When Shanghai’s crowds, claustrophobia and concrete begin to grate, there are plenty of day and overnight trips to be made. Hangzhou and Suzhou are two of eastern China’s cultural highlights.
Some 2,200 years old, Hangzhou earns its tag as the ‘tourist capital of China.’ Hangzhou’s West Lake has been immortalised in paintings and poetry, while its Lingyin Temple, with a 66ft wooden Buddha, is a place of pilgrimage for innumerable tour groups. Other sights include the mausoleum of the heroic Song Dynasty commander, General Yue Fe, and the Six Harmonies Pagoda, once a lighthouse for river traffic. Hangzhou is 112 miles from Shanghai. A famously picturesque silk town, Suzhou is located 43 miles west of Shanghai. Dating back some 2,500 years, it&
rsquo;s far older than Shanghai and a hot contender for the title of ‘Venice of the East’. Among countless sights of interest are the towering North Temple, the Taoist Temple of Mystery and the leaning Yunyan Pagoda on Tiger Hill. Celebrated gardens are the Garden of the Master of the Nets, the Garden for Lingering In, the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Lion Grove and the Blue Wave Pavilion. There’s also the Suzhou Silk Museum and the Suzhou Museum.
Zhouzhuang is another delightful water town, located 19 miles south of Suzhou, with canals and cobbled streets. It draws hordes of local tourists, yet still preserves an oasis of quiet tranquillity. It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Old Town has official residences, temples and gardens and is completely pedestrianised. A single ticket can be purchased which covers admission to all the major sights of the Old Town. Details of how to travel to these sites from Shanghai can be obtained from the China International Travel Service www.cits.net.
