home Fishing methods Chinese Venice city. Suzhou: Russian scholars and a failed attempt to see Chinese Venice

Chinese Venice city. Suzhou: Russian scholars and a failed attempt to see Chinese Venice

Not far from Shanghai, in the Jiangsu province, is the beautiful city of Suzhou, for which the second name is firmly entrenched - the Chinese Venice, the city of gardens and canals. The historical center of Suzhou, around which the modern urban district is located, stands on the Great China Canal between Shanghai and Wuxi, which was built for two thousand years, and for many centuries was the most important transport and commercial center of the Jiangnan region - the richest part of the country. For us, Suzhou has become a city of dogs and many small craft shops. The Venetian Marco Polo visited Suzhou in the XII century, it was he who came up with the name for this settlement - the Chinese Venice. Wealthy officials of the Celestial Empire laid out their gardens here, now these gardens are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Today Suzhou is a modern city with metro and skyscrapers, which has preserved a cozy old center with low canal houses and magnificent gardens hidden behind high walls.

How to get to Suzhou

There is no airport in the city, and the nearest one is in Shanghai. The distance from Shanghai to Suzhou is 80 km, a little less than an hour by train. Cheap flights from Moscow to Shanghai.

We arrived in Suzhou on a high-speed train from Shanghai and at first thought we would see a small provincial town in Jiangsu province. It turned out that this is a modern metropolis. The fare for the Shanghai-Suzhou train is 39.5 yuan. You can read about Chinese trains and how to buy tickets for them in the article.

From the station, you can walk to the northern pagoda and the humble official's garden, or take the metro to him or other attractions. There is a tourist information center at the station where you can borrow a free Suzhou map with subway maps and attractions.

Suzhou subway map

The Suzhou Metro has been operating since 2012 and this is immediately noticeable, especially compared to Shanghai. The metro is very clean and light. At one of the stations, Seryozha approached a vending machine, where something was being sold for one yuan, and decided to buy it by all means. It turned out to be paper handkerchiefs!

You can buy tickets from the machine, like in other metro stations in Chinese cities. How to do this can be found in the article. Suzhou Metro Map:

From Shanghai, you will arrive at the train station, which is located at the Suzhou Railway Station.

Where to stay in Suzhou, city hotels

In fact, if you go to see most of Suzhou's gardens, one day is not enough for you! Therefore, it is worth considering staying in Suzhou for a few days. You can choose a cozy hotel for yourself. Hotels of the city of Suzhou.

What to see in Suzhou, sights of the city, map of the center

Suzhou Attractions Map:

Suzhou canals

Suzhou was built in 541 BC. NS. King He Lue. In terms of its historical and cultural significance, Suzhou ranks third after Beijing and Xi'an. It is also one of four tourist cities under the Chinese government's special environmental protection. Three other cities enjoying this privilege are Beijing, Hangzhou and Guilin. In 1997, Suzhou attracted the attention of the world community - this year UNESCO decided to add its classical gardens to the list of world cultural heritage. Suzhou is located on the Great China Canal, one of the oldest hydraulic structures preserved in the world today. The canal was built over two thousand years - from the 6th century. BC NS. until the XIII century. n. NS. Currently, it is one of the most important inland waterways of the PRC, which connects the country's major ports of Shanghai and Tianjin.

The length of the canal is 1782 km, and with branches to Beijing, Hangzhou and Nantong - 2470 km. The width in the narrowest part in Shandong and Hebei provinces is 40 m, in the widest part in Shanghai - 350 m. lakes. For the most part, the canal passes through a flat area, but in some places there are hills. Therefore, the canal is equipped with a system of locks invented in the 10th century. In 2014, the Grand Canal was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Suzhou is often called the Venice of China. True, gondolas do not float along the canals, but pleasure boats and various barges float. Some even seem to live on:

The historical part of Suzhou is surrounded by a fairly wide bypass channel that encloses it in a rectangle. You can sail along it on a pleasure boat.

Suzhou and Venice are twin cities, as evidenced by a gift from Italians, a gondola that strangely decorates the lawn in the park at the Panmen Gate.

Along the canals in Suzhou, there are low white houses where people live.

Panmen Park and Gate

Suzhou is a city of gardens and parks. We decided to start our tour from the park at the Panmen Gate, which are located in the southwest of the city and have come down to us since the time of ancient Suzhou. In ancient times, Suzhou was decorated with 16 gates: 8 ground and 8 water, which were eventually destroyed. Built in the 6th century, the Panmen Gate was and remains the only gate on land and water. Their name means "gate of the coiled dragon". The current gate was built in 1351 during the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) and was repaired several times in later dynasties.

The closest metro station to the gate and park is Nanmen. From it you still have to walk about 15 minutes. On the way from the metro we met shopping streets with various shops. The formidable guards of the heavenly lions of the Buddha are not respected here at all, they put the goods right on them.

It was no longer possible to surprise us with carcasses of birds on the street.

And this is a special dish for steamed Chinese dumplings.

At the entrance to the park we are greeted by such a gate and a cow. The entrance to the park is paid, the cost is 40 yuan.

The famous gate is now part of the Panmen Landscape Park, which tourists know less and visit less often than the much-publicized gardens of the humble official and master of the nets. But in fact, Panmen Park is beautiful and interesting and not as crowded as the others.

In the park, you can see the oldest Suzhou Pagoda - Ruiguang or the Pagoda of the Good Glow. The pagoda has 7 tiers. The pagoda is said to have been built in 247.

The kimono bought for Japan, unfortunately, has not gone there yet, but found itself in Suzhou.

In addition to the pagoda in the park, you can see temples, canals and bridges and feed the fish.

Despite January, flowers bloom in the park.

Dragons adorn the temple.

The park is quite large and we spent a lot of time on it. Then we had a plan to visit a couple more gardens, and we went to the subway.

Next to the Panmen Gate is the Wumen Bridg. It was built in 1084 and is the tallest ancient bridge in Suzhou.

Next to the park is the Pan Pacific Suzhou, styled as an ancient city wall. Pan Pacific Suzhou Hotel in Suzhou.

If you stay at this hotel, admission to the park will be free.

Northern Temple Pagoda

After visiting Panmen Park, we took the subway to two other parks-gardens, and got off at the Beisita subway station. It turned out that the station was named after the pagoda, which is located nearby. Northern Temple Pagoda - Its Chinese name is Beisita. It is the tallest pagoda in Suzhou and was built from 1131 to 1162.

Humble Official's Garden (Zhuozhenyuan)

From the pagoda of the northern temple, we went to the Garden of a humble official (ruler) - the Hamble Administrator's Garden. It is the most famous and most visited garden in Suzhou. But when we came to him, we saw only walls and closed gates. The garden was no longer working. Arriving in Suzhou at lunchtime, we managed to visit only one garden - Panmen. The gardens close early in the winter.

The humble ruler's garden was built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty by the former state censor Wang Xiancheng, who, according to legend, was removed from office for bribery. The garden is considered one of the outstanding examples of traditional Chinese gardening art. The main part of the garden is a huge pond with fill islands connected to each other by zigzag covered bridges. The main architectural structure of the central part of the park's garden is the pavilion of "elusive aromas", inside which one can feel the scent of lotuses growing in the pond. The garden got its name from the classic character, "a modest official" who devoted himself to gardening, from the work of the poet Yue Pan "The Bachelor". "... I enjoy a quiet life, building my house and growing trees in the garden ... I water the garden and grow vegetables for myself ... after my retirement, such a secluded life makes me happy ..."

The garden consists of east, west and central parks, as well as the residences of the former owners of the garden. Entrance to the park in low season costs 70 RMB, and in high season (from April to October) - 90 RMB. The garden is open from 7 am to 5:30 pm. The lotuses bloom in the park from June to September. Beisita metro station. The site of the humble official's park (Zhozhenyuan).

Lion Grove Garden (Shizilin)

It is located near the garden of a humble official. But when we approached it, it was already closed too. This garden was founded in 1342 by a Buddhist monk named Tianzhu in honor of his teacher Zhi Zheng. It is said that Zhi Zheng reached nirvana at the Lion's Peak of Tianmu Mountain, located in the Zhengjiang province, which is why the garden was named Lion Grove. A characteristic feature of this picturesque park are artificial stone slides, resembling in their shapes a variety of lions, and green spaces, curved in a spiral and forming a labyrinth. The garden is open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, entrance fee is 40 RMB. Beisita metro station. Site of the Lion Grove Park (Shizilin).

Network Master's Garden

The Network Master's Garden is a small yet most exquisite landscaped garden in Suzhou. This garden is also sometimes called the Fishing Master's Garden. The garden is located on an area of 0.6 hectares. This graceful structure is a typical example of a bureaucratic residence of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The garden that we see today was laid out on the site of the former mansion of one of the officials who served here during the reign of the Song dynasty (960-1279). The new owner of the Garden of the Master of Nets, Song Zong Yuan, chose this name for his garden in memory of the former name of this place - the Fisherman's Refuge. This garden is small, but remarkable in every sense. It has a very picturesque pond in its center. Many beautiful plants grow around the pond, there are specially installed stones. There are also pavilions and stone bridges in the garden. The garden is open from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm and entrance fee is 40 RMB.

The netmaster's garden looks very different at nightfall, when the lanterns are lit. The atmosphere in the garden becomes truly magical. The garden hosts a variety of shows in the evenings, such as the Kunqiu Opera (Suzhou Opera) performances. Artists in national costumes come, perform old folk songs and dances, play ancient musical instruments. Performances are held in many halls, pavilions and rooms at the same time, so visitors have the opportunity to get acquainted with different types of art in one evening. Garden Evening Shows run from 19:30 to 22:00 every evening from mid-March to mid-November. Visitors can buy tickets for both just visiting the garden and special tickets for evening performances (RMB 100). The nearest metro stations are Yangyu Xiang and Chayuanchang. Site of the network master park.

Tiger hill

On Tiger Hill there is a local leaning tower - Yunyan ta pagoda. The seven-story Yunyan Pagoda was built in 961. It began to "fall" to the northwest of the central axis from the middle of the 17th century. Tiger Hill, also known as Raging Sea Hill, is located in the northwestern part of Suzhou. Its height is 36 m. According to one of the legends, somewhere in the bowels of the hill near the Sword Lake is hidden the tomb of the emperor He Lu, who ruled in 722 - 464. BC. They say that when the emperor was buried, a white tiger came to the entrance to the tomb and remained to guard the rest of the deceased. This is one of the most popular attractions in Suzhou - 1.5 million tourists visit it annually. Entrance to the park costs 80 RMB in high season and 60 RMB in low season. You can get to the park by buses # 1 and # 2, departing from the railway station. Site of the park Tiger Hill.

Suzhou City Museum

The Suzhou City Museum was designed by the legendary architect Bei Yumin, the creator of the famous glass pyramid of the Louvre in Paris. It attracts attention not only with its exhibits, but also with its appearance, which combines traditional Chinese style and futurism. It is located next to the garden of a humble official. Opening hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from Tuesday to Sunday. The entrance is free. Site of the Suzhou City Museum.

Suzhou Silk Museum

Suzhou is called the city of silk - silk and embroidery for the imperial court was made here. The Suzhou Sichou Bowuguan Silk Museum was the first in China. The museum has a small silk factory that acts as a show for tourists. There is also a silk shop where you can buy Suzhou Chinese embroidery and silk embroidery kits. Site of the Suzhou Silk Museum.

Dogs in Suzhou

Traveling around China, at first we practically did not see dogs, while in European countries we very often meet dogs and their owners. The first dogs we met at the bus station in Guilin. Read about our adventures in Guilin in the article. The topic of dogs in China is complex, sometime during the "Cultural Revolution" in the 1960s. dogs fell into disgrace and began to be considered a sign of the upper class and attributes of luxury. Often, fearing possible consequences, dog owners themselves got rid of their four-legged "class symbols". And taking into account the fact of an acute shortage of food in the country, the dogs were literally doomed. Some Chinese dog breeds nearly disappeared, such as Shar Pei and Tibetan Mastiffs. Now the Chinese are again acquiring pets, but in some places they still eat dogs. In some cities there are laws limiting the number of dogs in a family to one, and rules are being introduced for registering dogs in the city. Apparently for these reasons, we have not seen as many dogs as, for example, in Italian cities. It was Suzhou that became the "City of Dogs" for us, where four-legged pets could be seen very often. Here is a dog basking in the sun outside a shop in Suzhou.

And here the dog, together with the owner, is waiting for a traffic light at a pedestrian crossing.

Dogs in suits:

Security guard in the store:

The dog is a security guard in the store. Suzhou. China.

On a walk:

And this kid was walking alone in the city at night:

In one shop we met such a wonderful cat:

Suzhou shops

There are a lot of interesting shops and shops in Suzhou. On the way to the gardens, we saw many of them.

For example, here is a store where you can buy fans, and there is a master who makes them.

All kinds of fans you will not see, from cheap to very expensive handmade.

In this shop there was also a feathered worker who greeted all visitors and said: "Ni Hao!" Watch the video about Suzhou where there is both this bird and an overview of Suzhou.

Suzhou food

Suzhou is famous for its gourmet cuisine, which dates back to the "boat dishes" of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, many noble people had feasts on boats, so that they could enjoy not only delicious food, but also the beautiful scenery. Since the kitchens on the boats were small, the chef tried to compensate for the small portions with taste. And in our time, Suzhou cuisine has retained its characteristics: sweetness, lightness, high-quality ingredients. Vegetable and fish dishes are especially popular. When we wanted to eat we went to a local diner. At first they tried to give us a small menu in English with the most expensive dishes, but we looked at what the customers were eating and asked for the same. We ate our favorite dumplings again and sampled the soup, which also turned out to be with dumplings!

On the street, Seryozha could not resist and decided to try street food - a local oriental sweet. But she turned out to be somehow tasteless.

Where to go from Suzhou

The surroundings of the city are also very interesting.

Zhouzhuang City on the Water

Tunli city on the water

Tongli, a tiny water town, is only 18 km from Suzhou on the road to Taihu Lake. You can get from Suzhou by bus from the north or south bus station. Tunli is an excellent example of Chinese cities on the water: only 15 rivers pass through the historical center, connected by fifty bridges. Boats continue to be the main means of transport for the 10,000 local residents in the central region. Thanks to this, an extraordinary silence reigns in the city, so unusual after visiting Shanghai. The main attraction of the city is the bridges built in different eras and reflecting different architectural styles. 49 bridges connect seven islands formed by 15 rivers and 5 lakes, on which the city stands. Each bridge has its own unique poetic name. The most famous bridges are Taiping (Bridge of Great Peace), Jili (Bridge of Well-being) and Changqing (Bridge of Eternal Festival). In the city they are called the "Triple Bridge".

Tunli is often referred to as the "Ming and Qing Dynasty Architecture Museum." Indeed, the city has retained its ancient appearance, and among the ancient traditional Chinese houses where the Chinese continue to live, there are interesting architectural monuments - manors with gardens and temples built along the river banks.

It's funny that such a romantic and ancient place like Tunli was chosen to open China's first museum of sexual culture, apparently to lure tourists from neighboring Zhouzhuang. The museum is divided into four parts: "Sex in a primitive society", "Marriage and women", "Sex every day" and "Non-traditional sex". Inside, there are about 2,000 exhibits showing the development of sexual culture in China from ancient times to the present day. Entrance to the museum is from the age of 18 and costs 20 RMB.

We liked the city, in good weather, taking into account the visit to the suburbs, you can come here for 3 days, at least. The next day we went to the city, to be continued ...

For more information about the final route through China, read the article. There you can see a map of this route. Also in this article we talk about each city, in which hotels we stayed, how much the trip cost, and where you could save money.

Read the continuation of China and each city of our trip in. , and the acquisition of universal. And the moneybags can just

The city was founded back in five hundred and fourteenth year BC. Suzhou developed rapidly, as trade routes passed through its territory. The main commodity exported was silk. It remains the main pride of the city today, since silk, better than in Suzhou, cannot be found anywhere in the world.
A canal runs through the entire city, the length of which is two thousand kilometers. Its construction began in the seventh century AD. The canal was built by five million people. The canal provides water to most of the country and provides jobs for 2,000 citizens.
Today, the city is an industrial, economic center that combines the sophistication and sophistication of ancient architecture and modernist new buildings that characterize Suzhou as the "city of the future."

How to get there

There is no airport in Suzhou. The city can be reached within an hour from Shanghai Airport. It can also be reached by train from Beijing and Ninking. There are three bus stations in the city, which can be reached from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing. You can get from Shanghai to the city by ferry - this is a rather pleasant pastime, since during the entire journey by water, excellent landscapes open up in front of tourists.

Kitchen

True gourmets live in Suzhou. Locals serve all dishes with sauces, the taste of which is striking in its variety. All local cuisine is a bit sweet. For example, baked duck is served in some restaurants in the city with cherry sauce.
In the local market, you can get acquainted with the delicacies for which the city is famous. It is here that you can taste shaggy crab with the famous soy sauce. Sweets and pastries are considered the highlight of Suzhou cuisine. Here, pastry chefs use rice flour in the preparation of delicacies. Of the drinks, the most valuable is the Snail Spring Tea. It has a sophisticated taste and delicate aftertaste that everyone will love.

Why is the city called the Venice of China?

Suzhou is surrounded by the Yangtze canals - it is the central waterway of the city. All residential buildings in Suzhou face the river on one side and the street on the other. The streets are connected by graceful bridges. For those who love romantic adventures, the city will be pleased with the opportunity to spend a wonderful evening cruising by boat along the river to Hangzhou. There are a huge number of lakes here. Local residents recommend all visitors to listen to melodeclamation, which is the reading of poetry, prose, to the accompaniment.

Best time to visit Suzhou

It is best to visit the city in the autumn or spring season. This is directly related to the decrease in the influx of tourists who visit Suzhou in thousands every year. In the spring season, the city is fragrant with blossoming gardens. It is quite possible to travel around the city on your own. It is better to choose daytime for this, since the city sleeps at night. In the form of nightlife entertainment, you can choose a walk along the ornate streets, where the locals prepare various goodies.

Attractions, places to stay

Suzhou is famous for its parks, which are a variety of artistic compositions of trees and bushes. It is worth visiting the Blue Waves Park, which is surrounded by mountains and includes alpine slides, a rock garden, bamboo groves.
The largest park is the Humble Official's Garden. In the middle of it there is an artificial lake, on the banks of which there are many tents where you can relax and have a snack. Its banks are connected by dozens of bridges. Mandarin ducks live here, they are considered symbols of strong love.
Also worth a visit is Hanshan, a temple in Suzhou with an ancient bell tower that echoes throughout the city. In addition to a romantic getaway in this city, you can and should make purchases. It is worth visiting the central market where you can buy the famous silk and silk products.
Fashionistas will definitely find unique clothes for themselves, which are not found anywhere else in the world. They will also love the huge selection of handcrafted fans. Suzhou fans are a unique accessory that has a symbolic meaning and can attract good luck, wealth and love to its owner.
It is also worth visiting the silk museum in order to learn the history of silk making in the country. It is also worth stopping your attention on the purchase of hand-made embroidery, which has its own individual structure and subtle symbolic overtones.
Gourmets will be able to delight themselves with different varieties of green tea, the quality of which is the highest in the world. For vacationers with children, the local Disney Park will open its doors. Not only children but also adults will like it here. The city is always friendly to its guests.

A wonderful city that combines both ancient culture and modern technologies. All this easily coexists in one place and complements each other, creating its own unique atmosphere. The farther from the city, the more ancient villages and settlements can be found. Traveling to such places, you involuntarily move several centuries back in time. The ancient cities that stand on the water are especially beautiful. The places described in this article are truly unique and unique. If you are lucky enough to get into one of these, then you yourself will feel it.

City on the water	Distance	Peculiarities	Commerce
Nansun	Shanghai 2h Suzhou 1½h Hangzhou 1½h	Traditional Chinese and Oriental architecture, indigenous people, many cultural attractions. Formerly the richest city.	Least commercial. Quiet.
	Shanghai 1½h Hangzhou ½h	Small water town with traditional architecture and bridges, indigenous people, easily accessible from Suzhou.	Least commercial. Quiet.
	Shanghai 1½h Suzhou 1h	A large number of bridges, many paths for boat trips.	Least commercial. Quiet.
	Shanghai 2h Suzhou 1h	A renovated old town with modern hotels.	Commercial. Large flow of people.
Zhujiajiao	Shanghai 1½h Hangzhou 1h	Near Shanghai. Suitable for a half day excursion.	Strongly commercial. A huge stream of people.
	Shanghai ½h	Very small, many old houses with beautiful architecture.	A huge stream of people.
	Shanghai 1½h Suzhou ½h	Little entertainment and shopping, singing woman on the boat.	Least commercial. Quiet.
Zhouzhuan	Shanghai 2h Suzhou 1h	Very popular city, dirty water in summer.	Strongly commercial. A huge stream of people.

Nanxun Ancient Town 南浔区

The ancient city of Nansun is not as popular as other famous sites of its kind, but that is what makes it so unusual. This ancient city is filled with a calm atmosphere, as there is not a huge horde of tourists. Combined with beautiful nature and amazing architecture, this place deserves to be at the top of this list.

Once here, you will fully immerse yourself in this ancient city and feel its spirit. Historic buildings and beautiful nature are what awaits you here. In addition to the beautiful architecture, there is a traditional writing brush routine and a delightful wedding show on the water. If you do not know where to go in Shanghai or its area, then visit this place and you will be delighted.

· Location: 1½ hours from Hangzhou 2 hours from Shanghai

· Activity: viewing old buildings, boating, walking, photography

· Suitable for: : those who want to see the classic Chinese water city

· Peculiarities: quiet rural town, rich cultural heritage

Tongli Water Town 同里

It is a classic ancient water city located on the Yangtze River Delta. This is a real Chinese Venice. Almost all buildings are on the water. This is a very popular place, because the mixture of architecture and beautiful water channels makes this place very picturesque.

Fifteen pedestrian canals divide the city into 7 small islands, and they, in turn, are connected by 40 bridges. The area of this miracle is 33 hectares, it is divided into 5 lakes. It is truly a water city in the truest sense of the word. If you are still thinking about how to spend time in Shanghai or its surroundings, then rather get ready and go to see this beautiful place.

· Location: close to Suzhou, 1½ hours from Shanghai

· Activity: walks, viewing old buildings along the length of the canal, photographs

· Suitable for: those who want to see the classic gardens and parks of Suzhou

· Peculiarities: few tourists

Ancient Town Xitan(Xitang Ancient Town 西塘)

This place is also quite popular. Here you can see unique architecture that you will not find anywhere else. This old town differs from others with its numerous bridges and unusual alleys.

Here you can take amazing pictures, because the place is quite quiet and there are not many shops and shops. Visiting Xitang, you can see such sights as the "Xue Family House" - a screw museum, an art gallery, a root carving museum. You can also go fishing with the locals and have dinner on the boat.

· Location: 1½ from Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou

· Suitable for: those who want to swim in the tunnels and take beautiful pictures

· Peculiarities: a large number of bridges and covered water corridors

Wuzhen Water Town 乌镇

Wuzhen is one of the most famous water cities in China. Its history began over one thousand years ago. Ancient residential buildings, shops, shops and workshops are located on the banks of the canals. The main attractions of this place are various folk performances and shows.

Almost the entire western area has been restored to the "old style", but it is also easy to find really old houses here. Many people complain that the area is too commercial. But even with the many shops, restaurants and spectacles, the atmosphere of this place is amazing. In any case, you need to see it with your own eyes. By the way, if you don't know where to eat in Shanghai, then you can head here. Here you can taste delicious snacks and at the same time enjoy the beautiful views of the ancient streets

· Location: 1 hour from Suzhou, 2 hours from Shanghai

· Suitable for: those who want to see the old city at night

· Peculiarities: restored old town, very picturesque at night

Zhujiajiao Ancient Town 朱家角

It is a beautiful old city, just an hour's drive from the center of Shanghai. It is well equipped with waterways, which makes boating here a very enjoyable experience. Here you can find both small Chinese houses and majestic Chinese residences.

The complex has 36 beautiful bridges that connect everything to each other. Not far from this place is the large natural lake Dianshan. Lovers of quiet rest come there. Here you can take a boat ride, admiring the amazing nature. This is a great place for tourism, as it has almost everything you need for an unforgettable trip.

· Location: 1 hour from downtown Shanghai

· Activity: boating, walking, photography

· Suitable for: those with limited time

· Peculiarities: very busy with tourists, especially on weekends.

Qibao Ancient City (QibaoAncientTown 七QL 镇)

Perhaps this is the smallest ancient city on our entire list, but it deserves attention no less than the rest. There are only two pedestrian streets, but a large number of interesting souvenir shops and traditional Chinese eateries. If you are a lover of Chinese snacks, you will love it here.

Here you can taste and watch how the popular distilled liqueur is made at the Qibao winery. You can also visit the rather unusual museum of miniature prints of the Zhou family.

· Location: 1 an hour from downtown Shanghai by metro

· Activity: viewing ancient architecture and buying street snacks

· Suitable for: those with limited time

· Peculiarities: very small, bazaar-sized, crowded with people on weekends

Luzhi Ancient Town 甪直镇 )

This elegant water town is surrounded by five lakes and a huge variety of bridges that were built by different dynasties. The number of bridges is 41, in total four dynasties are involved. Hence, this place is also called the "Museum of Chinese Bridges".

Many ancient residences have survived, which were built by the Ming and Qing dynasties. Almost all of them have not been reconstructed, as in most other complexes. So that here you can enjoy the authentic old architecture to the fullest. The size of the entire ancient city is comparable to a hundred city blocks.

· Location:

· Suitable for: those who do not like crowds of people

· Peculiarities: beautiful water town, a singing woman on a boat swims along the canals, few paid activities

Zhouzhuan Water City. (Zhouzhuang Water Town 周庄)

Zhouzhuang is the most popular and famous old water town in the area. There is a huge flow of tourists on weekends, so if you are planning a quiet, deserted vacation, then come on weekdays.

This place is famous for its well-preserved ancient residences. Here you can get to know more about ancient folk arts and crafts. Although the entire complex has long been commercialized and attracts huge flows of tourists, the views are still amazing. These places are especially loved by photographers. Morning shots come out especially well here.

· Location: close to Suzhou, 1½ hour from Shanghai

· Activity: viewing architecture, walking on the ferry, walking along the streets, photography

· Suitable for: those who want to see the classic gardens of Suzhou and take a ferry ride

· Peculiarities: the most popular water city in China, a lot of tourists, a lot of paid entertainment

Walking around such places, you involuntarily begin to understand how hard it is to settle in such a distant and unusual country like China. To better understand the Chinese mentality and easily explain to people what you want, you cannot do without a translator. Our company can provide you with a professional who will help you not only achieve understanding with the interlocutor, but will make you feel as comfortable as possible in this country.

We also organize in which you can get to know the business side of Shanghai. If you need to travel to Shanghai on business matters, we will gladly take you on tours of the best factories, plants and exhibitions in Shanghai. Contact us and you will soon become another satisfied customer.

The bulk of Shanghai was surrounded by numerous "zhou": Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou ... They all represent the classical China that we are used to presenting from films and books about the times of dynasties. Gardens, canals, lotuses - a conquered nature, put at the service (read - for the delight) of Chinese nobles and dignitaries.

The gardens of Suzhou and walks along the lake in Hangzhou attract as many tourists as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. Against this background, Zhouzhuang, bearing the title of "Chinese Venice", is somewhat in the background. The label is clearly worn out - so they call both Suzhou and Yangzhou. But the practice of visiting shows that this time the label is stuck successfully.

The history of the city dates back to 1086. Most of the buildings in the historical center are from the 14th to 16th centuries. But Zhouzhuang became famous and popular among tourists only in the mid-80s. In 1984, the Chinese artist Chen Yifei painted the painting "Memories of Hometown", which depicts the Double Bridge (aka Shuangqiao Bridge) in Zhouzhuang.

The painting went to an exhibition in New York, where it caught the eye of the oil oligarch Armand Hammer (Occidental Petroleum Corporation). He bought the painting and later presented it to Deng Xiaoping.

So, overnight, both the bridge and the city became super popular among Chinese tourists. By the end of the 90s. Zhouzhuang, unknown to anyone a decade earlier, already received 2.5 million tourists annually. In 1998, the city was included in the UNESCO list, which means that money came for restoration (plus what the Chinese government allocates).

Now it is a classic "tourist trap" - the city center has been licked and restored.

Each building is either a museum, a restaurant, or a souvenir shop. Actually, the historical center itself is one big open-air muse. Suffice it to say that the entrance to the historical part of the city costs 100 yuan (330 rubles).

Zhouzhuang is only 30 km from Suzhou and about 60 km from Shanghai. Buses run from Suzhou, and the "white man" is not sold a ticket for it, but sent to a special office, where you immediately pay 100 yuan for a ticket to the city center. With this ticket, the bus takes you to Zhouzhuang for free. You will have to walk 600 meters from the bus station to the entrance to the old town.

In front of the entrance to the old city there are several arches built from scratch. Someday they will be called that: the buildings of the era of the CCP dynasty.

It is better to come to Zhouzhuang in the evening, when the wave of Chinese tourist groups has already subsided and you can walk around the city without pushing the crowd with your elbows.

Inside the old city, all prices soar threefold, so it makes sense to buy water, or even just eat in advance. The basis of the local cuisine is fish dishes.

There are 14 bridges in the old city, which you cross constantly, in whatever direction you go.

Really looks like Venice. Only gondoliers in pointed hats.

By the way, gondolas are made right there.

The ticket, in addition to entering the city itself, gives the right to visit all the museums and temples that are in it. In the city, be guided by signs indicating the direction and distance to the desired point of interest.

I especially liked the temple located on the very edge of the city. We were lucky - there was not a single tourist here.

It is a pleasure to wander through such complexes alone.

In general, in China, the sights that you managed to visit without the presence of tourist groups leave the most favorable impressions.

And behind the wall of the complex - a completely different China - they don't think about tourists, but they catch fish in the same conical hats, using the same old-fashioned methods.

I don’t know which is more authentic ...

Quote post by Kandy_sweet "Venice of China" - cities on the water

Chinese bamboo flute

Chinese cities on the water, often called "Venice of the East", are famous for their ancient buildings, bridges, picturesque canals and local residents, whose life has not changed much over the past centuries, despite the economic boom that has swept all of China today.

Zhujiajiao

One of the oldest settlements on the water in China - Zhujiajiao, is located just 30 km from the center of Shanghai in the western suburbs on the shores of Lake Dianshanhu. It is one of the most beautiful historical sites in China, with over 1700 years of history. They say this is Shanghai Venice - a beautifully preserved ancient village on the banks of the river. Kezhi Garden is located on Great Northern Street. It is one of the largest home gardens in the south of China.
They say Zhujiajiao is a city of bohemian Shanghai youth. A kind of outlet and salvation, a monastery where you can hide from the bustling noisy multimillion city. Thanks to them, many of the old houses here have turned into amazing cafes, pubs, theaters and clubs, decorated and painted in every way. Art and creativity are just in the air!

Suzhou

The historical center of Suzhou, around which the modern city has grown, stands on the Great China Canal between Shanghai and Wuxi, near Lake Taihu, and for many centuries was the most important transport and commercial center of the Jiangnan region, the richest part of the country.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the city was built up with the estates of capital officials and turned into the garden capital of China.
A World Heritage Site, Suzhou's Historic Center is still famous for its beautiful stone bridges such as Baodaiqiao, pagodas and elaborately laid out gardens. With the rise of Shanghai at the end of the 19th century, Suzhou lost its importance as a central city in the region, but thanks to its architecture and the large number of businesses around the city, it remains a mecca for both tourists and entrepreneurs.

Chibao

The Chibao Ancient Year is located in the Minhang District of Shanghai (18 km ort of the city center), with a population of about 14 million, with a total area of 21.3 km2. The ancient city of Chibao was built during the Song Dynasty (960-1126). The word "Chibao" is translated as "seven treasures".

Chibao city has attracted tourists since ancient times. It is one of the oldest and most famous areas in Shanghai. it is cut by the channels of the Tong River Po, which flows directly through the city. Numerous and picturesque bridges and canals create the unique atmosphere of the ancient city of Qibao. Here you can see old wells, an embankment and picturesque bridges, as well as ancient buildings and buildings, narrow streets, huge shady trees.
On the territory of the ancient city there is a temple “Seven Treasures” (“Qibao Temple,”), built in 907-960 years. It is a Buddhist pagoda located in the center of the region. Among the inhabitants of Shanghai, there is an old legend about the real seven treasures that exist and reliably hidden on the territory of the temple and monastery: the iron Buddha of the Ming dynasty, a bronze bell, also of the era of the Ming dynasty, a golden manuscript in the form of a lotus, written by the concubine of the emperor in the 10th century, a thousand-year-old Chinese tree Catalpa, jade ax, golden cockerel and a pair of jade chopsticks. Interestingly, only the first four treasures have been documented and only one treasure has been found. This is an ancient bell, which is now located on the territory of the "Seven Treasures" temple.

Zhouzhuang - East Venice

Zhouzhuang is one of the most picturesque and famous Chinese cities on the water, located in Kunshan County, just 30 km southeast of Suzhou. The ancient town stands on the Jinghang Canal, which connects Suzhou with Shanghai. The city is widely renowned for its romantic atmosphere, charming views and well-preserved old residential buildings, elegant bridges and rich cultural heritage.
The city of Zhouzhuang is known as the first village on the water in China, with a history of just over 900 years. It is called the "Venice of the East".
It attracts tourists with its labyrinths of canals, Qing and Ming buildings and local customs. The city is located on an area of about 0.4 km2. However, despite the seemingly insignificant territory, here you can see about 100 old classical courtyards, more than 60 brick carved arches and 14 ancient bridges. It is important to note that the bridges here are very diverse, but the most typical are the Shuangqiao paired bridges. These sturdy, stone, simple bridges were built during the Ming Dynasty. They consist of one arched stone span and one stone girder. Also interesting and in its own way unique place in Zhouzhuang is the “two-way bridge” thrown over two canals. Streets are rivers, passages are connected by bridges, and houses are built along rivers.

Xitan ancient city

Xitang is a famous city on the water with a thousand-year history, located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city is divided into two parts: old and new. Well-preserved ensembles of buildings of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasty remained in the Old Part. Narrow, winding streets, called “luns” in the local dialect, are an integral part of Xitan. Quiet waters, beautiful old bridges, of which there are more than 100, fishing boats, pale pink sunsets and sunrises reflected in the water, which shimmers with sparkling lights in the evening, create an absolutely idyllic fairy tale picture filled with ancient poetry.

The ancient city of Xitang is located in the Jiashan county of Jiaxing (Zhejiang province) at the junction of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, the city of Shanghai. It is located 90 km east of Shanghai and 110 km west of Hangzhou. Nine fairways intersect in Sitan, which actually divided the city into 8 parts. Numerous bridges connect them together.

Among the ancient cities, Xitan is distinguished by its bright originality and is famous for a large number of bridges, canals and canopies-galleries. The total length of the latter, stretching along the canals, is more than a thousand meters. This is the biggest difference between Xitan and similar places in China.

Fenghuang

Fenghuang is an ancient city of China in the Hunan province, getting into which, the traveler seems to be transported to another time. This city captivates with its unspoiled ancient beauty and mystery. Here, beautiful nature is combined with ancient architecture and flavor.

Unique houses built on stilts, winding streets that converge towards the center, bridges over the river - all this personifies the harmony and mysterious beauty that is so often depicted in traditional Chinese painting. No wonder this city is rightly called one of the most beautiful in China.

The history of this city is 1300 years old, but it seems to travelers that, in spite of the past centuries, this city has managed to preserve its primordiality. In many ways, life here hasn't changed after many years. Everything is the same as centuries ago, women wash vegetables in the river and wash clothes there. This region is surprisingly warm and welcoming. Local life is distinguished by its special originality and flavor. A particularly wonderful city comes alive at noon. Here you can see women carrying bamboo baskets, men pulling buffaloes behind them. And in the evening from the river you can hear the noise of beaters, with the help of which women wash clothes.