上有天堂，下有苏杭

Traditional form:

上有天堂，下有蘇杭

Pinyin (reading):

shàngyǒutiāntáng,xiàyǒu Sū Háng

Definitions:

• lit. there is heaven above, and there is 蘇杭／苏杭 ( Sū Háng) below (idiom)
• fig. the beauty and affluence of Suzhou and Hangzhou is comparable with heaven

Characters:

• 上 - above, on top, superior; to go up; to attend; previous
• 有 - to have, to own, to possess; to exist
• 天 - sky, heaven; god, celestial
• 堂 - hall, large room; government office; cousins
• 下 - below, underneath; inferior; to bring down; next
• 有 - to have, to own, to possess; to exist
• 苏 - to awaken, to revive, to resurrect; used in transliterations
• 杭 - ford; surname

Traditional characters:

• 上 - above, on top, superior; to go up; to attend; previous
• 有 - to have, to own, to possess; to exist
• 天 - sky, heaven; god, celestial
• 堂 - hall, large room; government office; cousins
• 下 - below, underneath; inferior; to bring down; next
• 有 - to have, to own, to possess; to exist
• 蘇 - to awaken, to revive, to resurrect; used in transliterations
• 杭 - ford; surname