上有天堂,下有苏杭 shàng yǒu tiān táng , xià yǒu sū háng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. there is heaven above, and there is 蘇杭|苏杭[Su1 Hang2] below (idiom)
  2. fig. the beauty and affluence of Suzhou and Hangzhou is comparable with heaven

CHARACTERS

上 shàng top; superior, highest; go up, send up
有 yǒu have, own, possess; exist
天 tiān sky, heaven; god, celestial
堂 táng hall; government office
下 xià under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
有 yǒu have, own, possess; exist
苏 sū revive, resurrect; a species of thyme; transliteration of 'Soviet'
杭 háng cross stream; navigate