- Water is a lake, a pond, a stream, a waterfall, or everything. Plants can be very different. Their choice is largely determined by the symbolic meaning that the gardener puts into his creation. For example, weeping willows, which are planted on the banks of water bodies, symbolize femininity. Pine - a symbol of strength and longevity. Lotus - mental toughness. The characteristic of the Chinese garden is a combination of ordinary and dwarf trees.
- A very interesting detail of the Chinese garden - these stones, which are called taihushi, that is, stones from Lake Tai. They were created in the following way: a piece of rock was cut down, in which several holes were made, and then this piece was placed on the bottom of the river or lake. After a few years, maybe even decades, the stone was taken back. As a result, it turned out to be quite bizarre, but at the same time natural.
- Pavilions, pergolas, and tea houses are harmoniously inscribed in the garden landscape. Their names are quite poetic: Arbour of frost, Arbour of water ripples. The Chinese Suzhou, like the Italian Pisa, has its own falling tower. Or rather, a pagoda. It was built ten and a half centuries ago and is called the Pagoda of the Temple of Cloud Rocks.
- In 1638, during the reconstruction of the seventh, upper, tier of the pagoda, the builders decided to move it slightly to the opposite side of the slope and thus move the center of gravity. At first it brought its positive result, but in general, the fall did not stop. At the moment the pagoda deviates from the vertical axis by 2m 34 cm.
- Suzhou residents like to spend their free time in the park around the pagoda. There is always a lot of people here, so there is no lack of spectators, giving performances in the park, the mobile circus clearly does not feel.
- Soon there will be a circus show here. Chinese circus tradition is more than 2000 years old. Everything started with street performances, but from the beginning of the century masters of the circus were forbidden to perform in gardens and parks. Now the venue has changed, and the repertoire has remained the same.
- The Chinese circus is considered to be the oldest circus in the world. In contrast to the European circus, there are no clowns, no animal trainers, no strongmen - only acrobats, air gymnasts, and equilibrists.
- In terms of plasticity, flexibility, and sense of balance, one can hardly compare with Chinese circuses. Strikes the youth of artists - most barely turned sixteen, and these jumping over the burning hoop boys and from the force of nine years. At the same time, they are already quite established masters. That's not surprising - to prepare future circus artists in China start at the age of five.
- The circus is a conservative art. Tricks, costumes of circus performers do not change for thousands of years. The same silk outfits were worn in China back when Europe had never heard of silk.
- Suzhou has always been considered the center of silk weaving in the Celestial Empire. Today its fame is a little darkened, but there are still many silk factories in the city.
- The Chinese have known silk for more than 4000 years, and during this time the technology of its production has not changed significantly.
- Silkworm, also known as silkworm, is fed on mulberry leaves. Its caterpillars form cocoons, from which silk threads are produced.
- After the cocoons are collected, the cocoons are steamed to kill the pupae in them and sorted.
- The next step is to place the silkworm cocoons in boiling water. In boiling water, the cocoon is soaked and the silk thread can be obtained from it. It has a matte-yellow color and is devoid of luster, which acquires in the process of further processing. And from dolls, by the way, prepare all kinds of cosmetic creams, medicines for diabetics and even used in cooking. So the production of silk is waste-free.
- At silk factory shop works. Sold in it mainly bed linen. Judging by how many customers here, the Chinese are great fans of silk rest. A silk sheet costs 1000 yuan. It turns out to be about 4000 rubles. By the way, that's how much a month on average a silk factory worker gets.
- Several streets of old Suzhou are fully at the disposal of silk traders.
- I walked, looked at the prices, they are at least ten times lower than in the factory. In my opinion, this simply can not be. It's probably not real silk after all.
- Sellers, of course, with foam at the mouth prove that the real one. For some reason, they refuse to take off. Although here it is written everywhere that it is one hundred percent silk, of course, it is not so. Therefore, it is worth bargaining with local sellers. They knock down the price very easily and almost to the minimum...
- There are a lot of very funny silk ties here. And this, in my opinion, is a great gift for a traveler around the world.
One silk tie or I don't know what kind of tie I bought myself. In memory of Suzhou. By the way, the Chinese have a saying: "Whoever has been to Suzhou has been to heaven. I imagined paradise a little differently, but it's worth a visit to Suzhou.