Suzhou Park

Suzhou Park

A green space nestled in the heart of the ancient city, a ticket-free park, and an “ideal spot” for morning exercise and leisure. According to the *Records of Suzhou City*, Suzhou Park is “the first modern park in Suzhou, commonly known as the Grand Park.” Tracing its origins takes us back to the Spring and Autumn period. And from the Tang and Song dynasties onward, the park had already become a place where “the public could enter for amusement in spring.”

Flipping through the Suzhou map from the 34th year of the Guangxu reign (1908), one can see a pond south of Gengzi Lane, in a relatively open area. With Western influence beginning to spread eastward, some proposed building a “civic park” there. This plot of “leisure land,” which would later become indispensable to the lives of Suzhou residents, began to attract the attention of progressive gentry.

After the May Fourth Movement, people from all walks of life advocated for the creation of a park equipped with scientific, cultural, and recreational facilities such as a library, auditorium, and music pavilion. In the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925), Xi Eming, a prominent businessman from Jiangyin residing in Shanghai, generously donated 50,000 silver dollars to kickstart the project. First, students from the Civil Engineering Department of Suzhou Industrial College surveyed and drew the site plan, which was then handed over to the French horticulturist Jochem from the Shanghai Municipal Council for design. By the end of July that year, a castle-style two-story library with a clock tower on all four sides was completed in the southern part of the central lotus pond. To the east of the library, adjacent to the pond, was the “East Study” teahouse, while a West Pavilion was built at the southwest corner. In the southeast of the park, a pond named “Moon Pond” was dug, surrounded by corridors entwined with wisteria, along with over 4,000 trees planted. In the 1920s, when classical gardens inside and outside the city were rarely open to the public, the park was hailed by citizens as the only tranquil spot in town. In April 1927, the Suzhou Park Preparatory Committee was formed, commissioning Yan Wenliang to design the fountain. The site was then landscaped with sod and trees, and the park officially opened to the public on August 1 of the same year, causing a sensation across the city. In 1931, excavation continued on the northern pond, where lotuses were cultivated and fish raised, along with 200 maple trees donated by Li Genyuan. A four-sided pavilion named Minde Pavilion was built atop the earthen hill in the park. By this time, the Suzhou Park that generations would stroll through for decades was largely complete.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Education Bureau took over the management of the park. In June 1953, the Suzhou municipal government allocated several thousand yuan for renovations, constructing a bamboo pavilion on the site of the library, which had been destroyed by Japanese artillery fire. The northern lawn was turned into a children’s playground, and Han Society was repurposed as a children’s reading room, making it the largest garden in the city at the time. Although the structure of the park underwent several adjustments afterward, it consistently maintained a blend of Western and Chinese planning—formal flower stands and fountains in the southern half, and a naturalistic landscape in the northern half. It can be said that for over half a century, Suzhou Park has become one of the cultural landmarks for Suzhou residents.

At the turn of the new century, Suzhou Park underwent renovation and reconstruction, greeting the public with a fresh and vibrant look. The park’s two standout features are its fusion of Chinese and Western layouts and the meticulous preservation of all large trees and historic buildings during the transformation.

Suzhou gardens are known for their “piled-up hills and arranged waters.” As a park located in the city center, Suzhou Park focused first on water during its renovation. The lotus pond in the park had seen deteriorating water quality in recent years, with signs of eutrophication emerging. To fundamentally improve the water quality, dredging and purification were key. Drawing on the experience of renovating the ancient city’s canals, the winding waterways in the park were cleared of silt and paved with permeable turf bricks. At the bottom of the pool, aside from the pebble-laid areas near the shore, the central part remained muddy to allow lotus cultivation. Additionally, an investment of over 300,000 yuan introduced a set of circulating water purification equipment, capable of cleaning the pool water every four or five days. With lotus leaves spread out and fish swimming beneath the surface, visitors by the water exclaimed that the park truly lived up to the name “Suzhou.”

At the heart of the park lies Furong Square, broad and flat, with 12 stone balls on a raised circular platform in the center that exude a contemporary vibe. As for the large trapezoidal slab by the pond, called the water-friendly platform, it naturally serves as a venue for aquatic activities. This area forms a visual counterpoint with the earthen hill and Minde Pavilion on the island in the pond across from it, while the Peace Bridge to the right and the teahouse with its European architectural charm form the activity hub. The teahouse’s pink facade is even more enchanting when framed by green trees.

Greenery is the lifeblood of the park. With its many tall trees, Suzhou Park stands out as the most vibrant scene among the surrounding concrete jungle. Preserving large trees, planting flower beds, and designing lawns were the most meticulously planned tasks by the design team. The guiding principle of the renovation was to increase foliage with colorful leaves and showcase diversity. The most brilliant design idea was the restoration of the parterre flower bed inside the south gate, spanning over 1,000 square meters. Designed in a symmetrical, formal style, it features tall cedar trees to the north serving as a screen. The patterns made from red-flowered loropetalum, golden juniper, and evergreen boxwood are novel and unique, fully reflecting the French garden style of the park’s early days.

Suzhou Park, a green gem in the heart of the ancient city. Covering 64 acres, it sits on the ruins of the Wu Kingdom’s capital city from the Spring and Autumn period. In the late Yuan Dynasty, it served as the royal palace of Zhang Shicheng before being destroyed by fire and eventually turning into wasteland, referred to as Huangfeiji or Wangfuji. Construction began in 1925, and the park opened to the public in 1927, featuring a layout style that blends French garden aesthetics with China’s natural landscapes. Over seven decades, the park’s facilities became outdated, the environment grew unkempt, functionality declined, and it became overcrowded with morning exercisers. To align with public opinion and the rapid pace of urban development in our city, the Suzhou Municipal People’s Government decided to comprehensively renovate the park. With an investment of over 18 million yuan, the project was designed and constructed by the Municipal Gardening and Greening Management Bureau and broke ground on May 8, 2001. The renovation preserved the original blend of Chinese and Western layout features, as well as historic structures such as large trees, Minde Pavilion, and Yuzhai. The focus was on adjusting the green environment, adding flower stands, and showcasing plant diversity. Key structures like the teahouse and fitness center were rebuilt, lighting, irrigation, and road systems were updated, and new facilities such as an underground parking garage, water-friendly platform, and Furong Square were added. The lotus pond was dredged, and infrastructure for water purification and sports recreation was improved. The park fence was lowered to integrate the park with the surrounding streetscape. Upon completion, the park emerged with a completely renewed environment, more beautiful than ever before—a true transformation. Citizens have remarked that the change of the century brings vast transformations, leaving a legacy for future generations—and this is one of them. This stone tablet is erected in commemoration.