2021.09.16
At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liu Gongbao, a leader in Shanghai's financial industry, left Shanghai during the pinnacle of his career. Returning to his hometown, Wengxiang village in Suzhou, he began to repair the ancestral home left by his forebears.
He believed that this quiet and beautiful courtyard could make the spring season stay long. So he named his house as Rong Chun Tang (Spring Garden).
Window view of Spring Garden
The people of Dongshan affectionately call Spring Rong Chun Tang as "108 rooms". The number of rooms is taken from the ancient legend of the 108 gods under the stars.
Night view
Our site is located in Dongshan, Suzhou, a famous historical and cultural town adjacent to Taihu Lake. Fei Xiaotong praised it as "a paradise within a paradise" because of its abundant products and rich culture.
Dongshan location
Private car pick-up service is available
Dongshan is a peninsula surrounded by the third largest freshwater lake in China-Taihu Lake.
Dongshan Taihu Lake Sunset
Dongshan is the birthplace of the Wu culture, shining like a pearl among the mountains and blue waters.
Overlooking of Dongshan
Rong Chun Tang is a former Ming/Qing residence carrying special memories of many generations of Dongshan people. The Liu family is one of the "Dongting Merchants," and counts Liu Shu as one of their ancestors and builder of the famed Liu Garden.
Rong Chun Tang‘s main building was built in the late Qing dynasty; bricks found during restoration reveal part of the foundation was built during the Ming. The ancient structures are well preserved, including gate towers, halls, lobbies, lanes, residential buildings, and gardens.
Rong Chun Tang is not only a representative work of Qing Dynasty residential buildings, but also the largest one in the area. This historical space would be difficult to replicate today.
Garden corners
The walls and corners hold secret carvings of character sayings and animals. Green glazed window tiles and other beautiful interiors characteristic of Qing Dynasty Suzhou-style dwellings adorn the buildings.
Banquet in the Osmanthus Garden
From 2018-2021, the Linden Centre, along with local artisans from the intangible cultural heritage guild, worked together to repair and revitalize this cultural relic into a boutique hotel and learning center.
Education Camp
Rong Chun Tang is located in Wengxiang village at the foot of the mountains, free from the noises of the city. A stroll in the village may reveal surprises around every corner and any alley.
Communities around the Garden
During your stay at the Linden Centre, you can hike in the mountains of Mount Moli in the early morning, enjoy the fresh air, listen to the birds, and relax. You may visit the traditional Su-style local villages in Dongshan Town, explore the museum; or take a leisurely trip to Taihu Lake in the evening.
Taihu Lake
Traditional villages
Main entrance
Overlooking the Linden Centre Suzhou
The third and fourth courtyards of the central and west wings are the main living spaces.
To maintain the original layout of this ancient building, there are 16 rooms in four separate courtyards; each room has a poetic name derived from eastern Chinese lifestyle.
King Room
In addition, Rong Chun Tang has ample public space: children’s room, reading rooms, cooking classroom, cultural salons, conference and meeting rooms-all can meet the needs of family travel and company groups.
Children's room
Reading room
Meeting room
Tea room
The soul of Subang cuisine comes from the concept "anytime,all the time.” Suzhou people are well aware of their ubiquitous eating culture. Every month, ingredients emerge from the mountain or the lake, rendering 12 specific seasons in Suzhou cuisine.
Dongshan’s daily flowers, fruit, fish:Biluochun green tea,loquats, lake crabs and the three whites of Taihu Lake ...
The delicacies of all seasons are collected in our dining room, "Rong Chun Xiao Guan" is a courtyard within a courtyard, where you are welcome to meet your appetite anytime, all of the time.
Dining room
On the second floor, three private rooms can enlarge into one large room. Eternal Spring is the theme of these banquet and event rooms.
Private room
Dongshan has natural ,historical and architectural resources making it a fun and unique experience for the traveler.
The neighborhood of Dongshan is dotted with small ancient wells, stone bridges, and private gardens. There are over 300 historical buildings to explore.We have created several walking tours, our knowledgeable staff are looking forward to guide you around town.
Dongshan Old Street
We are excited to present guests with immersive cultural experiences suitable for all ages. Whether it's making local desserts or homemade fans, or tasting locally grown Biluochun green tea with farmers who grew it, we are confident you will find an experience to delight your senses.
Homemade Su-style mooncakes cooking class
Fan making class
Paint course
The Linden Centre focuses on exploring the local culture of Dongshan villages and towns, and has established an education platform for culture exchange.
Since 2010, we have collaborated with international schools and developed our own education camps focusing on architecture, bio-diversity, and documentary filmmaking.
Workshops in the Linden Centre
Our Suzhou site has classrooms, a library, meeting rooms and study places for education programs. The student dormitory can host 32 students and can provide healthy and tasty meals.
Education dormitories
Linden Centre film camp began in Dali five years ago. This summer, we completed our first camp in Suzhou. Our new students interacted with the community to observe, record, communicate, and listen to these locals: museum guide, barber, gardener, and blacksmith. Over ten days, students produced, edited and showed their documentary films, memories that will last for a lifetime.
Film camp 2021 @ Suzhou
Students' interviews in Dongshan
Our inaugural workshop, The “Village Voice", was established with 35 teenagers from United World College Changshu.The learning concept was a combination of interacting with the local community through sound and technology.
Village voice Camp 2021 @ Suzhou
Students' Observations in Dongshan
We are looking forward to introducing young people from all over the world to Rong Chun Tang -and like us, will fall in love with Suzhou's rural communities.
Hope to see you soon!
Reservation
Tel: + 86 180 1542 6165
Email: reservations@linden-centre.com
WeChat : search for "rct108" to add friends
or scan the QR code