I arrived in Suzhou (蘇州) in the afternoon. This ancient city is known for the canals and the private gardens. The duration of the rainy season varies between 150 and 200 days per year. The highest temperature reaches to 42C during the months of July and August. The coldest temperature goes down to -6C.
Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage, this residence was owned by 3 families: Xu (徐), Liu (劉) and Sheng (盛). The garden covers a space of 23, 310 square meters. The buildings take over one third of the total area. Since it rains abundantly in Suzhou, roofs were built above the hallways. The columns are made of wood. In order to cut off the humidity connection to the wood, the floor contains a few layers of stones. The windows are all open and framed. Each frame is designed differently.
(More pictures to come)
Snack Time!
During the boat ride, the guide explained:
In the past, the people lived near the water. The houses contain 2 stories. The floor is made of a few layers of stone at the bottom. The bedrooms are located on the second floor. When the people lie down on their beds, they can see the boats passing by. They feel like sleeping above the river. There was no toilet in the houses. The dwellings poured the waste into the river. Nowadays, it is difficult and expensive to build toilets due to the stones. As a result, the middle class people move into apartments. Only the rich and the poor remain there.
Sources: en.visitsz.com/
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