Thank you for the invitation. What are the characteristics of Suzhou? The following is an introduction to the history and culture of Suzhou. Friends who are interested can come and take a look with us.
Art
Suzhou culture: Suzhou gives people the impression of being delicate and watery, with its own lively and lively beauty. The historic gardens and ancient Chinese buildings reveal the atmosphere of history. The famous Su embroidery, Taohuawu carving and other crafts bring this elegant and graceful beauty to silk and wood carving. This famous city with a history of 2,500 years has also given birth to its unique and magnificent “Wu culture”.
Since ancient times, there has been a saying that “three flowers and plants dream of Suzhou” and “there is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below”. Today’s Suzhou is creating new culture while also maintaining ancient culture and traditions.
【architecture】
The architectural focus of Suzhou is reflected in various gardens. Today, Suzhou still retains the architectural complex from the Five Dynasties. The bright colors and patterns seem to be integrated with the surrounding welcome. It allows us to feel the glory and unique culture of each dynasty, and also feel the mystery of nature.
Since Chinese culture and religion are inseparable, various pagodas and temples also record the perfect painting craftsmanship at that time. Numerous ancient pagodas and temples are still preserved in Suzhou, making Suzhou a “living gallery”. The elegant Luohan Twin Pagodas, the primitive Tiger Hill Pagoda, the majestic Baoen Temple, the luxurious Ruiguang Pagoda, the mysterious and mysterious Lenggong Pagoda… The outstanding painting skills and architectural art of each era truly reflect the Chinese art culture of the past dynasties.
【Garden】
Courtyard design contains the entire connotation of “home” for Chinese people. It also reflects the ancients’ attitude towards nature. It can be said that the small courtyard fully demonstrates the ancients’ display of beauty and embodies eternal vitality. Small bridges and flowing water all embody the delicate emotions of the Chinese people and express the implicit and gentle “home” culture of our nation. There are many “home” courtyards in Suzhou, and the more recommended ones include Wan’s Garden, Gu’s Garden, Xijia Garden (Qiyuan) and Zhangjia Garden (Xipu). Some of them are subtle and gentle, some are simple and dignified, and some are a combination of Chinese and Western styles. In short, they can all represent the characteristics of an era.
【Art】
Suzhou has a long history and countless classical arts that have attracted worldwide attention. Kun Opera is the most shining one among these. Kun Opera became a national art theme in the Ming Dynasty, hundreds of years earlier than Peking Opera. Its costumes, singing and movements are unique in style and full of charm. There are still many artistic creations that need to learn from the style of Kunqu Opera.
”Pingtan” is also a special folk art. It is completely different from Kun Opera. The emphasis is on simple diction, but it reflects the joy, anger, sorrow and joy of the people.
Su Opera originated a little later, in the middle and late Qing Dynasty. Subtlety and colorful expressions are the characteristics of Su Opera.
【Folklore】
In Suzhou Festival China, there are various performances ranging from large-scale official ceremonies to simple traditional ceremonies spontaneously among the people. The colorful rituals not only record the long history of Suzhou, but also influence the development and evolution of art. For example, the Huqiu Music Festival focuses on elegance, the Gusu Fairy Music focuses on luxury, the colorfulness of the gods, the poetry and painting of the Moon on the Stone Lake, each ceremony is an interpretation of a piece of history.
The Huqiu Opera Club should have continued from the late Ming Dynasty to the present day. Its spontaneous formation and continuation are directly linked to the prosperous economy of Suzhou at that time. The prosperity of Kunqu Opera and the tradition of “public music and good songs” in this area directly constitute the accumulation of its skills. It took hundreds of years for Quhui to advance from spontaneous entertainment to artistic advancement before the overall elegant style was determined.
history
2,500 years ago, Suzhou was the oldest place in the Yangtze Basin. With the completion of the Grand Canal in the Sui Dynasty, Suzhou’s wealth and size grew rapidly due to its key location on this important trade route.
Suzhou flourished as a shipping center as well as a grain storage center with many merchants and craftsmen. In the 12th century, Suzhou had reached its current size. The rectangular city wall is surrounded by a moat and is accessed by six gates (north gate, south gate, two east gates and two west gates). 6 canals running from north to south and 14 canals running from east to west run through the city. Although the city walls and much of it have disappeared, and a significant portion of the canals have been blocked, downtown Suzhou has retained some of its original appearance.
By the 14th century, Suzhou became China’s leading silk-producing city. Many nobles, hedonists, famous scholars, actors and painters were attracted and lived in seclusion here, building their own villas and gardens here.
When Suzhou developed into the 16th century, it had more than 100 gardens, large and small. The city’s successful tourism industry and its reputation as the “Garden City” and “Venice of the East” come from its old-fashioned wood carvings, embroidery, whitewashed houses, cobbled streets, boulevards and canals. Suzhou’s reputation is also due to the fact that the women there are said to be the most beautiful in China, which is also due to the sweet local accent. There is a proverb that goes like this: There is heaven above, and there are Suzhou and Hangzhou below.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the silk industry continued to flourish, with large warehouses in harsh conditions housing thousands of workers. Protests were common, with silk workers staging violent strikes as early as the 15th century. In 1860, the Taiping Army captured Suzhou without firing a shot. In 1896, Suzhou was forced to open trade with Japan and other concession countries. Since 1949, most of the city, including the city walls, has been basically demolished, and it is still unknown how much of this once beautiful city will be preserved in the future.