Zhuozheng Garden is a famous garden in Suzhou, the largest existing classical garden in Suzhou, and the foremost garden in China. The entire garden centers around water, with intricately arranged rockeries and exquisite courtyard buildings, complemented by lush flowers and trees. This exemplary Jiangnan garden, along with Beijing's Summer Palace, Chengde Mountain Resort, and Suzhou's Lingering Garden, is known as one of the 'Four Great Gardens of China' and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lion Grove Garden, along with Humble Administrator's Garden, Lingering Garden, and Canglang Pavilion, is known as one of the 'Four Great Gardens of Suzhou.' It is renowned for its rockeries, which are considered the best among Suzhou gardens. Although Lion Grove Garden is small, its rockeries are famous. These peculiar rocks resemble dancing lions, and the interconnected rockeries form a maze-like structure. You can count the stone lions and explore the rock maze to experience the fun of hide-and-seek.
Lingering Garden, along with Suzhou's Humble Administrator's Garden, Beijing's Summer Palace, and Chengde's Mountain Resort, is known as one of China's Four Great Gardens. The garden features pavilions, towers, unique rocks, winding corridors, lush greenery, and a clear pond, creating picturesque scenes at every turn. Here, one can experience the serene atmosphere of a classical Chinese garden. Small yet exquisite, the garden offers different views with every step, truly one of China's Four Great Gardens.
Suzhou Museum consists of the new building opened in 2006 and the ancient building of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's Zhongwang Mansion (the old building). The entire museum resembles a small garden. In the new building, you can see artifacts such as pottery, jade, and paintings from ancient to modern times. In the Zhongwang Mansion, you can also see the elegant and beautiful 'Suzhou-style paintings'.
Pingjiang Road Historical Block is located south of the Humble Administrator's Garden and has a history of over 2,500 years. It is a well-preserved ancient street block. Although it is only an alley away from the bustling Guanqian Street to the west, it exudes a completely different tranquil and quaint atmosphere. Strolling around here, admiring the architecture and enjoying snacks is very pleasant. The entire block centers around Pingjiang Road, with alleys such as Xuanqiao Alley, Daru Alley, Weidao Guanqian, Zhongzhangjia Alley, and Daxinqiao Alley on its east and west sides. Notably, several water alleys are still preserved on the east side. The block features a unique Jiangnan water town characteristic with its parallel waterways and streets.
Tiger Hill
Although Tiger Hill is just a small hill, it features natural landscapes such as cliffs and ravines. Due to construction over various dynasties, it has also formed numerous cultural attractions. The buildings and plants within the park complement each other, showcasing the exquisite style of Jiangnan gardens. Here, you can learn about stories from the Spring and Autumn period and view the landmark leaning Yunyan Temple Pagoda. The entire Tiger Hill scenic area is roughly square-shaped, with an area of about 500 meters in both length and width, and the hill itself is only about thirty meters high. You can explore the scenic area on foot. The area is mainly divided into three parts: Qianshan, Qianren Stone, and the hilltop. Each part has many scenic and cultural spots worth visiting. Besides the Yunyan Temple Pagoda, other highlights include the Sword Pool and Qianren Stone.
Jinji Lake
Jinji Lake is located in Suzhou Industrial Park. Compared to the ancient charm of the old city, the high-rise buildings and modernization here showcase another side of Suzhou. Jinji Lake is slightly larger than Hangzhou's West Lake. Every day, many tourists come here to relax by the lake, shop, or enjoy delicious food. Newlyweds also like to come here to take wedding photos.
Tianping Mountain
Tianping Mountain is located 15 kilometers west of Suzhou city center. It is the burial place of Fan Zhongyan's ancestors, and the cultural attractions related to the Fan family are mainly concentrated at the foot of the mountain. Tianping Mountain has an elevation of 201 meters. Although the mountain is not high, it is somewhat steep, making the climb quite exhilarating. Every year from October to December, during the Red Maple Festival, the vibrant autumn colors attract countless photographers.
Luzhi Ancient Town is located 25 kilometers southeast of Suzhou city. It is less crowded with tourists compared to other popular water towns, making it a great place for a leisurely weekend stroll. You can cross several 'three steps two bridges' (double bridges) in the 'Bridge Capital', admire the white-walled and black-tiled buildings along the river, and find the setting of the story 'More Grain Collected' from your middle school Chinese textbook.
Soochow University
Soochow University is located in the ancient city of Suzhou, which is known as the 'Paradise on Earth.' It is a key university under the national '211 Project' and one of the first universities recognized under the '2011 Plan.' It is a comprehensive university under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province, with its main predecessor being Dongwu University, founded in 1900. The university has five campuses: Tiancizhuang Campus, East Campus, North Campus, Dushu Lake Campus, and Yangcheng Lake Campus, with Tiancizhuang Campus being the main campus.
Guanqian Street is located in the center of Suzhou, not far from Suzhou Railway Station. It is an old commercial street that was established during the Qing Dynasty. Nowadays, it has been transformed into a pedestrian street, about 800 meters long. Together with the roads radiating from it, such as Taijian Lane and Bifeng Lane, it is a famous snack street and commercial street in Suzhou, comparable to the Confucius Temple in Nanjing and the City God Temple in Shanghai.
The history of Mudu Ancient Town is as long as that of Suzhou Ancient City. This water town itself is quite ordinary, but the classical gardens such as Yanjia Garden, Hongyin Shanfang, Gusong Garden, and Bangyan Mansion, which are lined up from west to east along the main street Shantang Street, bring out the unique feature of a 'garden ancient town'. The visitor center (ticket office) is located at the west end of Shantang Street.
Taihu Lake
Taihu Lake is located on the southern edge of the Yangtze River Delta, also known as Wuhu or Lizhe. It is one of the five largest freshwater lakes in China. Taihu Lake has a surface area of 2,427.8 square kilometers, a water area of 2,338.1 square kilometers, and a shoreline length of 393.2 kilometers. It spans across Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, bordered by Wuxi to the north, Huzhou to the south, Yixing to the west, and Suzhou to the east.
Shantang Street
Shantang Street extends from the northwest end to Tiger Hill and the southeast end at Changmen. The street runs parallel to Shantang River, with ancient bridges spanning the river. On both sides of the stone-paved street are old houses with white walls and black tiles, as well as numerous shops. In the evening, the lit red lanterns reflect in the river, making it a great spot for photography. You can also take a boat ride or visit a teahouse to drink tea and listen to Suzhou Pingtan.
Zhouzhuang
Zhouzhuang is a world-renowned ancient water town in the Jiangnan region. The town is crisscrossed by waterways, with Ming and Qing dynasty buildings built along the rivers. The Double Bridge depicted by painter Chen Yifei captures the gentle charm of small bridges and flowing water. The expansive and beautiful South Lake lies to the south of the ancient town. At night, Zhouzhuang lights up, creating a unique ambiance.
Jinxi Ancient Town is located on the shores of Dianshan Lake in the southern suburbs of Kunshan. It is a thousand-year-old water town in the Jiangnan region. The ancient town is not large, but its picturesque Guliang Bridge, reminiscent of traditional Chinese landscape paintings, and the mysterious Chen Fei Water Tomb attract visitors to explore. Various folk museums are also worth visiting, and there are many snack shops on the old street.
Tongli Ancient Town, a water town in the south of the Yangtze River, is located in Wujiang, Suzhou. It is surrounded by lakes, and the network of rivers divides the town into seven islands. Almost every household in the ancient town is adjacent to water. There are many narrow alleys and old buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. On regular days, there are not too many tourists, giving it a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. At night, lights illuminate along the eaves, creating a stunning scene.
Hanshan Temple is located in the western suburbs of Suzhou and has a history of more than 1,400 years. It is famous worldwide due to the famous poem 'A Night Mooring by Maple Bridge' by Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Ji, which includes the line 'Outside Gusu City, Hanshan Temple, the sound of the midnight bell reaches the guest boat.' Hanshan Temple is a well-known place for praying for blessings, and every day, countless devotees come to the temple to ring the bell, burn incense, and pray for peace.
