Suzhou Lingering Garden | A Breathtaking Waterfall of Camellias in Spring

Through the gray tiles, rays of sunlight filter down, awakening the cascading pink and white camellias. Around the winding corridor's corner, half the white wall seems splashed with vermillion. Hundreds of ancient camellia plants climb up through the crevices of Taihu rocks, their drooping double petals resembling jeweled hairpins adorning a beauty's temples. In the early morning, before the dew dries, flower shadows seep into the blue bricks like rouge stains, reminiscent of a court lady's forgotten cosmetic case. From deep within the corridor comes the sound of Pingtan (traditional Suzhou storytelling and ballad singing), its soft Wu dialect stirring the garden's fragrant atmosphere. Drooping camellia branches gently brush against visitors' oil-paper umbrellas, decorating the dark parasols with crimson petals. Leaning against the railing for a closer look, the flower petals layer like pleated silk skirts, while raindrops from the previous night nestle between the stamens, reflecting the elegant curves of upturned eaves. As dusk approaches, the lantern keeper carries a bamboo basket to collect fallen petals. As the camellias drop into the emerald water, the entire garden takes on a wine-flushed glow. In the ripples filled with subtle fragrance, I pick up a dew-laden petal and press it into a letter, creating a spring message from Suzhou.