Why is Tiger Hill special?
With a history of more than 2,500 years, the Tiger Hill (Chinese name: Huqiu) has been known as No. 1 Sight of Suzhou. It is a popular tourist destination and is known for its natural beauty as well as historical sites. The hill is so named because it is said to look like a crouching tiger. Another legend states that a white tiger appeared on the hill to guard it following the burial of King Helü.
Tiger Hill Highlight
The Tiger Hill has been a celebrated tourist destination for hundreds of years, which is reflected by the evident from the poetry and calligraphy carved into rocks on the hill.
Tiger Hill Pagoda
Tiger Hill Pagoda (Huqiu Pagoda) enjoys several other names, including the “Leaning Tower of China” and the Yunyan Temple Tower. Built in the Five Dynasties and completed in Song Dynasty, this seven-storied tower has gradually slanted due to forces of nature. Now the top and bottom of the tower vary by 2.32 meters, where the name “Leaning Tower” comes from.
Lu Yu Well
Lu Yu Well is attributed to Lu Yu, the well celebrated author of the first ever book on the subject entitled “The Treatise of Tea”. In history, Lu Yu lived on Tiger Hill, where he wrote the last part of his famous book.
Sword Pond
Sword Pond, in Chinese “Jianchi”, is a small rectangular pond, beneath which a treasure of some 3,000 swords are believed to have been buried.
The Tomb of King He Lu
The Tiger Hill is fairly famed also as the tomb of King He Lu, who was the leader of Wu Dukedom during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC). Legendarily, he was buried within the hill after his death and three days later a white tiger came and sat upon the grave as if to guard this great king.