People say, “Above is heaven and below is Suzhou and Hangzhou”. In ancient China, Suzhou is said to have been a playground for learned scholars in their twilight years. If they were disillusioned with their government position and dreary political affairs, Suzhou was the best place to find an escape. Suzhou has long be known as “the land of fish and rice.” That’s the Chinese version of what English call “the land of milk and honey”.

The scholars became hermits and built gardens for themselves as their true refuge from the world. This is expressed in the old saying, “Find a little home and hide away in it; leave what’s outside and never regret it.” The reason why they use “hide躲(duǒ)” lies at following. These famous retreats are all located at the end of narrow, twisting pathways. The houses are relatively tiny with extremely small doorways and walls that restrict the view of the courtyards. The retreats are surrounded by high walls and their names reflect the humility of the proprietors. Some of them include “the Humble Administrator’s Garden” and “the Garden of Retreat and Reflection.” They speak lowly of themselves, because they had to maintain a façade of indifference to escape from disturbance.