Suzhou Supplement: A City of Museums
Suzhou is a city known not only for its beauty, but also for its rich cultural history. And where there's culture, there's museums. The following is a brief on five of the museums in town that are a must-visit for the true connoisseur of Chinese culture.
Suzhou Museum
The Suzhou Museum not only holds works of art, it is itself a work of art. Designed by the famed architect IM Pei, the central structure of the museum evokes traditional Suzhounese architecture while displaying Pei's unique, angular style. White-washed sections of walls framed by dark wooden joints create a kaleidoscopic series of acute triangles mirrored in a central reflecting pool, conjuring Suzhou's famed gardens, but also suggesting futurity.
While the structure itself is pointed towards the future, the exhibits themselves remain firmly anchored in the past. The collection spans a massive time period from the neolithic all the way through to the Qing Dynasty. Not to be missed are the collection of bamboo, wood and ivory carvings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. One carved elephant tusk displays dozens of figures crammed together in dizzying detail, a particularly fitting sight no doubt if you're visiting the museum on a busy day.
On the way out, you'll pass through the excellently preserved Qing Dynasty home of Li Xiucheng, one of the commanders of the army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He's also called Zhong Wang or the “Loyal King” due to his refusal to take part in a plot to assassinate Hong Xiuquan, leader of the Taiping Rebellion.
Humble Administrator's Garden and Suzhou Garden Museum
Located just next door to the Suzhou Museum sits the Humble Administrator's Garden. The first thing that one inevitably notices about the garden is its immense size. The largest in Suzhou, the garden's area is over 50,000 square metres and resembles something more akin to a public park than it does a garden. Don't let its name fool you, there's nothing particularly humble about this garden except its moniker.
Working your way through the garden's paths up to the pavilions and around the reflecting pools churning with schools of goldfish, you're apt to see one of the many rockeries on display in the garden. If you're traveling with children, this will undoubtedly be the highlight. These stone sculptures are carved to appear like naturally-occurring rock formations, but full of winding staircases and tunnels; they are the Ming Dynasty equivalent of a jungle gym. On the way out, be sure to catch a glimpse of the scale model of the complex in the museum, allowing you to get a sense of the garden's layout and design.
Suzhou Handicrafts Museum
Although it's only one block west of the Suzhou Museum, the Suzhou Handicrafts Museum can be difficult to find. The entrance is nondescript, especially for English-only tourists, marked with only a tiny English sign. Even asking local shopkeepers just metres from the entrance is apt to produce bewildered looks or, at the most, directions back towards the Suzhou Museum. Still, despite its low profile, this museum is a hidden gem well worth a look.
Crafted in the 20th century, the works inside the museum do not have the prestige of time on their side, but what they lack in history they more than make up for in terms of their craftsmanship. Gnarled bamboo roots become a table with legs of tiny dragons clawing their way to the top. An old tree stump becomes a stunning carving of traditional Buddhist imagery. A silk embroidery of Chairman Mao shines with a striking verisimilitude. Best of all, the inner courtyards of the complex are immaculate, full of a resounding silence that reminds one of the way that Suzhou's many gardens were meant to be enjoyed.
Kunqu Museum and Pingtan Museum
Just around the corner from each other on Zhangjiazhong Xiang just off of Pingjiang Lu, you'll find the Pingtan Museum and the Kunqu Museum. Pingtan is a form of traditional Chinese folk music featuring duets between a man and a woman typically concerning love and courtship. You'll know you've found the museum when you get to a bronze statue of three Qing Dynasty men and a rickshaw. The museum is concerned mostly with the history of the art form, often hosting (Chinese only) talks by pingtan professionals.
A bit farther down the road from Pingjiang Lu, you'll know you've found the Kunqu Musuem when you see an iron gate guarded by two stone lions. Kunqu is a form of traditional Chinese opera developed in Southern China. If you're lucky, when stepping inside the museum you'll be able to catch the practice or maybe even the performance of one of the local troupes.
