Suzhou Attractions

Canglang Pavilion

Not only one of the four most renowned Suzhou gardens, Canglangting is also the oldest existing garden in the city and a model of Song-dynasty gardens. It was first constructed in the 10th century, and Su Shunqin, a poet of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), gave it this name, meaning Surging Wave Pavilion.

Guangqian Street

The location of this 150-year-old street lying in front of the Xuanmiao Taoist temple explains its name, which means "before a temple". It is known far and wide because of the century-old shops, such as Daoxiangcun, Caizhizhai and Huangtianyuan, established there. Gourmands should not miss the section from B... read more »

Humble Administrators Garden

Located in northeast Suzhou, it is the largest private garden in the city. It's a more traditional "outdoors" garden with streams, ponds, bridges, and islands of bamboo forests. It was constructed in the 1500s in the Ming Dynasty by Wang Xianchen, an imperial censor. Wangxianchen gave his garden this name, mea... read more »

Lingering Garden

One of the four renowned gardens in Suzhou, Liuyuan, or Lingering Garden, was first built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and was rebuilt by a Qing official. Its Taihu Lake rocks boost its reputation both at home and abroad.

The core of the two-hectare garden is a pond, with hills to the northwest and buildi... read more »

Lion Grove

Lion Grove is another interesting garden in Suzhou, which is well-known for oddly-shaped rocks and deep caves. Like the Humble Administrator's Garden, this one was also built hundreds years ago in the Yuan Dynasty. A monk called Tian Ru constructed this garden to commemorate his teacher. The garden's name comes from... read more »

Garden of the Master of the Nets

Also called Fisherman's Garden, this is the smallest garden yet supposed to be the most delicate one in the city. The 0.6-hectare garden is an elegant structure of a typical official's residence in the Qing Dynasty.

The present garden is found on the former site of a Song dynasty official's mansion. Its owne... read more »

Panmen Gate

Located at the southwest corner of the city, the Panmen Gate was first constructed in 514 B.C. The much younger present one was built in 1351, consisting of two water passes, two land gates, an ambush area outside a city gate, a city tower and city walls on both sides,  which are rarely seen in the rest of the ... read more »

Suzhou Sild Mueum

Suzhou Silk Museum is the only silk-centric museum in the world. The museum falls into three parts, the Ancient, Modern and Contemporary Halls. The Ancient Hall mainly display silks from ancient time from the Neolithic Age through the thriving Tang and Song Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, explaining ... read more »

Tiger Hill

The 36-meter-tall Huqiu (Tiger Hill) stands outside the lumen Gate to the north west of Suzhou. It was where the King of the State of Wu( a small state in the Spring and Autumn Periods over thousands of years ago) Fu Chai, buried his father-Helu along with 3,000 swords. Legend has it that on the third day afte... read more »

Tongli Ancient Town

Tongli is an aged town located a short drive from Suzhou, which is about a hour drive outside of Shanghai. Tongli is over 1000 years old and has only recently been changed into a tourist attraction. The town is characterized by stone bridges and well preserved ancient architecture including private gardens, ... read more »