April 17, 2009 Friday
As the largest lake in the Wu Yue region, Taihu Lake nourishes this land of beauty with its 36,000 hectares of blue waves that blend seamlessly with the sky. The ancient saying goes, "When Suzhou and Hu are ripe, the whole world has enough," referring to the cities of Suzhou and Hu within the three commanderies of Taihu. The prosperity and wealth of Wu Yue originate from Taihu!
Early in the morning, we set off from the urban area of Suzhou towards Taihu Lake, a drive of about forty minutes. As we got closer to Taihu, the sky ahead seemed to get whiter and brighter. Imagining the vast expanse of water with shimmering ripples under a high sky with light clouds, it was truly an awe-inspiring sight...
10:08 Northern end of Taihu Bridge
Upon arriving at the lakeshore, we couldn't help but stop to admire the view. The beauty of Taihu lies in its waters! The boundless waters of Taihu roll up layer upon layer of foam, constantly lapping against the stone beaches. Reeds grow by the water's edge, swaying gently in the breeze off the lake. The atmosphere of the Jiangnan water towns continues here, like a gentle stream flowing into the vast sea, transforming the elegant charm into a grandeur!
After crossing the first section of Taihu Bridge, we arrived at Changsha Island. Just off the bridge is a Phoenix Terrace, where there is a pavilion on a high spot for viewing the distant scenery. Although Taihu Bridge is not particularly remarkable in design, it spans the blue waves like a white dragon, with an extraordinary bearing! Compared to the small bridges and flowing streams of Suzhou city, Taihu gives off a sense of grandeur!
Continuing on the bridge, the car feels like a fish swimming in the water. In no time, we reached the Western Dongting Mountain in the middle of Taihu Lake. Looking around, there were rocks of all shapes and sizes everywhere. It turns out that the entire West Mountain is made of limestone, which has been eroded over the years, resulting in these exquisite and translucent Taihu stones with the characteristics of being slender, porous, leaky, and wrinkled. These stones are extensively used as materials in Suzhou gardens, providing great convenience for local sourcing.
Taihu has seventy-two peaks, forty-one of which belong to West Mountain. The highest peak of West Mountain is called Piaomiao Peak. In "The Celestial Kings", it says there is a Lingjiu Palace on the summit of this peak, inhabited by the Tian Shan Child. However, novels are merely fictional stories. Our first destination was Shigong Mountain, which is surrounded by water on three sides, featuring strange and beautiful rocks, abundant ancient sites, and picturesque lake and mountain views.
At the foot of the mountain, in front of Guiyun Cave, there is an Imperial Ink Pavilion. Inside the pavilion stands a stele inscribed with the word "Respect Buddha" written personally by Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty, while the three characters "Imperial Ink Pavilion" were penned by Pu Jie.
Climbing a small hill, lush and verdant Shigong Mountain lay before our eyes. The mountain is not very tall, but it feels full of charm, with Laihe Pavilion and Banshan Pavilion standing opposite each other. After taking a short rest in the pavilions, we arrived at a narrow passageway between two towering cliffs known as "Heavenly Gap". Looking up through the naturally formed rock fissure, the bright line of light at the end marks the mountaintop.
Standing atop the mountain, the view suddenly opens up. The emerald waters of Taihu Lake stretch endlessly to meet the horizon. What lies beyond the lake? Shigong Mountain is located in the southeast corner of West Mountain. Gazing eastward, past three small islands, the hazy silhouette of East Mountain can be seen in the distance.
People often say that the best place to enjoy Taihu Lake is in Wuxi, where famous attractions like Yintouzhou and Li Garden overlook the lake! In reality, every part of Taihu offers stunning scenery, and the gentle mountains and serene lake bless this fertile land. Where you choose to view the lake from doesn't matter; what matters is understanding how Taihu nurtures the people of Wu Yue, only then will you truly discover the beauty of Taihu.
Walking along the lakeshore, we came across a small hill named Cloud Ladder. On the mountain wall, there were naturally formed stone steps that could be climbed, resembling a heavenly ladder leading to the clouds, a marvel of nature!
11:46 Mingyue Slope
Winding our way to the lakeside, we found a smooth, flat, and sloping limestone area called Mingyue Slope, spanning several thousand square meters. Billions of years ago, this place was once an ocean. The calcium-rich soft mud at the bottom of the sea solidified into rock due to tectonic movements and, after being shaped by various natural phenomena, created this miraculous landscape.
Touching the rocks, they felt smooth and shiny. According to legend, the ancient King of Wu once came here with Xi Shi to admire the moon, hence this place was called "Shigong Autumn Moon," one of the eight ancient scenic spots of West Mountain. Imagine under the bright moonlight, the lake surface glitters with moonlight, and the stone slope reflects the clear glow... If one could drink wine while facing the wind and admiring the moon, surely all troubles would vanish.
At a small teahouse by the Mingyue Slope, a cup of pre-Qingming Biluochun tea was priced at 50 yuan. Fortunately, there were few tourists that day, and after much persuasion, we managed to buy it for 20 yuan, giving us a sense of satisfaction.
The name "Biluochun" was bestowed by Emperor Kangxi! Looking closely at the swirling tea leaves and their fine downy hairs in the cup, we felt that this tea was indeed of superior quality. Observing the scene in the cup is just as enjoyable as savoring the tea itself...
Leaving the Shigong Mountain scenic area, the nearby specialty market was perfect for shopping. We acquired an Yixing purple clay teapot from Wuxi, several boxes of Biluochun tea (each box containing two and a half ounces, self-packed). The Taihu region is rich in produce, offering a variety of fish and shrimp aquatic products, as well as Taihu water shield, loquat flowers, and preserved r梅 honey.
A young rural girl was knitting Suzhou embroidery. Her nimble hands moved swiftly back and forth, transforming colorful threads into vivid patterns on the frame.
Suzhou embroidery is a form of traditional needlework, cultivating the temperament of Jiangnan girls through this craft. This is an artistic labor, requiring both artistic cultivation and painting skills. They continue the millennium-old art of Suzhou embroidery, pouring their hearts into creating beautiful bonds...
To be continued, more pictures are stored in the space album...