CHINA > SUZHOU, HANGZHOU & SHANGHAI

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

23 March 2024

December 2003 - The staff of the Institution of Engineers Malaysia visited Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. Here are some of the interesting places we visited while in China.

From Pudong Airport in Shanghai, we continue our journey to Suzhou, China which was 147 km (1 hour 54 minute drive). 

SUZHOU, CHINA

Suzhou is a city in southern Jiangsu of eastern China. The city's tourist attractions include canals, stone bridges, pagodas and gardens. The Classical Garden of Suzhou was added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997 and 2000. 

Originally founded in 514 B.C. Suzhou has over 2,500 years of rich history, and relics of the past are abundant to this day. 

LIU YUAN GARDEN, SUZHOU

The first place we visited was Liu Yuan Garden, a 23,300 square meter (5.8 acre) garden located outside Changmen Gate in Suzhou, Jiangsu county. It was originally a private garden and is one of the four famous gardens in China. Built in 1539 during the Ming Dynasty by a palace official named Xu Tai, it was later bought by Liu Shu during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The park was almost demolished in 1930 but was taken over and repaired by the government, and it was later opened to the public.

The park was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

Among the types of plants and trees found in this park is a type of plant that has been used the most in medicine for ages, which is Ginkgo Biloba. Among the oldest trees in the world, it was originally found in Japan and China. It has various properties, including the ability to improve memory, correct blood flow in your body, reduce individual emotional stress, and avoid dizziness that can lead to fainting. Additionally, it has exceptional heat resistance and can survive even if hit by a bomb.

RIVERSIDE CRUISE, SUZHOU

A riverside cruise in Suzhou is a fantastic way of having a leisurely afternoon trip. A nice float down the rivers of Suzhou is calming and a nice break from the hustle and bustle of China. Suzhou is famous for the many small rivers and canals aroung the city. 

HANGZHOU, CHINA

Ending the tour in Suzhou, we continued our journey to Hangzhou, which is 121.16 km from Suzhou.

Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang province in China and is the administrative, economic, and cultural center of China. Famous for its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Hangzhou is known as the 'Heaven on Earth' and one of the most important tourist spots in China.

Hangzhou is located at the mouth of the Qiantang River in southeast China, has a superior position in the Yangtze River Delta, and is only 180 kilometers from the city of Shanghai.

Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty (established 1127) had chose a capital he called Lin'an (present day Hangzhou). 

During our stay in Hangzhou, we stayed at the Jian Feng Hotel located at North Qiutan Road, Hangzhou, China. 

FENG HUANG MOSQUE

We took the opportunity to perform the Zuhr prayer at Feng Huang Mosque also known as Phoenix Mosque. Located at Zhejiang it is known for being one of the four great mosques of China. It is also among the earliest mosque built in China dates back to the Tang or Song Dynasty. 

The model of Feng Huang @ Phonix Mosque

SONG DYNASTY TOWN

The Song Dynasty Town city is located next to West Lake. It is the recreation center of Song city. The Song Dynasty ruled China from 1127-1279. The reign of the Song Dynasty was a period of prosperity and rapid development in China at that time. It is believed that Marco Polo once visited this city and was very impressed to see large cities with a population of more than 1 million people.

The city has been divided into 6 parts, namely Jiulong Square, Song Dynasty Town Square, Fairy Hills with Wonderful Towers, Song Palace, and Riverside Scene on Qingming Festival.

Visitors have the opportunity to witness a performance in the form of a drama about the heyday of the Kings of the Song Dynasty that is presented every day.

The Zhejiang Railway Hotel

Located opposite Hangzhou Railway Station. This hotel has a total of 282 guestroom. 

Hangzhou is also known as "the House of Silk", one of the seven ancient capitals of China with silk fabric uncovered in the region dating back 4,700 years ago to the Neolithic Liangzhu culture (3400-2250 B.C). The history of Hangzhou's foreign trade in silk, tea, porcelain and other commodities dates back thousangs of years. 

SHANGHAI, CHINA

Shanghai, located on the Southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowing through it. Shanghai has been described as the "showpiece" of the economy of China, one of the major centers  for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing , transportation, tourism and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port, "The original name of the Huangpu River". 

The travel distance from Hangzhou to Shanghai is 165.69 km

We stayed at the Xian Kai Fu Hotel on Sichuan Bei Road in Shanghai.

NANJING Road, a road in Shanghai, the eastern part of which is the main shopping district of Shanghai. It is one of the world's busiest shopping streets, along with Fifth Avenue, Oxford Street, Orchard Road, Takeshita Street and Champa-Elysees.

ORIENTAL PEARL TOWER PARK

Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is a TV tower in Shanghai, China. Located in the Pudong district of Shanghai, next to the Huangpu River and opposite The Bund, it is a distinctive landmark in Shanghai. The tower was completed in 1994 and stands at a height of 468 m (1,535 ft).

The design of this tower is based on a poem called "Pipa Song" by Bai Juyi during the Tang Dynasty. The poem describes the beautiful sound of the pipa, an ancient Chinese musical instrument, which is likened to a pearl falling on a jade plate. 

NIGHT CRUISE AT HUANGPU RIVER

The Huangpu River (97 kilometers long), the landmark of Shanghai,  is the longest river in Shanghai. This river divides Shanghai into 2 parts, Puxi in the west and Pudong in the east. The river has an average width of about 500 meters with a depth of 11 meters. It is also a source of drinking water for the people of Shanghai.

Visitors can choose from several cruise packages ranging from 30 minutes to a 3-hour duration. These cruises will pass through some interesting and beautiful scenery, depending on the length of the package chosen.

FUYOU ROAD MOSQUE

Behind the Yu Gardens, in the Huangpu district in the center of Shanghai, lies the Fuyou Road mosque, one of the oldest mosques built in 1870 by the Qing Dynasty during the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor. It is also known as the North Mosque.

The Nanjing Hui Muslim congregation are the ones who built the mosque when they migrated to Shanghai. At that time, the mosque was the center of the congregation's cultural life. In the early 1900s, the mosque became the headquarters for a primary school, the Shanghai Islamic Board of Directors, and the Muslim Business Society.

CHRISTMAS EVE IN SHANGHAI

Although Christmas is not a public holiday in China, it has become hugely popular, especially in larger cities such as Shanghai. For most people, Christmas is celebrated without much religious attachment and is spent enjoying the city's Christmas markets and Christmas deals at restaurants and bars.

Shanghai is worth visiting whether you're a dedicated shopper, Disney fan, keen historian or anything in between. Shanghai is one of China's best-known tourist destination. 

Thank you to our tour guides, Ms. Winnie and Ms. Annie, who have helped us a lot in getting to know China more deeply, especially Shanghai.

Something for memories from shanghai

上海GOOD BYE

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

Lembah Keramat, KL

23 March 2024 > 13 Ramadan 1445H: 10.19 p.m