Hanshan Temple

Hanshan Temple in Suzhou is a provincial scenic spot of Jiangsu. It lies next to the ancient canal 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) west of Suzhou and covers 45 hectares. Besides the many historical and cultural areas of interest, the natural sights are also quite beautiful.

The Hanshan Temple was originally built during the reign of Tianjian during the Liang Dynasty. The poem of "Mooring to the Maple Bridge at Night" by Zhang Ji of the Tang Dynasty is so oft-quoted and widely loved that the poetic rhyme and the bell-tolling sounds have made the Hanshan Temple famous in China and abroad. The now yearly tourist tradition of listening to the bell tolls of the Hanshan Temple on the New Year's Eve has gradually morphed into an exceptionally grand occasion since its beginning in 1979. Each New Year's Eve thousands of visitors from around China and the globe gather inside and outside the temple to listen to the one hundred and eight bell tolls and pray for luck and happiness in the New Year.

In the yard of Hanshan Temple, the Oriental cherries are in full bloom and the osmanthus is sweet-scented in Spring. Green trees shade the entire yard. The Poem-hunting Corridor, Floating Star Pavilion, Rope Fastening rock, along with the old temple complete with yellow walls and lingering bell tolls are all windows into the past from which you can get a brief glimpse of the mind of man hundreds of years ago.

The whole temple imparts a transcendent atmosphere. And it is just a perfect place to get rid of the hustle and bustle of the mundane world, and to ponder or just wander and be in peace.