Live Your Best Lives
Tiger Hill has a long history of more than 2,000 years and enjoys the reputation of "the best mountain in Wuzhong".
As the saying goes, a mountain is famous not because of its height, but because of the immortals living there. Although Tiger Hill is only 32 meters high, it has more than 2,000 years of history condensed here, and also displays its 2,000-year charm to the world's passers-by.
Su Dongpo said that it would be a pity to visit Suzhou without visiting Tiger Hill.
But the biggest regret would be if you know little about the history of this place and only have a superficial visit to Tiger Hill.
From Yan Zhenqing's "Real Sword Pool and Fake Tiger Hill" to Wang Xizhi's "Divine Goose Changing Characters"; from Gan Jiang and Mo Ye forging swords in the Sword Pool to the shocking "Thousand-Man Stone"; from the naive monk digging a well to get water to Sun Wu's repeated orders...
While enjoying the beautiful scenery, let me tell you about the past and present of Tiger Hill.
There are several theories about the origin of the name of Tiger Hill in history. The most popular one is this: It is said that Tiger Hill was not called Tiger Hill at first, but Haiyong Mountain; as the name suggests, it refers to the mountain that emerged from the seabed; because in ancient times this place was a vast ocean, and Tiger Hill was the smallest among them, whenever the tide rose and fell, Tiger Hill would sink and float, appear and disappear, so it was called "Haiyong Mountain".
So why was "Haiyong Mountain" later renamed Huqiu?
There is mainly a saying that: 2,400 years ago during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, King Helu of Wu was accidentally injured in a battle with the State of Yue and died soon after. A few days after his death, his son buried him in Tiger Hill. It is said that a white tiger squatted on the mountain three days after the burial, so it was renamed Tiger Hill.
This description is brief, but we can expand it:
King Helü of Wu, the monarch and military commander of the State of Wu during the late Spring and Autumn Period, launched an offensive against Yue in the summer of 496 BC. King Gou Jian of Yue led his troops to resist at Juli (present-day south of Jiaxing, Zhejiang) (known in history as the Battle of Juli). The Yue army dispatched a death squad to challenge the Wu army, charging the enemy lines three times, each time only to be defeated. Finally, the King of Yue ordered a prisoner sentenced to death to walk before the Wu army and commit suicide by sword. The Wu army, preoccupied with observing this strange phenomenon, relaxed their defenses, allowing the Yue army to seize the opportunity and attack, decisively defeating the Wu army at Gusu (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu).
Linggu Fu, a high official of the State of Yue, attacked Helü with a spear, severing his big toe. Helü was forced to retreat, his army retreating seven miles. Helü died of his wounds at Xing and was buried at Tiger Hill in present-day Suzhou. A few days after his death, his son, Fuchai, who later became King of Wu, buried him at Tiger Hill. Legend has it that a white tiger crouched on the hill three days after his burial, hence the name Tiger Hill. Before his death, Helü ordered the crown prince Fuchai to be appointed King of Wu. He asked Fuchai, "Have you ever forgotten that Gou Jian killed your father?" Fuchai replied, "I dare not forget."
In the second year of King Fuchai of Wu (494 BC), he defeated the Kingdom of Yue at Fuju (in the middle of Lake Tai) and captured the Yue capital of Kuaiji (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang), finally avenging his father Helü's death. King Goujian of Yue sent envoys to Wu to seek peace. Wu Zixu rejected this offer and demanded the destruction of Yue to eliminate future trouble. However, King Fuchai, complacent, acceded to Yue's request and placed the King of Yue in his service. Despite Wu Zixu's repeated admonitions, King Fuchai, believing slander, had him executed. Before his death, Wu Zixu declared, "I must take my eyes and place them at the east gate of Wu to watch the Yue army enter the land." As he predicted, Wu was eventually annihilated by Yue. (This is a side story, but it is invaluable for understanding the history of Tiger Hill and, more importantly, Suzhou.)
There are numerous historical stories circulating about Tiger Hill. Among them, the 15 most popular ones are: the Fake Tiger Hill and the Real Sword Pond, the Lion Looking Back at Tiger Hill, the Pillow Stone: Qiuxiang's Second Smile, the Nodding Stone from Shenggong's Lecture Hall, Wang Xizhi's Divine Goose Changing Characters, the Jasmine Fragrance of Zhenniang, the Two Immortals Pavilion: A Game of Go Between Immortals and a Millennium, the Hanhan Spring, Sun Wu's Training Ground: The Origin of "Repeated Instructions," the Shuangjing Bridge: Xi Shi once looked in the mirror here, the Sword-Testing Stone: The Ganjiang and Moye Swords, the Origin of Yanghejian, and the Thousand-Man Stone.
Due to limited space, we will not go into detail here. If you are interested in history, you can find it separately. Here we will focus on the following anecdotes.
1. Fake Tiger Hill, Real Sword Pond
The four large characters "虎丘剑池" (Tiger Hill, Sword Pond) were written by Yan Zhenqing, a renowned calligrapher from the Tang Dynasty. Yan's style, known for its "silkworm head and swallow tail" style, demonstrates profound mastery. Years after he wrote these four characters, the two characters "虎丘" (Tiger Hill) gradually faded and disappeared. During the Ming Dynasty, Suzhou Governor Ma Zhijun commissioned renowned stone carving master Zhang Zhongyu to replicate them. However, later generations have consistently felt that the characters "虎丘" (Tiger Hill) lack the quality and beauty of "剑池" (Sword Pond), leading to the saying "fake Tiger Hill, real Sword Pond" (
Fake Tiger Hill, real Sword Pond). You might ask, "Why is it said that Tiger Hill isn't as beautifully written as Sword Pond?" A closer look at the strokes of the character "虎" (Tiger Hill) and the strokes of the character "剑池" (Sword Pond) reveals a distinct difference. The strokes of the character "剑池" (Sword Pond) appear fluid, while the strokes of the character "虎" (Tiger Hill) have a distinct, patchy, feel. The name "Fake Tiger Hill, Real Sword Pond" has another meaning, which also hints at the secret of Helu's tomb, because the steep cliffs on the east and west walls of the Sword Pond are naturally formed, while the back mountain of Tiger Hill is artificially built with earth, with the purpose of covering up the tomb of King Helu of Wu.
2. Jianchi: The Divine Goose Changed Characters:
The two red characters we see represent "Jianchi." Legend has it that they were written by Wang Xizhi, a renowned calligrapher from the Eastern Jin Dynasty. One day, Wang Xizhi was visiting Tiger Hill and saw two geese, one black and one white, guarding the pond. He was delighted. A mountain monk approached him and said, "If you write the words 'Jianchi' for me, I'll give you the geese." Delighted, Wang Xizhi took up his brush and wrote the two characters. As he was about to take the geese home, the monk vanished, and the geese transformed into a dragon and a tiger, crouching on the mountaintop. However, the characters "Jianchi" remain forever etched on the cliff face. This is the legend of the "Divine Goose Changed Characters."
3. The Legend of Hanhan Spring
Hanhan was a famous monk in the Liang Dynasty of my country. At that time, he had poor eyesight and suffered from eye disease, which is now called "cataract". The abbot of Tiger Hill took pity on him and accepted him as a water-carrying monk. However, the way to carry water was very long. Once, when he was carrying water and passed by here, he felt tired, so he sat here to rest. Unconsciously, he fell asleep. In his dream, he saw a monk telling him that there was a spring here that led to the sea. After waking up, he touched the ground with his hands and felt some moss. He thought that the moss meant there must be water underground, so he dug here with his carrying pole. After digging for about 49 days, a spring finally gushed out and cured Hanhan's eyes. Because this well was dug by him, it was named "Hanhan Spring".
4. Sun Wu's Training Ground: The Origin of "Repeated Instructions"
According to legend, King Helü of Wu was very impressed by the Thirteen Chapters of the Art of War presented by Sun Wu, and gave him 180 palace maids, asking him to practice according to the military book. Sun Wu divided the 180 palace maids into two teams and selected two of Helü's favorite concubines as team leaders to practice here.
Sun Wu beat the drum and ordered a left turn, but the maids took it lightly. Sun Wu said, "Discipline is unclear, and orders are lax. This time, the general is responsible." He then ordered a right turn, which brought laughter from the maids. Sun Wu said, "The discipline has been clearly explained, yet they still disobey. This is disobedience. The captain should be punished by military law." He ordered the law enforcement officers to behead Helü's two concubines. Helü rushed to stop him, but Sun Wu said, "We are on the battlefield, and you must obey my orders. We will continue the ceremony of monarchy and subjection after we withdraw our troops." So, the two concubines were beheaded and displayed to the public. He then selected two more maids to lead the troops. After the third command, they advanced and retreated with precise movements, turning left and right without losing a step. This is the origin of the idiom "repeated orders three times and five times." Sun Wu's strict enforcement of the law earned the king of Wu a higher regard for national affairs, which further strengthened his respect for Sun Wu. "Sun Wu Zi Pavilion" was built to commemorate Sun Wu. In 1985, Comrade Zhang Aiping inscribed a plaque for the pavilion as "Sun Wu Zi Pavilion" and also wrote "Sun Tzu's Art of War, defeating the enemy, beautiful girl practicing martial arts, and the good story spread" on the stele.
Having discussed Tiger Hill's history, let's take a look at its present-day layout and how to visit it. The Tiger Hill Scenic Area is located in the northwest corner of Suzhou's ancient city. Tiger Hill sits at an elevation of 34.3 meters, and the scenic area covers approximately 100 hectares—not too large, but not too small either.
The area is roughly divided into four main sections: the Sword Pond, Main Hall, Liuxiang Pavilion, and the Leaning Pagoda of Yunyan Temple in the central area; the newly constructed Xixi Huancui in the west; Wanjing Villa in the east; Yixie Garden in the north; and Ginkgo Avenue in the south. The main entrance is the South Gate at the front hill; a ticket office is also located at the North Gate at the back hill.
① Tiger Hill
Sword Pond: The most captivating historical site at Tiger Hill is the Sword Pond, said to be the tomb of King Helü of Wu. Looking north from the Thousand-Man Stone, the four characters "Tiger Hill Sword Pond" are inscribed beside the circular entrance, "Another Cavern." These powerful characters were originally written by Yan Yu, the only son of Yan Zhenqing, a renowned Tang Dynasty calligrapher. Inside the circular cave, another inscription, "Wind, Valley, Cloud, and Spring," is carved into the stone wall. The elegant brushwork is attributed to Mi Fu, one of the four great calligraphers of the Song Dynasty. These four characters perfectly encapsulate the scenery here, meaning that if you stand here, you can hear the wind, admire the rocks, gaze at the clouds, and behold the flowing springs.
②Huqiu Broken Beam Hall
The Broken Beam Hall, also known as Tiger Hill's second gate, is a key cultural relic protection site in Jiangsu Province. Built during the Yuan Dynasty, it boasts a history of over 600 years. Its main beam is broken, constructed from two timbers. Its construction utilizes the principle of leverage in mechanics. A row of brackets supports the broken beam, distributing the load from the center to the surrounding areas. This utilizes a "cantilever beam" construction method. Pipa hangings on either side and checkerboard grids at the four corners provide support, thus conserving large timber. No metal components were used to strengthen the hall, using only bamboo and wood nails and tenon joints. This makes it all the more precious, earning it the reputation of being the "Broken Beam Hall," a millennium-old structure. Within the hall are four stone tablets recording the history of Tiger Hill and the construction of the Yunyan Temple Pagoda. Gently tapping these broken stones creates a resonant sound, earning it the nickname "ringing tablets."
Tiger Hill
Pagoda, the second-leaning pagoda in the world and the first-leaning pagoda in China, is a symbol of ancient Suzhou. Designated a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Site by the State Council on March 4, 1961, Tiger Hill Pagoda was built in the sixth year of Xiande (959 AD) during the Later Zhou Dynasty and completed in the second year of Jianlong (961 AD) during the Song Dynasty. This makes it over a thousand years old. The seven-story, eight-sided pagoda stands 47.7 meters tall. To what degree is it tilted? It tilts northeastward, with its summit 2.34 meters off center, for a maximum tilt of 3 degrees 59 minutes. Tiger Hill Pagoda is also known as the "Leaning Tower of Pisa of China."
This pagoda is the oldest, largest, and most intricately constructed Buddhist pagoda still standing in Jiangnan. Its tilted shape, yet its stability, further enhances its value. As the only such example in China, it holds a unique and significant position in architectural science, plastic arts, and historical research. Tiger Hill bears witness to Suzhou's 2,500 years of history, and the towering Tiger Hill Pagoda atop its summit has become a symbol of the city. This reaffirms Su Dongpo's words: "A visit to Suzhou is a must-see."
Yongcui Villa
: Suzhou's only waterless garden. Initiated by Hong Jun, the late Qing Dynasty's husband of the legendary scholar Sai Jinhua and Suzhou's top scholar, Yongcui Villa boasts a rectangular floor plan covering over one mu (approximately one acre). Built on the natural slopes of Tiger Hill, it features a terraced garden layout, divided into four levels, each with a distinct layout, creating a vibrant and varied landscape. This unique garden stands out among Suzhou's classical gardens.
⑤Hanhan Spring
There is a beautiful legend about this scenic spot. Hanhan was a famous monk in Liang Dynasty of China. At that time, his eyesight was not good and he suffered from eye disease, which is now called "cataract". The abbot of Tiger Hill took pity on him and accepted him as a water-carrying monk. However, the way to carry water was very far at that time. Once, he passed by here while carrying water. Because he felt tired, he sat here to rest and fell asleep unknowingly. In his dream, he dreamed of a monk telling him that there was a spring here that led to the sea. After waking up, he touched the ground with his hands and felt some moss. He thought the moss meant there must be water underground, so he dug here with his carrying pole. After digging for about 49 days, a spring finally gushed out and cured Hanhan's eyes. Because this well was dug by him, it was named "Hanhan Spring".
(3)
The above description of the order of visiting Tiger Hill is mostly official. If you want to see the real Tiger Hill, you might as well take a look at my route;
first enter the park from the South Gate, it is recommended to enter from the Second Mountain Gate - pass the Thousand People Stone - the Sword Pond - climb the Main Hall, then go to the Liuxiang Pavilion, and then enter the Yunyan Temple, detour to the Wizard of Oz Forest, go to Xixi Huancui via the Huanshan Road, and cross Cuilin Avenue; this itinerary shortens the distance as much as possible to avoid backtracking, while visiting the highlights to avoid regrets.
The autumn colors of Tiger Hill usually begin to appear in the second week of November and last until the first week of December. During this period, the ginkgo trees begin to turn yellow and the red maples begin to turn red. Tourists flock to the area, and photographers with their cameras and long guns also appear.
The main areas to visit are Liuxiang Pavilion, Wanjing Villa, and Yunyan Temple. Here, the red maples and ginkgo trees are at their most lush and dense, creating stunning photo opportunities. Tiger Hill's autumn is brief but intense. The red maples in Yixie Garden are already turning red, the ginkgo path at the South Gate is ablaze with golden yellow, and chrysanthemums are blooming on every slope of the back hillside... Tiger Hill's autumn is a vibrant spectacle amidst the pink walls and black tiles.
The autumn in Tiger Hill is a glimpse of the ancient temple that has been there for thousands of years; when you enter the ancient temple in autumn, you can see the flowers and trees in full bloom.
The gardens are ablaze with colors, and strolling here brings a sense of comfort that can only be experienced in this place. Autumn in Tiger Hill is characterized by the crisp, clear air of Yixie Garden and the vibrant red maple leaves of Liuxiang Pavilion.
When autumn comes, the sky is high and the air is fresh. The leaves are all red, which is a wonderful sight. The shadows of the mountains in the distance and the forests with colorful colors together weave a beautiful autumn landscape.
Autumn in Tiger Hill is the romance of Ginkgo Path; walking along the golden Ginkgo Path, feeling the leaves fluttering down from the trees, or strolling hand in hand with your loved one, just thinking about it makes you feel extremely romantic.
It is recommended to bring an 85 large aperture lens; a 70-200 telephoto lens; to capture the dreamy and blurred autumn atmosphere.
Carry an ultra-wide-angle lens to capture more autumn elements and make the picture more visually impactful.
When it comes to clothing matching, Hanfu ancient costume is a must.
Recommended photo spots:
1. Liuxiang Pavilion (from top down)
2. Yunyan Temple Pagoda (from bottom up)
3. Tiger Hill Sword Pond (from top down)
4. Thousand-man Rock (from bottom down) towards the Leaning Pagoda
5. The Forest Trail at The Wizard of Oz
There are two parking lots at the south gate of Tiger Hill, near the first memorial archway of Wuzhong. One is a private parking lot, which costs 10 yuan per day and one time. The other is a scenic area parking lot, which costs 2 yuan per half hour. You can park according to your needs.
There is no subway to Tiger Hill; it is recommended to take the bus or drive. Take Line 1 and get off at Huqiu Road Station; enter the scenic area through the South Gate.
At Tiger Hill Scenic Area, Suzhou Garden Annual Pass is available. You can download the [Su Zhoudao] app or follow the Garden Annual Pass official account to make a reservation; online platforms such as Ctrip are still to be confirmed; full ticket price is 75 yuan/person.
Su Dongpo, the "old mayor" of Suzhou, once said, "It would be a pity if you come to Suzhou and don't visit Tiger Hill!" Even today, this place not only has a long cultural history, but also beautiful natural scenery that attracts tourists from all over the world.
And you shouldn't miss Tiger Hill in autumn! If you come here in autumn, take in the sights and historical sites dating back thousands of years, from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties; see China's only leaning pagoda; see the difference between the real Sword Pond and the fake Tiger Hill; see the golden armor of the ginkgo trees; and see the fiery red maples.
Since the King of Wu built a palace here in the Spring and Autumn Period, Tiger Hill has left behind countless little-known secrets over the centuries. It is a scenic spot in Suzhou City that combines natural scenery with historical and cultural heritage. It is no exaggeration to say that Tiger Hill, which is a thousand-year-old hill, is one of the most unmissable attractions when traveling to Suzhou.
Have you ever been to Tiger Hill in Suzhou? It's right there, quietly waiting for you.
