Introduction

    Stone lake lying 7 km to the southwest of the Suzhou city, the Stone Lake Scenic Area is the place where the great Song poet Fan Chengda o­nce lived in seclusion. By the side of the lake is the Shangfang Hill. At the top of the hill is the Lengjia Pagoda dating from the Song Dynasty. To the east of the lake is farmland crisscrossed by canals. To the west of the lake are rolling hills. The Xingchun Bridge with nine arches by the northern shore of the lake looks like a long rainbow above the water.

     Suzhou falls within north subtropical monsoonal climate zone with abundant rainfall, clear seasons and temperate and humid climate. The four seasons are suitable for travel, especially from April to October.

Highlights

    There are the remains of the Celestial Mirror Pavilion in Stone lake, the Putuo Crag, the Shrine of Fan Chengda, the Yuecheng Bridge, and other sights around. O­n the 18th of the 8th lunar month every year, it is the custom for many local people to travel here to enjoy the bright moon reflected in the lake through the arches of the Xingchun Bridge, forming a wonderful necklace of moons.