Around Lake Tai and up Qionglong Mountain
In April, when the weather was clear, Minton Law Firm took its staff to the shore of Lake Tai near Suzhou for a two-day outing. The first day was a walking race round the lake in five teams, each completing a set of checkpoints before finishing at the Daixin Bay bridge. On the second day the group climbed Qionglong Mountain, the highest point in Suzhou at 341.7 metres, walking up stone steps and through bamboo to the summit. The trip was a break from the office and a chance to be outdoors.
NO.1
Walking round Lake Tai at Dongshan
In April beside Lake Tai the sun was bright and the spring wind mild. The water glittered and broke into ripples. As the weather warmed the flowers opened one after another and gave off their own scent, which mixed with the breeze and lifted the spirits.
In such a season, walking the paths along the shore and taking in what nature offers, Minton Law Firm began its hike around Lake Tai. The walk was run as a competition: the group was divided into five teams, each of which completed a set of check-in tasks and reached the final checkpoint, the Daixin Bay bridge.
Along the way the walkers had the water rippling in the light on one side and the life of the season on the other. Trees stood tall on both sides of the path, wild flowers punctuated the grass, and everything seemed to be nature showing its boundless charm. Hills stood around in the distance, as pretty as a painting, and a single sheet of unbroken blue across thirty thousand qing of Tai opened in front of the group as a view beyond praise.
After an afternoon of competition every team finished the course, taking away the scenery along the way and a good deal of pleasure.
NO.2
A visit to Qionglong Mountain
On the second day the group went to Qionglong Mountain, the highest peak in Suzhou. Lying in the western suburbs of Suzhou, it is the highest of the hills on the eastern shore of Lake Tai and the highest point in the city, its main summit, Ruomao Peak, standing at 341.7 metres. The Dongwu National Forest Park was established there in 1993, and the mountain now forms an important part of the Wuzhong Lake Tai tourism area, a national 5A-grade scenic area.
Qionglong lies far from the city, and the clean air and dense bamboo are a pleasure in themselves. Climbing step by step up the stone stairs, the walkers came on bamboo shoots pushing through the soil and caught the scent of flowers, and were quite taken with it.
From the top a splendid mountain view opened out. Peaks stood up, cloud and mist wound around them, and the hills in the distance seemed to beckon. Standing on the summit the group felt part of nature and of its inexhaustible force and character. Looking out, the mind opened with the view.
The scenery of Qionglong is beyond praise, and this journey into nature not only relaxed bodies and minds but made everyone value the small good things of life more. The hope is to come back one day and feel again the beauty of nature and of being alive.
