WTF was up with Humble Administrator's Garden today?

[Leticia Ritchie]

Hello everyone! I've just returned from Hu Zheng Yuan (Humble Administrator’s Garden), and I have some mixed feelings about my experience, so I want to share it with you all and give a word of caution.

Today I caught the subway at 'The Humble Administrator’s Garden & Suzhou Museum', as both are located nearby. According to instructions, I exited at Gate No.1 with great excitement, planning to visit the renowned ancient garden in Suzhou—The Humble Administrator’s Garden.
However, what happened next didn't quite meet my expectations:

• Watch out for misleading directions!

  • Before leaving, I consulted the route on my mobile map and knew how to get there in the shortest way possible. However, police officers or security officers at the scene seemed to intentionally guide tourists down another path different from the one on my map.
  • Not only was this alternate route longer than necessary, but it also led us to a wrong location, instead of the main entrance. It took us to a street called 'Humble Administrator’s Garden Eastern Exit and Commercial Street', which is where souvenirs and snacks are sold. What's even more confusing is that there were several signs written "Access to The Humble Administrator’s Garden." This misleading information could confuse visitors.
  • After walking around feeling clueless, my friends and I finally regained our bearings by using the navigation app on our smartphones to take us back to the correct route. We had taken an extra hour we hadn’t expected.

• Crowds and disorganized lines!

  • By the time we reached the gate, we found ourselves among a multitude of people. And the queue stretched on for quite far, as if reaching all the way to the neighboring Suzhou Museum.
  • What's more, chaos reigned, with jostling people eager to cut in line, while only two security guards were managing the situation. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't resolve the disorder.

• Check-in area congestion!

  • Upon arrival, we found the check-in station equally messy. People pushed against each other until eventually, they created two lines, only for it to turn into just one lane again at the ticket check point.
  • For those who did not make prior online reservations or were unable to find electronic tickets at the site, the entrance proved challenging.

I finally managed to squeeze my way into the garden, taking a deep breath as if I was finally free from a lengthy ordeal.
Nonetheless, the sight within The Humble Administrator’s Garden is truly beautiful. The flowers, grass, pavilions, and buildings have all been meticulously maintained. As for the scenic beauty of Southern Jiangnan, The Humble Administrator’s Garden rightfully deserves its title as ‘heaven above, Suzhou below’. It is no wonder this beauty earned its name among the people.

To anyone heading to The Humble Administrator’s Garden, here's some advice from a fellow traveler: （Attention please!）

• Rely on mobile maps: When getting around, pay cautious attention to staff directions at the entrance. Trust your phone maps, or you might find yourself wandering down useless trails.

• Pre-reserve your tickets: Especially during holidays or tourist seasons, booking your tickets in advance is crucial. Otherwise, long lines may drain your patience, and missing your chance isn't out of the question either.

• Staying cool and composed: Despite all preparations, crowds will be inevitable (it's a famous tourist attraction after all). Keep calm, enjoy leisurely strolls. There'll always be plenty of quieter spots for you to admire the beautiful surroundings.

#Permanently charmed by the beauty of ancient towns in Jiangnan #Suzhou style architectural #Heaven above Suzhou below #Garden ecology garden #Springtime beauty #Humble Administrator’s Garden #HumbleAdministrator’s Garden guide #Qingming tourism #Humble Administrator’s Garden beauty