China Peony Festival Tour April 2009

 

Suzhou Museum, a garden style museum designed by famous artist I. M. Pei. In the modern architectural field, I. M. Pei earns a high reputation and is a well-known architect. He is the only world-class Chinese architect as well as one of the most important architectural artists in the 20th century. New Suzhou Museum is the last design of Mr. I. M. Pei in his career. It is not only a public construction symbol in Suzhou, but also an innovative mark bridging Chinese architectural culture from the tradition to the future. Prompting the protection of Suzhou cultural heritage, the new museum also has turned a new page for Suzhou Museum.

I was amazed at these head rests….can you imagine sleeping on them? They did. Do you know what the Hu zi is? well, it’s a chamber pot and there is one there from the Jin Dynasty 254-420 A.D. incredible!

Lion Grove Garden or LionForest Garden

Boasting 22 buildings of varied types, 25 tablets and plateaux, 71steles inscribed with the famous Calligraphy Collection of the Listening to Rain Tower, 23 brick carvings,5 carved wooden screens, and 13 valuable old trees such as ginkgo biloba, which fall into 5 catalogues. Pavilion for Greeting the Plum Blossoms (Wenmeige) was a place where painters and poets were invited. In addition to the plum trees around the pavilion, all the furniture and utensils inside are decorated or carved with beautiful plum blossom designs. The garden occupies a very important place in history, representing the diversity of cultural and architectural development in Suzhou over the years.

Also included are a few of the dishes that we had for dinner that evening….always great food and always eaten up!