Tiger Hill is located at the northwest of Suzhou city, 5 kilometers away from the city center. There is a legend about its name. It is said that King of Wu in Spring and Autumn Period, buried his father here, and three days later a white tiger came and crouched on the top of the hill as if he is guarding the tomb, hence the name Tiger Hill.
It covers an area of some 14,100 square meters and only 36 meters high. Although it is only a small hill, there are numerous historic interests, which make Tiger Hill a famous attraction. Su Dongpo, a famous poet in Song Dynasty, said that it would be a great pity if one didn t visit Tiger Hill when he came to Suzhou. Among the attractions in Tiger Hill, Tiger Pagoda (also called Yuanyan Temple Pagoda) and Sword Pool (Jianchi) are the most famous two.
Situated on the peak of Tiger Hill, and built in 961 during Song Dynasty, Tiger Pagoda is a seven-storey octagonal pagoda, which is 47.5 meters high and built with brick. Because the foundation of the pagoda is not well built, it has started to tilt to northwest from 400 hundred years ago, and now the top point of the pagoda is 2.2 meters away from the vertical center line of the pagoda. The pagoda now becomes the symbol of Suzhou City and the leaning pagoda of China.
Sword Pool is about 45 square meters wide and 6 meters deep. The pool never drys and water there is very clear. It is said the tomb of King Wu (He Lu) was under it. The king was a zealous collector of rare swords, and after he died, all the collections including some precious ones which were made of gold, were also buried with him. Hence the name Sword Pool.
It covers an area of some 14,100 square meters and only 36 meters high. Although it is only a small hill, there are numerous historic interests, which make Tiger Hill a famous attraction. Su Dongpo, a famous poet in Song Dynasty, said that it would be a great pity if one didn t visit Tiger Hill when he came to Suzhou. Among the attractions in Tiger Hill, Tiger Pagoda (also called Yuanyan Temple Pagoda) and Sword Pool (Jianchi) are the most famous two.
Situated on the peak of Tiger Hill, and built in 961 during Song Dynasty, Tiger Pagoda is a seven-storey octagonal pagoda, which is 47.5 meters high and built with brick. Because the foundation of the pagoda is not well built, it has started to tilt to northwest from 400 hundred years ago, and now the top point of the pagoda is 2.2 meters away from the vertical center line of the pagoda. The pagoda now becomes the symbol of Suzhou City and the leaning pagoda of China.
Sword Pool is about 45 square meters wide and 6 meters deep. The pool never drys and water there is very clear. It is said the tomb of King Wu (He Lu) was under it. The king was a zealous collector of rare swords, and after he died, all the collections including some precious ones which were made of gold, were also buried with him. Hence the name Sword Pool.