The Surging Wave Pavilion is located 3 Canglangting Street, Renmin Road, Suzhou. It was listed as National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council in 2006, and in 2000, as the supplement to Suzhou Classical Gardens of World Cultural Heritage, it was recorded on the list of the world heritage by UESCO.
The Surging Wave Pavilion underwent good many changes of ownership in several Dynasties. It now occupies an area of 11,000 square meters, with water area outside the garden being 5,280 square meters and total building area 2,246 square meters. The front gate is opened to the north and takes water as the landscape beyond. The rockery is located at the center of the garden, on which stands the Surging Wave Pavilion. The architectures circle the rockery. On the south people can see Mingdao Hall (Hall of Illuminated Way, the main hall), Fairy World hall, Memorial Temple to Five Hundred Sages, Prue Fragrance Hall, the Looking-at-Mountains Tower, Sealing-the-Heart Stone Room, the Exquisite Jade Study, Smelling Aroma Chamber, etc. On the north are Lotus Viewing Waterside Pavilion, Hoeing under the Moon Pavilion, Water-facing Pavilion, and Goldfish Watching Pavilion. The winding corridor snakes along rookeries and spools, connecting the entire garden. Surging Wave Pavilion is most noted for peace and antiqueness. The rockery rises high and water expands wide. Peaceful and spacious, the garden is brimming with beauty of wild nature. Although the original outlook of this Song Dynasty garden has been changed, it has clear rivers outside and antique pavilion inside, the one harmonizing with the other. The rocks and woods, despite old age, still radiate charm of the old times. As the oldest classical garden in Suzhou, the Surging Wave Pavilion stands out as a unique one.