The cherry trees has been giving flowers since the start of March. This is a small collection from the trees here. The picture is taken in Li Hu garden maybe 2 kilometres from the center of wuxi. You'll see the address on google maps>>>
In this garden you've got a hotel, a small beach and a lot of green garden. The garden got a long history and also a lot of old fairy tales. The most famous story is that one about the strategist Fan Li who succeeded in defeating the Wu empire by sending a spy that was China most beautiful woman to the empire of Wu. It was said that this woman, Xi Shi, was so beautiful that when she where looking into the water while washing silk. The fish got so amazed and lost their breath so they died. This park is the place for an old kingdom called Yue who where ruled by the Wu kingdom by and had a king with the name of Goujian. Goujian where a bit too self confident and decided to try conquering the Wu state around 600 BC. As the Wu state where much more powerful Goujian lost and later the Emperor of Wu, King Fuchai, decided to give Goujian a lesson by prisoning King Fuchai, his adviser, Fan Li and some of their troops. They then had to sit in a prison for a couple of years. When they got back to their kingdom Fan Li decided to work out a plan of revenge. As he knew king Fuchai where a famous womaniser that loved to seduce beautiful women he found chinas most wonderful woman, Xi Shi, and sent her as a gift to kin Goujian. Xi Shi then worked as a spy for the little kingdom of yue and King Goujian made a new trial to conquer Wu in 473 BC. This campaign got a better result and suddenly the big empire of Wu where ruled by the Yue Kingdom. After this mission Fan Li decided to work with other things and started business with a fish farm. He also wrote a couple of books and his book, "Fan Li on pisciculture" is actually a book used by the chinese fish farmer during the last 2000 years. You´ve got a pdf on it here>>>
Sources: cultural-china.com about Xi Shi and Fan Li, cultural-china.com about Xi Shi, The Amazing Lives of Fan Li and Xi Shi written by Erik Vance on lastwordonnothing.com
This time of year all bees are having a busy time collecting nectar for their honey. That also makes fruits on all the trees.
Flowers everywhere.
A beautiful species of the cherries with red spots on the flower leafs.
Some of the cherries has not developed their flowers yet. Here are just some fresh buds that will grow to flowers in a week.
A closer look.
Pictures by Xian Li, ©citygbg.se
Fan Li & Xi Shi Master Strategist and the Beauty
The old story about master strategist Fan Li who defeated Wu empire with Chinas most beautiful woman in the 600 BC.
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