▲ Suzhou, a gem of Jiangnan culture, blends classical gardens with water town charm, making it an ideal destination for international visitors to experience Chinese traditions. This itinerary highlights the core attractions of the ancient Gusu city, offering both cultural depth and comfortable experiences with a well-paced schedule.
▲ "Arriving in Gusu, you see houses lining the riverbanks; with few idle lands in the ancient city, but numerous small bridges over water lanes," this excerpt from ancient Chinese poetry serves as a calling card for Suzhou.
▲ Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuozheng Garden), one of China's four most famous classical gardens with over 500 years of history dating back to the Yuan Dynasty. Renowned for its water landscapes and pavilions. Visit early in the morning to enjoy the colorful glass light effects at Wuzhu Youju and the reflection pool at Thirty-Six Pairs of Mandarin Ducks Hall, immersing yourself in the poetic beauty of Eastern aesthetics.
▲ Pingjiang Road: The Living Memory of Suzhou's Ancient City Core Location: Situated in the Gusu District of Suzhou, it stretches approximately 1,606 meters from Ganjiang East Road in the south to Baita East Road in the north. Historical Significance: Preserving the Tang and Song Dynasty urban layout, it features a unique "double chessboard" pattern where waterways and streets run parallel, earning it the title of "a wall-less museum of Jiangnan culture." Living Heritage: The neighborhood is still home to 13,000 residents who maintain traditional lifestyles like washing clothes by the river and boating. The enduring charm of "flowing water under the eaves" makes it a model for living heritage conservation.
▲ Strolling along the bluestone-paved paths, you'll see white-walled and black-tiled riverside houses on both banks. Residents wash clothes at dawn and gather water chestnuts by boat, recreating the poetic scene of "homes resting by the water."
▲ Pingjiang Road, a microcosm of Suzhou's water town charm, is lined with authentic Suzhou-style snacks along its canals. **Dumb Pan-Fried Buns (Yaba Shengjian)**: Thin wrappers with crispy bottoms burst with juicy, slightly sweet and savory meat filling—a breakfast staple unchanged for 60 years among Suzhou locals. **Meiyuexuan Plum Blossom Cakes**: Freshly made plum blossom cakes filled with red bean paste, topped with chewy glutinous rice balls. The caramelized crust encases piping-hot sweet bean paste, with dried jujube adding a fragrant touch. **Chicken Feet Corner Braised Delicacies**: Secret-recipe braised chicken feet so tender they fall off the bone, paired with crispy, spicy duck intestines—perfect with sweet congee. **Crab Shell Yellow Sesame Cakes**: Mini savory-sweet pastries—one version with scallion aroma, the other with sesame—so flaky they crumble at a touch. **Jiangnan Sweet Soups**: Zhuo Linli sweet congee, Suzhou-style mung bean soup, and sugar-water gorgon fruit. **Hearty Meals**: Crispy yet tender battered pork chops, "Eight Immortals" chicken wonton soup so divine it "lifts your eyebrows," and three-shrimp noodles piled high with shrimp roe, shrimp brain, and shrimp meat.
▲ Hanshan Temple is located on Fengqiao Road in the Gusu District of Suzhou. Originally built during the Tianjian era (502-519 AD) of the Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties, it was first named "Miaoli Puming Pagoda Courtyard." During the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, it was renamed after the eminent monk Hanshan, who served as its abbot. As one of China's top ten famous temples, it combines the elegance of Jiangnan gardens with the profound heritage of the Zen and Lingji sects. Its main highlights focus on the "One Poem and Two Immortals."
▲ An ancient poem reads: "Outside the city of Suzhou lies Hanshan Temple, its midnight bell reaching the traveler's boat." The legend of the Two Immortals of Harmony: Hanshan and Shide became sworn brothers in childhood. Shide traveled far to Suzhou to find his friend, and upon meeting, they laughed heartily, holding a lotus flower and a lunchbox. They were later revered as the "Two Immortals of Harmony," symbolizing family unity. During the Yongzheng era, they were officially enshrined as immortals, attracting countless worshippers seeking marital bliss.
▲ Shantang Street, with its well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, offers free exploration of the ancient lanes. Arriving before evening helps avoid crowds, and visitors can choose to experience intangible cultural heritage crafts or Kunqu opera performances.
▲ Past and Present: Originally built during the Baoli era of the Tang Dynasty (825 AD), the canal was dredged and its embankments constructed under the supervision of Bai Juyi when he served as the governor of Suzhou. Initially named "Qili Shantang," it stretches approximately 3,600 meters, embodying the poetic essence of "seven miles" and connecting two major landmarks: Changmen Gate and Tiger Hill. Dual Chessboard Layout: With parallel streets and waterways, this area preserves the Jiangnan fabric of the Tang and Song Dynasties, where "homes nestle along the riverbanks." Celebrated in *Dream of the Red Chamber* as "one of the most prosperous and romantic places in the mortal world," it showcases a harmonious blend of land and water.
▲ Take a boat ride through Qili Shantang, where the waterway alternates between wide and narrow, flanked by layered corridor-style residences that perfectly embody the poetic scene of "numerous small bridges over watery lanes." Suzhou's Shantang Street, also known as "Qili Shantang," derives its name from its length of approximately seven li (3,600 meters) and the seven mysterious stone civet statues that guard it. This ancient street, originally built during the Tang Dynasty under the supervision of Bai Juyi, perfectly preserves the Jiangnan-style layout of "parallel waterways and streets." The civets, serving as mascots of the district, carry profound cultural symbolism and folk beliefs.
▲ The seven stone civets are distributed from east to west, each symbolizing a beautiful aspiration and guarding the seven ancient bridges of Shantang Street: Meiren Civet (by Shantang Bridge): symbolizes elegance; Tonggui Civet (by Tonggui Bridge): symbolizes wealth and honor; Wenxing Civet (by Xing Bridge): symbolizes knowledge; Caiyun Civet (by Caiyun Bridge): symbolizes happiness; Baigong Civet (by Puji Bridge): symbolizes health; Haiyong Civet (by Wangshan Bridge): symbolizes fate; Fenshui Civet (by Xishan Temple Bridge): symbolizes opportunity.
