江南双璧——苏杭

Two Jades of JiangNan Suzhou and Hangzhou

大诗人白居易曾先后在杭州和苏州做过刺史，回到洛阳后写下三首《忆江南》。“最忆是杭州”、“其次忆吴宫”，白居易以这样不加修饰的词句表达着对苏杭两地的留恋，对江南的心驰神往。

The great poet Bai Juyi had served as the Cishi(namely governor) in Hangzhou and Suzhou,and wrote down three poesies Memories of JiangNan after he had returned to Luoyang. With the direct words"Missing Hangzhou for most"and"Miss- ing Wugong for second",Bai Juyi expressed his nostalgia for Suzhou and Hangzhou and his yearning to JiangNan. When standing in the ancient towns of Suzhou and the Xihu(West Lake) of Hangzhou,you will feel"No water,no JiangNan".Exactly,it is the abundant water resource that cre- ates rich JiangNan,makes Suzhou and Hangzhou the central cities of JiangNan,and results in the poesy,thmous for centuries,"There is paradise in heaven,and Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth".They are two jades of JiangNan and JiangNan becomes more colorful because of them. Suzhou and Hangzhou,two cities over two thousand years, had experienced both vicissitudes and prosperities.However, they never faded away.Instead,they continued the glory of"the city of paradise"with the history and stories of JiangNan.