and the bridge towers used as tearooms, restaurants and stores, as well as a venue to appreciate the water views.

The Zhang House

The Zhang House was built by Xu family in the Zhengtong reign (1436 - 1449) of the Ming Dynasty and bought by the Zhang family in the early Qing Dynasty. Located to the south of the Twin Bridges, the Zhang House has more than 70 rooms in an area of about 1,800 square meters. The Ruojing River winding through it makes the Zhang House a dapper and graceful residential house with a tranquil courtyard, a pond and various halls.

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The Shen House

Located at the southeast side of Fuanqiao Bridge, the Shen House was built in 1742 as a private property of the descendants of Shen Wansan, the first millionaire in the area south of the River in the early Qing Dynasty. The whole complex is of the Qing architectural style. It occupies an area of more than 2,000 square meters and has over 100 rooms divided in three sections. The first section includes the water gate and wharf, where the Shens moored boats and washed clothes. The middle section includes the gate tower, the tearoom and the main hall. The bricks of the gate tower are carved with lively and ingenious figures, which either tell historic stories or express good wishes. The tearoom and main hall, where the owner met his guests, are very elegantly furnished. The last section, which consists of several buildings in a different style, is comfortably furnished. In Datang Tower, a colored sculpture of the legendary Shen Wansan is displayed, while precious cultural relics collected by the family are exhibited in Xiaotang Tower and Back Hall.

Milou Tower

Once called the Des' Tavern, Milou Tower perches next to Zhenfeng Bridge situated at

6 the southwest corner of Zhouzhuang. It is famous for being a rallying place of the literati in old times. Numerous poems, songs and stories about Milou Tower have been widely spread in the country.

Chengxu Taoist Temple

Standing on Zhongshi Street, on the opposite of the Puqing Bridge, Chengxu Taoist Temple, also known as Shengtang Hall, was built during 1086-1093 of the Song Dynasty. After several expansions, it became one of the most famous Taoist temples in the Yangtze River Delta. In an area of 1,500 square meters, there are masterpiece Taoist architectures in simple but majestic style, including the Shengdi and Doumu halls, and the pavilions of Yuhuang, Wenchang and Shengdi.

Cultural Resources in Zhouzhuang

Grandma Tea

People of Zhouzhuang have a way of drinking tea. They use ancient tea sets, boil water in

7 pottery or earthen jars, and have bamboo slices or branches as fuel. Several minutes after washing the tea, they pour on it boiled water. By such means, the tea, beautiful in color, is both fragrant and tasteful. It was named Grandmother Tea because people used to see groups of old women sitting together and drinking tea leisurely.

Bambooware and Bronze Braziers

Bamboo wares A bronze brazier

Bamboo wares and bronze braziers have also won enormous acclaim for Zhouzhuang. The durable bamboo-ware is known far and wide for its fine workmanship, while the exquisite bronze braziers of many shapes once won a prize in the South Pacific Industrial Expo and the reputation of “Zhouzhuang Braziers”.

Local Customs in Zhouzhuang

Fast Boating

Fast boating goes far back to the Qing dynasty, originally started to raise the morale of soldiers. Later on, people held races on holidays, in weddings, and during the time of harvests. At present, travel boats are provided for tourists to do sightseeing around.

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PartⅡⅡⅡ:Ⅱ: Suzhou

With tremendous historical heritages, nature beauties and cultural treasures, Suzhou has been called the paradise on earth, the capital of scholars, the capital of the silk, and the city of gardens in China. Its gardens are on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites, and are generally renowned as masterpieces of the genre of classic Chinese garden design. UNESCO says: “Dating from the 11th-19th century, the gardens reflects the profound metaphysical importance of natural beauty in Chinese culture in their meticulous design.” The city's extensive network of canals is still a vital link for local transportation, truly making Suzhou the “Venice of the East”. The name Suzhou in particular brings to mind the notion of “a magic land heavenly bestowed with wealth and talent”. Thus, it is also wondrous to note how productive the land has been in turning out the finest scholars for China. The sheer number is stunning, mind-boggling—over half of the Qing Empire’s “Zhuangyuan” ( 状 元 ), or number-one imperial scholars, were from this city and its vicinity throughout the entire Qing dynasty. Retired scholars brought back wealth, as well as refined style and cultivated taste. And they had a particular passion for gardens. Suzhou is now the most exquisite garden city in China, noted for its unique layout, intertwined with waterways, stone bridges and private gardens.

Humble Administrator’s Garden

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The Humble Administrator’s Garden, covering about 52,000 square meters (12.85 acres), is the largest and most renowned garden in Suzhou. It is listed as a World Cultural Heritage site and has also been designated as one of the Cultural Relics of National Importance under the Protection of the State. Built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Humble Administrator’s Garden was initially a private garden of a former government servant named Wang Xianchen. It was said that he intended to build a garden after retired and just do some gardening work like planning trees and vegetables there, which was said to be the life a humble man by him. Hence is the name of the garden. The garden was created upon the old relics of a resident and a temple. Water feature is the main background and its natural landscape includes small forests, hills and rock formations. It also has man-made pavilions, halls and parlors. The garden consists of Eastern, Central and Western sections as well as some residences of the former owners. The resident houses are typical of the style of Suzhou Residences, whose feature can be seen in the famous water township Zhouzhuang.

Suzhou Garden Museum

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Suzhou is most famous for its many UNESCO World Heritage gardens, and this museum reveals the secrets of the city’s landscaping artists, designers, and craftsmen. Here, visitors can discover how each garden is constructed through a complicated multi-layered process. Mountains, water features, flowering shrubs and other organic elements are blended seamlessly together, creating the stunning natural backdrops to classical oriental pavilions and pagodas. The museum is located just next to the Humble Administrator’s Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan), and is worth a visit to get a better understanding of the design intricacies behind Suzhou’s famous gardens.

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The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal of China, also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, is the longest canal or artificial river in the world. Starting at Beijing, it passes through Tianjin and the provinces of Hebei, Shandong, (Suzhou) and Zhejiang to the city of Hangzhou. The oldest parts of the canal date back to the 5th century BC, although the various sections were finally combined during the Sui Dynasty (581-618AD). The total length of the Grand Canal is 1,776km (1,103miles). The canal's size and grandeur won it the admiration of many throughout history, including the Japanese monk Ennin, the Persian historian Rashid al-Din, the Korean official Choe Bu and the Italian missionary Matteo Ricci.The Grand Canal furthered an indigenous and growing economic market in China's urban centers since the Sui period. It has allowed faster trading and has improved China's economy.

Pingjiang Old Street

The Pingjiang Old Street has a 2,500-year history and the best-preserved cultural-protection zone of old Suzhou. It maintains the style of the Song Dynasty. For an authentic taste of city life in old Suzhou, a stroll down Pingjiang Old Street is a great way to

11 get acquainted with the local vibe. Quiet, leafy and slow-paced, the street is lined with old Chinese houses as well as restaurants and teahouses serving traditional food and drink, upscale cafés catering to the historical chic crowd, as well as a few hostels. Walking along the street, you'll see boatmen (and women) guiding punt-style boats down the canal that runs alongside it. As they pass, you can hear them singing traditional Chinese songs to their passengers. If you're lucky, you might be in for a special treat, as the Opera Society occasionally performs by the canal in full operatic regalia, surprising the locals and tourists alike.

Old Suzhou High School

Suzhou High School of Jiangsu Province is located on Sanyuan Fang of Renmin Road in the city of Suzhou. Suzhou High School’s beautiful grounds occupy an area of 160 mu (10.66 square kilometers), with its numerous teaching facilities reflected in its exquisite surroundings. Suzhou High School enjoys a long and remarkable history dating back to the year 1035. Originally a prefectural school, it was founded by a famous scholar and minister named Fan Zhongyan who presided under Emperor Ren Zong of the Song Dynasty. The remains of the prefectural school are now to be found within the grounds of Suzhou High School. The teaching areas of Suzhou High School are located around Daoshan Hill. The main teaching buildings are the Science Building facing the main gate and, built in 1936, the Teaching Complex (comprised of the Eastern and Western red buildings and the five-story edifice), the newly-renovated Assembly Hall, the recently completed Library and the Laboratory Building, the brand-new Info-tech Building, the White Building, etc. The eastern living area contains modern student apartments and cafeteria.

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Suzhou Industrial Park

The China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park, or Suzhou Industrial Park for short, abbreviated as SIP, is a county-level administrative area located in Suzhou, China with significant Singaporean influence. The China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (CS-SIP) was born on February 26, 1994 when Chinese Vice Premier Li Lanqing and Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew signed the Agreement on the Joint Development of Suzhou Industrial Park in Suzhou. SIP has a total jurisdiction area of 288 km2, of which, the China-Singapore cooperation area covers 80 square kilometers with a planned residential population of 1.2 million. The China-Singapore Joint Steering Council led by Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi and Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng will hold meeting every year to give directions for the development of SIP. (literally Golden Chicken Lake) is a small fresh water lake located in the central part of Suzhou Industrial Park. It occupies an area of 7.18 square kilometers and its average depth is about 2.5 to 3 meters. There are two man-made islands in the lake.

Dushu Lake

Dushu Lake is a fresh water lake located in southern part of Suzhou Industrial Park, with

13 an area of about 11.52 square kilometers. Since 2000s, Suzhou Dushu Lake Higher Education Town was gradually formed on the east bank. Dushu Lake Tunnel goes through it. Dushu Lake is connected to the Jinji Lake by two waterways, and connects the Wusong River via Huodi Pond to the Grand Canal. There is a Christian Church by Dushu Lake. The 51-meter-tall church is a 39-million-yuan project with a floorage of 5,600 square meters and a capacity for 2,100 church goers. A square divides the Gothic complex into two parts. The first floor of the north building houses small chapels of different sizes, while the second floor is the 1,000-people main chapel. The lift for those with restricted mobility is available on the first floor. The supporting facilities to the south of the public square include Sunday school, sermon room, archives, reception, and offices.

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