With a history of more than 2,500 years, Tiger Hill is one of the famous scenic spots in Suzhou. It attracts countless history buffs and nature lovers. During the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC – 476 BC), King Helv of Wu State died here, so his son Fuchai buried him at this place. It is said that after three days of burial, a white tiger squatted on the tomb hill, so the site was named “Tiger Hill”.
Tiger Hill Facts
- Location: No.8 Huqiu Shanmennei, Gusu District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province
- Ticket Price: 60 yuan/person (January-March, June, November, December); 70 yuan/person (April, May, July-October)
- Opening Time: 7:30-17:30 (May 1st– October 31th); 7:30-17:00 (November 1st – April 30th next year)
Attractions in Tiger Hill
Tiger Hill Pagoda
It is one of the oldest preserved brick pagodas in China and the most representative building in Tiger Hill. The Tiger Hill Pagoda leans but does not fall, standing for thousands of years, and is known as the “Leaning Tower of Pisa in the East”. In 1957, a large number of cultural relics from the late Tang Dynasty to the Five Dynasties (907-979) were discovered during the maintenance. Exquisite Buddha statues, porcelain, bronze ware, etc., show the high level of production and material civilization of the society at that time.
Sword Pool
It is said that the tomb of King Helv of Wu State is located under this pool. After Helv’s death, his son buried 3,000 swords and jewels in the tomb and released water to store the pool, to prevent thieves from robbing the tomb. The water flows all year round and is bottomless, making this place full of mystery. The cliff on the east side of the pool is engraved with four characters, “Feng He Yun Quan”, which is said to be written by Mi Fu, a calligrapher in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).
Broken Beam Hall
The broken beam hall was built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and the plaque inside the hall is engraved with the words “Da Wu Sheng Rang”. It is named because the main beam in the building is made of two pieces of wood instead of a whole piece of wood. This building has been standing for more than 600 years. The most important thing is that the entire hall is made of bamboo and wooden nails, without any metal parts.
Thousand Men Rock
There is such a folk story in Suzhou since ancient times: After the king of Wu State arranged his tomb, he was afraid that the craftsmen would leak the news, so that he would not rest in peace after death. So he decided to kill all the craftsmen and insiders after the tomb was built, and there was a large stone in the place of the execution.
After that, “ the blood water” flowed from the rock on the rainy days. People thought it was because the craftsmen’s blood had soaked the stone. Now scientists have solved the mystery of the bleeding rock. It turns out that there is a layer of rock under the Thousand Men Rock containing iron oxide. Whenever it rains, it will be washed out by the rain, like blood.
Tiger Hill Tour Route
Here are some travel routes to visit Tiger Hill. You can choose one based on your interests and physical condition.
Family Tour:
North Gate – Small Wudang – Yunyan Temple Pagoda – Tiger Hill Sword Pool – Thousand Men Rock – Sun Wu Training Ground – Zhenniang Tomb – Sword Testing Stone – Wanjing Villa – Xixi Huancui – Toushan Gate
This route is relatively easy and suitable for families with young children.
South Gate to North Gate:
Tiger Hill South Gate – Wanjing Villa – Sword Testing Stone – Lengxiang Pavilion – The Third Spring – Sword Pool – Tiger Hill Pagoda – Yunyan Bridge – Tiger Hill North Gate
This route has the advantage of enjoying the view clockwise and the disadvantage of requiring you to walk uphill.
North Gate to South Gate:
Tiger Hill North Gate – Yunyan Bridge – Small Wudang – Tiger Hill Pagoda – Sword Pool – The Third Spring – Zhishuang Pavilion – Lengxiang Pavilion – Sword Testing Stone – Wanjing Villa – Tiger Hill South Gate
The advantage of this route is that it is easier to go downhill.
How to Get to Tiger Hill
If you plan to get from Suzhou Train Station to Tiger Hill, you can take the direct bus No.1/2/32/146/949 to Tiger Hill South Gate. Or it is much easier to take taxi, with around 25 yuan.
If you get to Suzhou by airplane, you need to land at the Suhzou Shuofang International Airport. Then you can take metro line 2 to Guangjinan Road station to transfer to metro line 1 to Tiger Hill station.
Attractions nearby Tiger Hill
- Lingering Garden: As one of four famous gardens in China, it features a wonderful layout, profound cultural heritage, and unique architectural style.
- Humble Administrator’s Garden: It is known as the representative of the classical Chinese garden. Boasting exquisite architecture and natural landscape, the Humble Administrator’s Garden took 16 years to build.
- Suzhou Museum: Designed by world-renowned architect Ieoh Ming Pei, this gorgeous museum is a perfect example of the fusion of traditional Suzhou architecture and modern art.
