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Tiger Hill

A famous Song Dynasty (960-1279) poet, Su Shi said, 'It is a lifelong pity if having visited Suzhou you did not visit Tiger Hill.' This epitomises the general opinion of those who have seen this local beauty spot with its many attractions that we shall endeavour to describe for you.

Tiger Hill, known also as Surging Sea Hill, is a large hillock covering about 3.5 acres (14,100 square metres) and only 118 feet (36 metres) in height. Climbing it, you will find a number of historical sites some of which can be traced back over 2,500 years to the founding of Suzhou. Although the hill is relatively small it has rich history. These are just some of the highlights of what to be found there.

Tiger Hill Photos

Tiger Hill Pagoda

The Tomb of King He Lu

In 496 BC during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC), He Lu, King of the Wu State perished during the war fought against the Yue State. His son buried him on the hill and three days after the funeral a white tiger came and sat upon the grave as though guarding it. From that time on it has been known as Tiger Hill.

Tiger Hill Pagoda (Huqiu Tower)

The pagoda stands on the hill's summit and is the Pagoda of the Yunyan Temple. As the oldest pagoda in the vicinity of Suzhou it has come to be a symbol of the city and has the distinction of being China's Leaning Tower. Built during the Northern Song Dynasty (959-961), it is a seven-storey octagonal tower following the style of the timber pagodas built during the early Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is 158 feet (48 metres) high and for the past four hundred years has leant 3.59 degrees to the northwest.

Sword Testing Stone

Sword Pool

Sword Testing Stone and Sword Pool

King He Lu was a zealous collector of rare swords and it is said that he tested them upon this stone. The crevice thus made in the rock is the only evidence of the existence of these swords, as it is believed that they were buried beneath the Sword Pool as funerary objects. Another mystery that surrounds the tomb is the whereabouts of the remains of the 1,000 workers who built it and who were put to death upon completion of the task.

Lu Yu Well

Lu Yu was an authority on the art of tea and wrote the first ever book on the subject entitled 'The Treatise of Tea'. As an old man, he lived on Tiger Hill and it was here that he wrote the final part of his book. Lu Yu excavated the well and declared that the water from it was the third best throughout China. Consequently, upon the research and teaching of Lu Yu, tea growing and consumption came to be important factors in the daily life of Suzhou citizens.

Entrance to Sword Pool

Verdant Mountain Villa (Yongcui Shanzhuang)

Built in the tenth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the villa is a masterpiece of the splendid gardens for which Suzhou is so famous. As the only garden without lakes or pools in Suzhou, the villa distinguishes itself from others. It was constructed according to the outline of the hill with exquisite pavilions, paths, and decorated by luxuriant woods and flowers. The Verdant Mountain Villa was designed so that it embraced the natural vistas and views from the halls and porches, which are the most pleasing to the eye.

Wanjing Villa

The ancient art of bonsai tree growing originated in China and there are hundreds of magnificent specimens on display at this villa. Many of the specimens you can see have been awarded prizes in prestigious bonsai competitions. The miniature replicas of full-sized gardens are sure to amaze you and will give an insight into the skill and artistry of Chinese master gardeners that has been handed down from long ago.

There can be little doubt that Tiger Hill is a wonderful sight with its leaning pagoda, waterfalls and landscaped paths. It is hard to believe that it was man made to be the cemetery of king but this is yet another part of the wonder in China, a land that will never cease to amaze and enthral the visitor with its heritage.

Transportation

1. Take bus no. 32 or Huqiu Tourist Special Line and get off at Huqiu Beimen (North Gate of Tiger Hill) Station.
2. Take Gusu Tourist Bus Line 3 and get off at Huqiu Beimen Parking Lot Station.
Suzhou Bus Search

Admission Fee & Opening Hours

Opening Time	Nov. 1 - April 30: 07:30 - 17:30 May. 1 - Oct. 31: 07:30 - 18:00
Admission Fee	April, May, July, August, September and October: CNY 70 January, February, March, June, November and December: CNY 60 * Note: 1. Children below 4.6 feet (1.4 meters) or under 6 and seniors over 70 can enter for free. 2. Minors aged 6-18 and seniors aged 60-70 enjoy half price.

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- Last updated on Apr. 19, 2024 by Gabby Li -

Questions & Answers on Tiger Hill

Asked by Andrew from SINGAPORE | Jan. 19, 2024 21:04

May I know how to get to tiger Hill from Nanmen metro station

Answers (1)

Answered by Jesse | Jan. 21, 2024 19:54

There is no direct metro available and you can only take Tourist Bus Line 5 from Nanyuan Xincun North Station (100 m from Nanmen metro station) to Hufu Garden Xiqu North, passing by 14 stops. Getting off the bus, you need to walk northwest about 800m to the Tiger Hill.

Asked by paula andrea cristancho boada from COLOMBIA | May. 07, 2020 20:51

From Wuzhong district to tiger hill

How do I get to tiger hill from Jinfeng lu station by bus?

Answers (1)

Answered by Hilary from DENMARK | May. 10, 2020 23:44

You can take bus no.35 from Jinfeng Road to Aiheqiao. Then transfer to bus no. You 1 to Huqiu Road. After arriving, walk west around 150 meters to find the destination.

Asked by Sophie from ENGLAND | May. 02, 2019 06:51

Do you need to book tickets of Tiger Hill in advance?

Answers (1)

Answered by Cindy from AUSTRALIA | May. 06, 2019 01:16

No, you don't need to book the tickets. Just get there early to buy tickets.

Asked by Julia from POLAND | Jun. 12, 2018 09:45

Hello, how do I get to the Tiger Hill from the Suzhou train station?

I'm taking a train from Shanghai to SZ to the main train station, how do I get to the Tiger Hill from there?

Answers (1)

Answered by Mary from HUNGARY | Jun. 13, 2018 01:56

Walk to west about 100m to get Tourist Distributing Center, you can take bus line 1 north direction directly to Tiger Hill.

Asked by Jintanan from THAILAND | Apr. 07, 2018 01:54

How to get Tiger hill from Suzhou Xiyuan Temple by metro line?

Answers (1)

Answered by Helen from FRANCE | Apr. 07, 2018 20:22

No metro works but you can take bus 816 to Huqiulu directly.