Suzhou

Having the old saying: "Paradise in Heaven, Suzhon and Hangzhou on earth", it is a major tourist city of wide reputation with its beautiful gardens as well as an open city with developed economy and frequent exchanges with the outside world.

 

 

Praised as the ‘Oriental Venice’, Suzhou features a scenic water town with numerous ponds and streams. Our exquisite tour package to Suzhou will enthrall you with the unique and lingering charm of its city landscape, especially the many fantastic gardens, which have high reputation for their tranquil beauty, featured landscapes and architectural splendours. As well as these features, Suzhou is famous for its local products which include embroidery, decorated fans and fine brocades; you are sure to find a souvenir of your visit here.

 

 

Su embroidery is one of the four major styles of Chinese Embroidery. Vivid depictions of animals, people, landscapes and flowers are popular themes of Su embroidery. Traditional embroidery is blended with fashionable contemporary elements, yielding a style of embroidery that is appreciated by both Chinese people and foreigners. You can enjoy more exquisite Suzhou embroidery in the Su Embroidery Museum, which is at No.262, Jingde Road. Song Brocade: From ancient times, the silk produced in Suzhou has been considered among the best in China. As its name implies, Song Brocade, which is woven from the outstanding silk of Suzhou, is made in the style of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Song Brocade, which is made in a variety of styles and serves many functions, is always elegantly designed and colored.

 

If you want to learn more about the silk culture of Suzhou and do some shopping, the Suzhou Silk Museum is a must. It is located at No.2001 Renmin Road and can be reached by buses No.1 and 102 and the tourist special buses No.1 and 2. Suzhou Fan: Suzhou fans are another of the fine handcrafts available in Suzhou. The traditional folding fans can be made of sandalwood or mandarin silk, while the newer style round fans are made of paper. They make good gifts for yourself or a friend back home.

Suzhou has been called the ‘land of milk and honey’ since ancient times and Jiangsu cuisine, of which Suzhou cuisine makes up one important part, is one of the eight famous culinary arts in China. Suzhou dishes are praised highly by food connoisseurs from both home and abroad. Derived from local time-honored culinary skills, Suzhou cuisine attains its unique sweet flavor from strictly selected materials, an elaborate way of cooking, and a unique color, aroma and shape. Nearby Taihu Lake (Tai Lake) supplies abundant fresh sea food that adds more color to the table culture of Suzhou. At the same time, more consummate culinary skills are mastered by the locals.

It is an important custom for locals to eat specific dishes according to the changing seasons. For example, Biluo Xiaren (quick-fried shrimp with biluochun tea) is sampled in spring and Xigua Ji (young chicken wrapped in watermelon rind and steamed) is well tasted in summer. Maybe, autumn is the time most yearned for by the population, because it is time to enjoy the delicious steamed crabs and nutritious Bafei Soup (barbel soup). As well as these famous dishes, Songshu Guiyu (mandarin fish, stewed and fried), which was praised by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) is considered to be the ultimate Suzhou dish, and it is highly recommended that you try it during your visit.

 

 

 

In addition to breath-taking scenery and unique handcrafts, Suzhou is rich in cultural heritage. Kun opera, Pingtan (a form of storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect) and Guzheng (a Chinese zither with 25 strings) are the traditional cultural arts of Suzhou and part of the locals’ daily lives. Visitors can visit the Garden of Master of Nets at night to enjoy all three of these classical forms of entertainment. Folk music and dancing and six other artistic performances will provide lasting memories of Suzhou City.

 

 

Despite being an important tourist destination, Suzhou does not have its own international airport at present. It is best to use the airports of nearby Shanghai.Almost all the trains running on the Hu-Ning (Shanghai-Nanjing) Railway stop at the Suzhou Railway Station. Suzhou is the terminus and starting station for five trains to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Ganzhou (Jiangxi Province) everyday. The rest of the trains are bound for Shanghai from Beijing, Chengdu, Xian, Qingdao, Xining and Nanjing, etc., but stop in Suzhou. Usually, at least two trains to Shanghai stop in Suzhou each hour. The trains which go direct to Suzhou from Shanghai depart Shanghai at 6:30 and 16:41 everyday. The return trains depart at 7:13 and 17:09.

 

 

Garden of Humble Administrator

The largest classical style garden in Suzhou, the Garden of the Humble Administrator is one of the most famous in China. Built during the reign of Ming dynasty emperor Zhengde (1506-1521), it covers an area of about 4 hectares. More than half of the garden is made up of magnificent ponds. All of the buildings are by the edge of the ponds which creates the illusion that the garden is floating on water. There is also a noteworthy bonsai display and a charming teahouse.

 

 

Garden of the Master of Nets

The smallest garden in Suzhou covering a space of only 5000 sq meters. The small space is its greatest charm as it encompasses all the elements of a classic Chinese garden within close boundaries. From a tranquil pond, outdoor pavilion, tastefully decorated rooms, a stone mountain, Suzhou’s smallest stone bridge and serene courtyards, the use of space is superb.

 

Tiger Hill

Tiger Hill for many, is Suzhou most scenic spot. The hill in the northwest of the city, is the resting place of King Helu, founding father of Suzhou who died in the 6th century BC. His tomb on the peak was supposedly guarded by a white tiger which explains the name of the hill. Also on the summit is a leaning octagonal 48 meter (155ft) pagoda originally built in 961AD.

 

Panmen City Gate

As the center of the scenery area, Panmen City Gate was first built during the Wu Kingdom of Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC) and it is the only well preserved water-and-land city gate in the world now. It consists of the land city gate, the water city gate, the city gate tower, the Weng City and the city wall on both sides. It was a place with utmost importance for the army in ancient times. The double water city gate is a pioneering work in architectural history. There is a sluice on the gate which can be closed and open by a stone gate at any time to control the water as well as resist aggression. Upon the gate, there is a city tower. It was damaged many times in wars and the extant Panmen City Gate Tower was built in 1986 to commemorate the 2,500-year-anniversary of the establishment of Suzhou. There are many ancient weapons on display on the first floor of the tower. And the city wall is 300 meters long and 5 meters high. Walking along the slope on the north of the city wall, you can see the whole arrangement of Panmen City Gate.

 

Lingering Garden

Originally a classical private garden, it is one of the four most famous gardens in China. Possessing typical Qing style, it is well-known for the exquisite beauty of its magnificent halls, and the various sizes, shapes, and colors of the buildings. In 1997, the garden was recorded on the list of the world heritage by UESCO.