Monday, August 18, 2008

Just Like Heaven

Two cities in China are nicknamed 'paradise on earth'. One is Suzhou and the other one is Hangzhou.

Hangzhou is known for its beautiful natural scenery. The city is located on the Yangtzi River delta, 180 kilometers southwest of Shanghai. It is the capital of Zhejiang province. It was founded around 2.200 years ago during the Qin dynasty. Besides listed as one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China, it was also the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom from 907 to 978 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. This city was one of the three great centers of culture in Southern China during the tenth century along with Nanjing and Chengdu.
As a city of culture, Hangzhou was popular among philosophers, politicians, and artists. One of them was Su Shi or known as Su Dongpo from the Song dynasty (960-1127). He was also once the city's governor and in 1089 constructed a 2.8 kilometers long dike accorss the West Lake, now known as the Su Causeway. Another poet turned governer was Bai Juyi from the Tang dynasty. He also built a dike out of mud cleaned from the bottom of the lake, now known as the Bai Causeway. These dikes prevented the lake from evolving into the marshland. Other famous people from Hangzhou were poets Lu You and Xin Qiji, also the famed scientist Shen Kuo, whose tomb is located in the Yuhuang district.

Freezing on the West Lake
The first agenda as soon as I arrived in Hangzhou was visiting the famous West Lake. I was really amazed by its beauty; clear water and beautiful surroundings. The well-known poet Su Dongpo compared this lake with Xizi, the most beautiful woman in ancient China in this poem:

Ripping water shimmering on a sunny day,
Misty mountains shrouded the rain,
Plain or gaily decked like Xizi,
West Lake is always alluring.

I would say that this lake is the large version of Chinese classical gardens. Whatever the season, the panorama is always breathtaking.
I got on the boat to cross the lake to the Temple of Yue Fei. It was freezing cold because the autumn wind was blowing hard. While sitting and shivering, I tried to listen to the guide talking about the Leifeng Pagoda seen from the distance. This pagoda was built in 975 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period at the order of King Qian Chu of the Wuyue Kingdom to celebrate the birth of his son who was born to Huang Fei, his favorite concubine. Also known as the Thunder Peak Pagoda, it was originally an octagonal five-storied tower made of bricks and wood. Its wooden elements were burned during the late Ming dynasty when the Japanese pirates attatcked Hangzhou. Later, due to superstitions that bricks from the tower could prevent illness and bring luck, people stole them and grinded the bricks into powder. They probably drank it too. The action caused the pagoda collapsed on the afternoon of September 25th, 1924. It was then rebuilt by the provincial and municipal government in October 1999. The original base is kept in good condition as well as the treasures discovered in an underground chamber.
The pagoda became one of the ten sights of the West Lake because of The White Snake Legend, a Chinese story that began as oral traditions the written as compilations, also performed in the TV series, films, and Chinese operas. It's one of my favorite stories. Set in the Southern Song dynasty, the story basically tells about a young scholar named Xu Xian who falls in love with a woman named Bai Su Zhen, unaware that she is a white snake demon in human form. A monk called Fa Hai intervenes to safe the scholar's soul and arrests the white snake in a deep well at the Leifeng Pagoda. She is captivated for a few years. Meanwhile, her sister the green snake named Xiao Qing practices her magic, and when strong enough, she defeats Fa Hai, destroys the pagoda, and frees Bai. The White Snake then rejoins with her husband and they live happily ever after.
On the shore of the lake I saw a bridge. The guide said that it is called the Broken Bridge and still linked to the legend. It is said that Xu Xian met Bai Su Zhen here. It was raining, and the scholar offered his umbrella to Bai. This was also the place where they met again after going through a series of ups and downs; and the place where they said goodbye for the last time. The farewell made them very sad. There is a saying that describes how they feel, “The Broken Bridge is not broken but the heart is'.




The Temple of Martyr
Getting off the boat on the other side of the lake, I arrived on a temple. The tour guide told me that this was the mausoleum of General Yue Fei, whose name I had never heard before. Later I found out that he was an ancient Chinese hero lived in the era of the Song dynasty (960-1279). He was famous for his war against the Jin (1115-1234) and is considered as the symbol of patriotism and loyalty to the country until today.
The place occupies an area of four acres and located at the southern foot of Qixia Hill near the lake. Its main hall is called the Shrine of Remembrance, where I saw the sculpture of General Yue Fei in the middle. He was dressed in a colorful battle uniform and holding a sword in his hand. He looked solemn and mighty; I could feel that he was a great leader. Above is a tablet written in the general's handwriting that says 'Huan Wo He Shan' or 'Give Back My Rivers and Mountains'. At one side of the wall is a painting of the general and his mother. Yue Fei is kneeling down while his mother is writing four characters on his back, 'Jin Zhong Bao Guo' meaning 'serve the country with outmost loyalty'. This tattoo later became famous. The scene happened before Yue Fei went on a battle.
I proceeded to a yard that is located to the west of the main hall. In the middle are two tombs; the one in the center is Yue Fei's and to its left is his son's Yue Yun, who had joined his father in the battlefields. In front of it are some statues of horses, tigers, and sheep.
A little bit further from the tombs are four kneeling bronze statues. I wondered why they were made with bare chests and hands tied behind their back. Their eyes are looking at the ground and I saw some guilty expressions there, as if they had done something wrong. And indeed they had.
The statues on the right are Qin Hui and his wife Lady Wang while the ones on the left are his subordinates, Mo Qixie and Zhang Jun. Qin Hui (1090-1155) was was a Song prime minister who is widely regarded as the traitor of the Han race because he played a part in the political execution of Yue Fei.
History told that after having Yue Fei, Yue Yun, and their friend Zhang Xian arrested for false charges, Qin Hui and his wife were sitting by the eastern window at their home, warming themselves by the fire. Qin was worried because he couldn't get Yue Fei to admit the charges and eventually had to release him. However, after a servant girl brought fresh oranges into the room, Lady Wang came up with an idea of slipping an execution notice inside the skin of an orange and send it to the examining judge. This way, the general and his companions would be executed before the emperor himself gave the order of execution. The conspiracy is known as the 'Eastern Window Plot'. That was why their statues are made to kneel forever before the tombs. For centuries these statues have been cursed, spat, and urinated. But today they are preserved as historical relics.

Retreating the Soul
Most Chinese are Buddhists and temples are found everywhere, including in Hangzhou.
The temple I visited was the Lingyin Temple of Lingyin Si in Chinese. The name is formed by two characters, 'ling' meaning 'spiritual' and 'yin' meaning retreat. Together they mean 'spiritual retreat' or 'the Temple of Soul's Retreat
This temple is found to the northwest of the West Lake, located in a narrow alley between Feilai Feng (Peak Flying from Afar) and the North Peak. As one of the ten most famous Buddhist temples in China, it is also considered as a leading center for research related to Chinese Buddhist culture.
The existence of the holy site can be traced back to the ear of the Jin dynasty (317-420). Legend said that an Indian monk named Huili came to the area and fell in love with the spiritual nature of the scenery. He then decided to build a temple which we know now. His ashes are kept in a small pagoda at the foot of Feilai Feng.
This peak is located in front of the temple. It got its name because it is made of limestone, thus gives a different appearance compared t its surrounding mountains. According to legend, it was originally from India; some versions suggested that it had flown to Hangzhou overnight to show the almighty power of the Buddhist law. I saw a large number of carvings on its surface depicting the Buddha. One of their panels on the left tells a story of the Monkey King, 'Journey to the West.'
The formal entrance to the temple itself is the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwang Dian). It is a double-eaved building with a plague written by the third Qing dynasty emperor Kangxi (1661-1722) which says 'Yunlin Chan Si' or 'the Chan Temple of the Clouds and Forests.' That is how the temple got its name. The main statue in this hall is the Maitreya Buddha in his manifestation as the clothes bag monk or the Laughing Buddha. At the back is the Boddhisatva Skanda who is regarded as a devoted guardian in Chinese Buddhism. The statue dates from the Song dynasty (960-1279).
Passing through the main hall and crossing the courtyard, I arrived in front of Da Xiong Bai Dian or the Hall of Great Heroes. It is a single storey construction with double-eaved roof shaped like a cone rising to 33.6 meters tall, making it probably the tallest single storey building in China. Inside is the statue of Sakyamuni made of camphor wood and stands 24.8 meters tall, covered with gold. It is guarded by twenty statues of saints on its euther sides, said to be protectors of justice.
I continued again until reaching the Hall of Medicine Buddha (Yaoshi Dian) where you can see the statue of Bhaisajyaguru, also known as the Healing Buddha. The sun and the moon on his left and right hands represnt yin and yang. In Chinese traditional medicine, they have to be balanced to create good health.
On the way out I saw a beautiful stone carving on the wall. It was complicated to figure out what it was, but later I noticed that it is the dragon and the phoenix; symbols of the Chinese emperor and empress.

Drinking a Cup of Tea
It is a common knowledge that China is famous for its tea. I'm a tea drinker myself, but have never tasted the 'real' Chinese tea. Not until I visited the Longjing tea plantation. This place reminded me of Puncak, West Java which is also famous for its beautiful tea plantation scenery. The view here was just as gorgeous.
Also known as the 'Dragon Well', this well was discovered in about 230 AD, according to legend. The fresh spring water encouraged Hangzhouers to develop their own quality tea. A spokeswoman explained that to me in the National Tea Museum, the only state-level museum specializing in the tea culture. It has a wonderful collection of tea utensils. My interest was particularly the unique teapots; one stops pouring water when its lid is held and the other can pour spiral water. There are more kinds that I didn't see.
I learned about different kinds of tea, among them are the famous Longjing tea and there is the chrysanthemum tea. The Longjing tea is made of fresh tea leaves and the chrysanthemum tea is made of dried chrysanthemum flowers. They tasted delicous! The tea are packed in special containers that are designed so that the flavor doesn't wear off. You can buy the tea there too. It's quite expensive, but you get the best quality of tea which can last for a long time.
As I walked around the museum, I saw a statue in its garden. The tour guide said he was Lu Yu, the tea sage. This man lived between 733-804 and had contributed a lot to the Chinese tea culture. He is well known for his book, The Classic of Tea, the first comprehensive work on cultivating, making, and drinking tea.
The Dragon Well is well known to foreigners as well as the Chinese. Some world leaders had visited the plantation, among them were Queen Elizabeth and the former Chinese president Jiang Zemin.

And that's the end of my trip in Hangzhou

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Menelusuri Jejak Kekaisaran Cina

Pada bulan Agustus 2008 mata seluruh dunia tertuju ke Beijing yang menjadi tuan rumah pesta olahraga terbesar di dunia, Olimpiade. Bagi mereka yang beruntung dapat pergi ke sana, selain menyaksikan kemegahan Olimpiade, juga akan diingatkan akan sejarah panjang negara yang dijuluki Negeri Tirai Bambu tersebut.

Film peraih piala Oscar tahun 1987 'The Last Emperor' mengambil latar belakang tempat di Istana Kekaisaran Cina, atau yang lebih terkenal dengan Kota Terlarang. Film ini merupakan biografi Pu Yi, kaisar Cina terakhir dari dinasti Qing (baca 'Cing'). Selama berabad-abad Cina diperintah oleh kaisar dari 37 dinasti. Ming dan Qing adalah dua dinasti terakhir dan yang paling terkenal.
Jejak kemegahan kekaisaran Cina tersebar luas di Beijing; Kota Terlarang yang megah, Istana Musim Panas yang Indah, Kuil Surga yang sakral, Makam Kaisar Dinasti Ming yang mewah, dan tentu saja, Tembok Besar.
Beijing menjadi ibukota kekaisaran untuk pertama kalinya ketika Kubilai Khan mendirikan Dinasti Yuan. Lalu kaisar ketiga Dinasti Ming, Yongle, yang juga dikenal sebagai arsitek Beijing, mulai membangun kota ini secara besar-besaran, termasuk mendirikan Kuil Surga dan Istana Kekaisaran. Yang terakhir diselesaikan dalam waktu empat belas tahun. Beliau juga mendirikan tembok pelindung istana lengkap dengan menara pengawasnya.
Bangsa Manchu meruntuhkan dinasti Ming pada tahun 1644 dan mendirikan Dinasti Qing. Mereka memperluas Kota Terlarang dan mendirikan beberapa istana peristirahatan di luar kota Beijing.

Rumah Kaisar
Untuk mencapai Kota Terlarang, saya harus berjalan melewati Lapangan Tiananmen, alun-alun kota terbesar di dunia yang luasnya mencapai seribu hektar. Jalan menuju Kota Terlarang terletak di antara dua bangunan tua.
Kota Terlarang adalah kompleks istana terbesar di dunia dengan 9.999 ruangan. Halaman utamanya sengaja dibuat untuk menampung 90.000 orang pada upacara kekaisaran. Ada tiga gedung utama; Balairung Keselarasan Tertinggi, Balairung Keselarasan Sempurna, dan Balairung Keselarasan Abadi.
Balairung Keselarasan Tertinggi, yang paling besar diantara ketiganya, berdiri tepat di tengah. Disinilah berbagai upacara penting diadakan ternasuk perayaan ulang tahun kaisar. Di dalamnya terdapat Singgasana Naga yang terkenal. Tepat di belakangnya adalah Balairung Keselarasan Sempurna, dimana sang kaisar berganti pakaian sebelum menghadiri berbagai upacara. Bangunan terakhir adalah Balairung Keselarasan Abadi dimana kaisar bersiap-siap sebelum memberi gelar kepada permaisuri dan putra mahkota.
Saya terus berjalan sampai tiba di bagian dalam istana. Disinilah para kaisar tinggal bersama kedua permaisuri dan selir-selir mereka, dilayani oleh ratusan kasim dan pelayan. Jalan masuk utama kesini adalah melalui Gerbang Kemurnian Surgawi, yang dibangun seperti rumah. Sejak masa pemerintahan Kang Xi (1662-1722) dari Dinasti Qing, kaisar kadang memberi pengarahan kepada para pejabat di gerbang ini. Bangunan terpenting disini adalah Istana Kemurnian Surgawi, yang tempat tinggal kaisar, yang kadang juga digunakan untuk menangani urusan kenegaraan. Di tempat ini jugalah kaisar yang mangkat disemayamkan.
Para permaisuri semasa dinasti Ming dan Qing tinggal di Istana Kedamaian Bumi. Kamar pengantin di sebelah timur ruang utama adalah tempat dimana kaisar dan permaisuri tinggal selama dua malam setelah upacara pernikahan. Interiornya sama persis dengan yang ditata untuk pernikahan Kaisar Guangxu (1871-1908) dari dinasti Qing. Dinasti ini adalah yang terakhir memerintah Cina sebelum Revolusi Kebudayaan tahun 1911, didirikan oleh klan Manchu Aisin-Gioro. Guangxu adalah kaisar kesebelas dari dua belas kaisar.
Taman Istana terletak di bagian belakang. Taman ini dbangun pada tahun 1417 dan merupakan taman tertua di Beijing. Luasnya mencapai 1,3 hektar. Tempat paling indah disini adalah Bukit Kumpulan Kemenangan dengan Pavilion Kemegahan Abadi. Di depannya ditanam pohon-pohon sipres tua, beberapa sudah berusia sekitar empat ratus tahun.
Kaisar, permaisuri, dan para selir kadang datang kesini untuk memuja bintang kejora dan bintang timur pada hari ketujuh bulan ketujuh. Ini berarti agama adalah hal penting dalam kehidupan kekaisaran. Kaisar dianggap sebagai 'putra surga', yang menangani berbagai urusan duniawi atas nama dan mewakili otoritas yang lebih tinggi. Persembahan kepada Langit menjadi sangat penting.

Istana Musim Panas
Bangunan ini pada awalnya bernama 'Taman Riak Air Jernih' (Qingyi Yuan) dan dibangun pada masa pemerrintahan Kaisar Qianlong (1761-1795). Didominasi oleh Bukit Keabadian yang tingginya enam puluh meter dan Sungai Kunming, tempat ini dibuat dengan cara memperluas bagian air yan sudah ada agar menyerupai Danau Barat di Hangzhou.
Kompleks istana ini pernah diserang musuh dua kali; ketika terjadi invasi gabungan Inggris-Prancis tahun 1860 dan pada masa pemberontakan kaum Boxer pada oleh pasukan sekutu Barat pada tahun 1900. Untungnya Istana Musim Panas selamat dan dibangun lagi pada tahun 1900.
Di halaman depan istana, saya melihat beberapa patung batu yang berbentuk berbagai binatang, diantaranya burung phoenix, burung bangau, dan qilin (baca: cilin). Burung phoenix adalah lambang permaisuri. Bangau adalah simbol keabadian. Qilin adalah mahkluk dalam legenda yang dipercaya membawa pertanda baik. Menurut legenda, mahkluk ini menghukum yang jahat dan berkepala naga, bertanduk rusa, berkulit dan bersisik ikan, berkaki banteng, dan berekor singa.
Keindahan alam sekitar bisa dilihat sambil menyusuri koridor yang panjangnya 700 meter dan menghubungkan bagian utara-selatan danau. Dari kejauhan terlihat Kuil Kebaikan Buddha. Kombinasi kuil dan danau ini pasti bisa membuat siapa pun terpesona.
Istana Musim Panas adalah tempat tinggal Ibu Suri Cixi dari Dinasti Qing. Beliau adalah selir dari Kaisar Xianfeng (baca Hsienfeng) (1850-1861), satu-satunya yang melahirkan anak laki-laki dan karena itu pangkatnya dinaikkan lima tingkat. Ketika kaisar mangkat, dia mendapat gelar ibu suri dan menjalankan pemerintahan atas nama anaknya, Kaisar Tongzhi (baca: Tungchih), yang meninggal pada usia 19 tahun. Setelah Tongzhi wafat, dia mengangkat keponakannya, Guangxu (baca: kuanghsu) menjadi kaisar yang naik takhta pada usia empat tahun. Namun Cixi tetap menjalankan pemerintahan 'di belakang layar' dan menjadikan Guangxu kaisar boneka. Sebelum mangkat, dia menunjuk Pu Yi sebagai pengganti Guangxu.
Di istana inilah para kaisar pergi untuk beristirahat di musim panas, juga tempat Ibu Suri Cixi menghabiskan sebagian besar hidupnya. Sayang, tempat ini juga menyimpan tragedi. Kaisar Guangxu yang mencoba membebaskan diri dari pengaruh Cixi dengan membuat gerakan reformasi pada tahun 1898. Cixi tidak menyukai ini karena pandangannya yang konservatif. Atas perintah Ibu Suri, Guangxu dijadikan tahanan rumah di Ruang Riak Giok. Dia tinggal disana sampai menemui ajalnya pada usia 37, kemungkinan besar diracun oleh sang Ibu Suri, yang meninggal sehari kemudian. Ini hanya satu dari sekian banyak cerita yang tejadi di Istana Musim Panas, dituturkan secara turun temurun.

Doa Bagi Hasil Panen Yang Baik
Ritual keagamaan adalah bagian penting dalam kehidupan kerajaan. Sebuah tempat didirikan untuk tujuan ini yaitu Kuil Surga. Konsturksinya dikerjakan pada masa pemerintahan Yongle (1402-1424) dan selesai dalam waktu empat belas tahun.
Kuil ini masuk dalam Daftar Warisan Budaya Dunia UNESCO pada tahun 1998. Menurut kantor berita Cina Xinhua, renovasi besar-besaran dilakukan mulai awal 2005 dan selesai pada tanggal 1 Mei 2006 untuk menyambut Olimpiade. Proyek ini menelan dana 47 miliar yuan atau sekitar 5.9 juta dolar.
Memasuki kompleks bangunan, saya melihat Balairung Doa untuk Panen yang Baik, tingginya 39 meter, ditopang 28 tiang kayu dan beratap batu giok biru. Di dalamnya terdapat Altar Surga, dimana kaisar melakukan persembahan kepada Langit pada perayaan di musim dingin setiap tahun;sebuah upacara keagamaan untuk bersyukur kepada Langit dan berdoa kebaikan di masa depan.
Bangunan penting lainnya adalah Balairung Kekaisaran Langit yang jika dilihat dari jauh berbentuk seperti payung berujung emas. Ukurannya lebih kecil daripada Balairung Doa, dan digunakan untuk menyimpan peralatan upacara.
Di dalam balairung ini terdapat Dinding Gema yang sangat menarik. Terbuat dari batu dan mengelilingi seluruh balairung, dinding ini memantulkan gema yang sangat kuat. Dua orang bisa berbicara dalam bisikan dari jauh.
Saya melihat orang-orang berdoa di depan altar di Balairung Doa untuk Panen Yang Baik. Semoga Langit mendengar doa merreka.

Nyekar ke Makam Kaisar Ming
Dinasti Ming yang terkenal memerintah Cina dari tahun 1368-1644. Ada enem belas kaisar tapi hanya tiga belas yang dimakamkan di 'Shisan Ling' atau 'Tiga Belas Makam Kaisar Ming'.
Makam-makam ini terletak sekitar 50 kilometer sebelah utara Beijing, di lokasi yang dulu dipilih oleh kaisar ketiga Ming, Yongle, ketika ibukota kekaisaran dipndah dari Nanjing ke Beijing. Setelah membangun Kota Terlarang tahun 1420, Yongle memilih tempat ini sebagai makamnya, yang dinamai Changling. Kabarnya enam belas selir dikubur hidup-hidup bersama sang kaisar untuk menemaninya di akhirat nanti. Untungnya hal ini dihapuskan di masa pemerintahan kaisar Zhengtong.
Dingling, yang terletak 27 meter di bawah tanah adalah makam kaisar ketiga belas dinasti Ming, Zhu Yijun, yang bergelar Wanli. Kaisar ini dianggap tidak becus dalam menjalankan pemerintahan karena menyerahkan urusan negara kepada para pejabat korup dan membawa penderitaan bagi rakyat. Makam ini diselesaikan dalam waktu enam tahun dan selesai pada tahun 1581. Wanli kemudian mengadakan pesta peresmian, 38 tahun sebelum kematiannya.
Peti mati sang kaisar dan dua permaisurinya serta kebih dari tiga ribu artefak dipamerkan dalam dua museum kecil. Diantaranya adalah peralatan makan dari emas dan perak, jubah kebesaran kaisar dan permaisuri, mahkota, baju-baju perang, dan pedang.


Keajaiban Dunia
Tentu saja yang saya bicarakan adalah Tembok Besar Cina, salah satu pencapaian terbesar manusia di bidang konstruksi bangunan. Tembok ini terbentang sepanjang 5900 kilometer dari Teluk Bohai di Laut Kuning sampai ke Jiayuguan di pegunungan Gansu. Mungkin itu juga sebabnya ia mendapat julukan 'Changcheng' atau 'Tembok Panjang'.
Tembok ini awalnya dibangun untuk mencegah serangan orang barbar Hun dari utara oleh Qin Shi Huang, kaisar pertama Dinasti Qin, yang menyatukan Cina. Bahan-bahan yang digunakan adalah taipa, batu, dan kayu. Pada masa dinasti Ming, batu bata lebih banyak digunakan karena ukurannya lebih kecil dan lebih ringan sehingga pekerjaan konstruksi bisa diselesaikan lebih cepat. Lagipula batu bata bisa menahan berat lebih baik daripada bahan bangunan lainnya. Dasar, pinggiran dalam dan luar, serta pintu masuknya dibangun menggunakan batu yang dipotong persegi karena bahan ini dapat menahan berat bangunan lebih baik daripada batu bata.
Pada tiap jarak 27 meter, para pekerja dipaksa membangun menara pengawas setinggi kira-kira 14 meter yang digunakan untuk mengintai musuh. Mereka yang meninggal dikuburkan di bawah Tembok Besar. Para kaisar dinasti Ming (sekitar seribu tahun sesudah Qin Shi Huang) membangun konstruksi raksasa ini hingga mencakup sebagian besar propinsi sampai ke Juyongguan (pintu masuk Jalur Sutra yang terlenal).
Sebagian besar tembok di sebelah tenggara Cina saat ini berasal dari periode Dinasti Ming, yang memberikan perhatian sangat besar padanya. Mereka memperkuat dasar tembok dengan batu bata.
Katanya Tembok Besar Cina adalah satu-satunya benda di bumi yang bisa terlihat dari permukaan bulan. Second Book of Marvel karangan Richad Halliburton yang terbit pada tahun tahun 1938 mengklaim hal serupa, tapi ternyata ini tidak benar. Orang-orang tetap percaya pada cerita ini, sampai dicantumkan pada buku pelajaran sekolah. Arthur Waldron, pengarang 'Tembok Besar Cina: Sejarah dan Mitos' berspekulasi bahwa kepercayaan ini muncul karena karena kekaguman pada 'kanal' yang dipercaya berada di planet Mars.
Lepas dari benar tidaknya cerita diatas, Tembok Besar Cina terus membuat orang kagum dan menarik mereka untuk menyaksikan sendiri keajaiban dunia yang satu ini. Ada pepatah mengatakan, 'Mereka yang belum mendaki Tembok Besar bukan manusia sejati.'

Friday, August 8, 2008

Paradise on Earth

Marco Polo said this was a great noble city with 1600 stone bridges under which a galley may pass. It’s nicknamed the ‘Capital of Silk’, ‘World of Gardens’, and ‘Venice of the East’. The city is also considered one of the most beautiful places on earth.

‘Above there is paradise, below there is Suzhou and Hangzhou’, is an old Chinese saying.
These words aren’t enough to describe the beauty of Suzhou, a city located on the lower reaches of the Yangzi River and the shore of Lake Tai in Jiangsu province, China. The city is famous for its beautiful stone bridges and canals; maybe that’s why it is associated with Venice. Meticulously designed classical gardens are also the reason why Suzhou is one of the major tourist attractions in China. Since the Song dynasty (960-1279), it has been the center of silk industry and continues to hold the prominent position until today.

The Chinese Pisa Tower
I’ve never seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa, because I’ve never been to Italy. But I don’t have to go as far as Rome to see it, because I found one in Suzhou, at the Tiger Hill Park to be exact.
The Tiger Hill, named because it is said to look like a crouching tiger, is a popular tourist destination known for its natural beauty as well as historical sites. Another legend states that a white tiger appeared on the hill to guard the burial site of King Helu, the King of the Wu kingdom during the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC). Also known as the Surging Sea Hill, it’s a large hill rock covering 14.100 square meters in width and 36 meters in height.
As I entered the park, I saw a tower. For a moment I thought I saw the famous Pisa tower, but I soon realized that it was its twin, the Yunyan Temple Pagoda or also known as the Leaning Tower of Suzhou. Built in the later period of the Five Dynasties (907-960 AD) and completed on the second year of the Song dynasty, it is a seven storey octangular building made of blue bricks. It is 47 meters high.
The pagoda wasn’t leaning when it was first built, but it is now due to its not so solid foundation, half soil half rock. Efforts were made to stabilize it and prevent further leaning by pumping concrete into the soil to form a stronger foundation. It was during this process that a stone casket containing Buddhist scriptures was found. An inscription in the casket said that the tower was completed on the seventh day of the twelfth month of the second year of Emperor Jianlong (961 AD). The uppermost stories were actually built as additions during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen (1628-1644), the last emperor of the Ming dynasty. It was interesting to enter and felt how it’s leaning.

The Oriental Venice
Everybody knows that Venice is famous for its canals and gondolas. But not all people know, including me, that in China you can find another version of Venice. I discovered that in Suzhou when I went to Zhouzhuang or the Water Town.
The town is located 30 kilometers south east of Suzhou. It’s a popular tourist destination and the most famous water township in China, noted for its strong cultural backgrounds, well-preserved ancient residential houses, and stone bridges.
The first thing that caught my attention was the canal that divides the old town into two parts. I heard a high-pitched song sang which came from a lady who was rowing a gondola full of tourists. My tour guide said the song praised the beauty of Suzhou.
Stone bridges are built along the canal. There are fourteen of them, but the most famous are the Twin Bridges, consisting of Yong’en and Shide bridges. They are considered the symbol of Zhouzhuang. Built during the Wanli era (1573-1619) of the Ming Dynasty, the Twin Bridges are located in the northeast of the town. Shide Bridge is east-west and has a round arch, while Yong’en Bridge is north-south and has a square arch. Crossing the two crisscross rivers (Yinzi Creek and Nabeishi River) and connecting at the middle, the Twin Bridges look like an old-style Chinese key. In 1984, 38 canvases of the notable painter, Chen Yifei, were exhibited in a New York gallery of Armand Hammer, chairman of Occidental Petroleum Corporation. "Memory of Hometown" which depicted the Twin Bridges, was one of the items on display and has gained the world's attention for Zhouzhuang. The painting was chosen to be the first-day cover of the United Nations' postage stamp in 1985. A stone tablet is placed near one of the bridges telling the story of ‘Chen Yifei and the Twin Bridge’.
I continued walking until I got to a fancy old house. There are two old houses, the Shen and the Zhang house. They both belonged to Chinese past millionaires.
The Shen house was built in 1742 and was the private property of the descendants of Shen Wanshan, the first millionaire of Jiangnan (on the south of Yangzi River) in the early Qing dynasty. It covers an area of 2000 square meters and built in the Qing architecture style. There are over a hundred rooms in it, which are divided into three sections and each one is connected by arcades and aisles.
The Zhang house, which I think was the one I entered, was built by the Xu family during the Zhengtong era (1436-1449) of the Ming Dynasty. It was then bought by the Zhang family in the early Qing dynasty. Located to the south of the Twin Bridge, it covers an area of 1.800 square meters and has more than 70 rooms. With Ruojing River flowing through, Zhang house is a dapper and graceful residential house; has a tranquil courtyard and pond. I will always remember the pond; when I went there, I saw some noisy geese and I was afraid they were going to attack. But they were nice enough to leave me alone, so my fear didn’t come true.


A Fancy Garden
I got the impression that Suzhou used to be full of the riches as I stepped into another house called the Canglang Pavilion, or Canglang Ting in Chinese.
Located in the southern part of the ancient city, this pavilion is the oldest among the existing classical gardens in Suzhou. It was the private property of the famous Northern Song poet, Su Sunqin. He bought the garden and built the pavilion in a setting adjacent to water that was on the property that would enhance its beauty. The garden was then named Canglang Pavilion in honor of his namesake, Canglang Wong.
I wouldn’t mind if I was offered a house like this. It was designed emphasizing the harmony between man made building and natural surroundings. Rocks taken from the Tai Lake were used to make beautiful formations combined with some gorgeous flowers. As I walked along its long corridor, it felt like walking in a forest in autumn.
The building was beautifully designed in the Qing (1644-1911) architecture style. At the eastern end of the corridor, a square pavilion sits on a stone beside the pool. It is called the Fishing Terrace which is a perfect place to sit and watch different varieties of fish swimming in the pond. Too bad I couldn’t do it since there were no fish.

Shopping for Silk

As I mentioned before, Suzhou is also famous for its silk and nicknamed ‘silk city’. It has been recognized as the world leader in silk production since the ancient times and has the best quality of silk products. It won’t be completed coming to Suzhou without buying silk.
That’s why I was taken to Choyer’s, the number one silk factory in the city, and I guess in China. Built in 1926, its ‘Wu Ai’ mulberry silk clothes and quilts are famous both home and abroad. They have been exported to Southeast Asia, America, and Europe. The factory also has opened the production line with the Chinese silk reeling and quilt industry. A silk museum shows 5000 years of silk history and culture. Visitor’s programs include mulberry silk planting, silkworm rising, and fashion shows.
A factory employee warmly welcomed me and took me on a tour to see the silk products making in process. It was interesting. It started by taking silk threads from cocoons using special machines. The threads then made into the base of the products depending on what to make; sheets, quilts, or dresses. To make a blanket, the material has to be pulled and fit into a bed. I tried pulling it and found out it’s not an easy task and takes power to do it. Then I proceed to the gallery where finished products are sold. You can find lots of things here; shirts, dresses, scarves, pillows, blanket, handkerchiefs, cell phone cases, you name it. They’re not cheap however, so you need to plan your budget and know what you want to buy. But since the products are of the finest quality, I think it’s worth spending your money here.
The last agenda in the factory was watching a fashion show, so I was led to a big showroom with a catwalk. The music started, and a few minutes later some Chinese models came out displaying clothes made in Choyer’s. Though not as sophisticated as those in Paris or Milan, the show was quite entertaining.
I ended my days in Suzhou by having a big lunch in the factory’s restaurant.