The Kunshan Way
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A pleasant way of getting to know Kunshan's history and culture is to visit Tinglin Park. Located in the middle of Kunshan's main town it offers the "Three Treasures" of Kunshan: Kunshan Stone, Jade Flower, and Twin-lotus Flower, along with museums, a Kunqu Opera House, Kunshan's highest scenic spot Jade Peak and a glimpse of a vibrant local community in action.
Kunshan Stone
Kunshan stone is one of the "four noble stones" of China which are prized by collectors, the other three are Lingbi Stone (quarried in Anhui Province), Taihu Lake Stone (Jiangsu Province) , and Yingde Stone (Guangdong Province). The stone has been quarried for thousands of years from Yufeng Mountain (Jade Peak) which sits in the middle of Tinglin Park. Formed over millions of years by geological and volcanic action, it has very high hardness and purity (91.57% silicon dioxide), which is close to that of agate, under a microscope you can see a matrix of crossing crystalline structure. Unfortunately it is also very brittle, which makes it hard to process. Most are stand-alone pieces.
The stone comes in a number of varieties and is enjoyed for its colors and natural delicacy: Lotus Leaf Crease, honeycombed Anthill Peak, super-thin Chicken-bone Peak, crystalline Snow-white Peak are some of the names given. The collectable value has increased markedly as the people's disposable income and interest in collectables has increased. In terms of supply, since Jade Peak's mines were shut down by the government to preserve it, the supply has been cut off. Lotus Leaf Crease, for example, can sell for ten times its weight in gold.
Jade Flower
The Jade Flower is a rare "living fossil" found only in China. The biggest single plant grows in Tinglin Park. It flowers from mid-April to mid-May, but its perennially changing hues are an exquisite kind, making it a feast for the eyes, even when not in bloom.
Twin-lotus Flower
Legend has it that the Twin-lotus Flower was introduced into China from India. A Yuan Dynasty poet Gu A'ying through careful breeding developed flowers in multiple configurations with buds facing apart, or clustered tightly together. They became known as the East Pavilion Lotus because the poet's garden was in East Pavilion Village of Zhengyi Town. When they bloom they spread their perfume across the park and their blossoms offer another breathtaking part of Tinglin Park.
The Community
If you can, go in the morning and watch the sun rise. You will be greeted by a cross section of the community which uses the park as their daily social and exercise club. Young children with their parents, retired locals and school children walk the ancient paths to the museums and attractions, activity areas and nature trails.
It is an extraordinary sight to see: people singing Kunqu Opera, playing traditional instruments, practicing Kungfu, ballroom dancing, exercising and flying kites.
Those not involved in physical activities use the benches and tables for Mahjong, Chinese chess, Go and casual chatting. Locals, children and retirees get in free or at reduced prices. According to my guide the park is one of those magical places where people bump into old friends and make new ones. Most importantly you get a sense of what China was and is when you take away the new buildings and busy streets.
