VENICE OF THE EAST
Explore the canals and gardens of Suzhou, a second-tier Chinese city that’s first-rate
IT could be the biggest city you’ve never heard of. Greater Suzhou in China is home to 13.7 million people — making it one of the largest metropolises in the world.
But the green, canal-laced city (pronounced soo-joe), about 65 miles west of Shanghai, is just one of many giants in its own country, behind the financial and political blockbusters of Beijing and Shanghai, as well as southern industrial hubs Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Like all urban Chinese powerhouses, Suzhou’s city center teems with dazzling new skyscrapers. But even as it charges headlong into the future, Suzhou continues to honor its ancient heritage and natural beauty — making it a fantastic destination for second-time visitors to China, or even those looking for a respite during a longer visit. Visitors here get to dive into the country’s splendor and culture without having to deal with the mindblowing enormity and chaos of an ultra-huge metropolis.
Founded some 2,500 years ago, Suzhou’s fortunes took off with the building of China’s Grand Canal in the early 7th century, linking Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south — still the world’s longest manmade canal. For Suzhou, the Grand Canal meant near-instant prosperity as one of the area’s most important trading centers, and helped its nascent silk industry become one of the country’s most important for centuries to come.
Today you can learn the fascinating history of Suzhou’s silk production — and witness it still happening firsthand, from silkworm larvae to harvesting to threadspinning — at the Suzhou
Silk Museum. Naturally there’s a massive shop, too, where you can pick up silk souvenirs galore, such as purses, pillows and pajamas.
Silk is also the root of an-
other one of Suzhou’s claims to fame: its unique style of double-sided Chinese embroidery. At the Suzhou Embroidery Research Insti
tute, you can watch these pieces (often months in the making) be painstakingly crafted. Its shop, too, features some breathtaking creations, from affordable small unframed works to astronomically priced masterpieces.
(A telling sign of Suzhou’s off-the-radar status is how few of its major attractions have English websites. The tourism board’s website —
TravelToSuzhou.com — describes the highlights.)
Suzhou’s growing wealth over the centuries translated into its rise as a hub of high culture — for where rich people go, leisure pursuits will follow — and led to the cultivation of one of its best known attractions: its many classical gardens. Using gorgeous greenery, water features, rock formations, pavilions and bridges, these spaces were meticulously designed to show a series of striking vistas along their pathways. About 60 gardens remain, the nine most stunning are collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The largest and most famous (go early to beat the crowds) is the Humble Administrator’s Garden, nearly 13 acres of graceful Ming Dynastystyle scene-scapery.
Next door is the Suzhou
Museum, with its vast collection of ancient art, ceramics and crafts — but equally visit-worthy for its beautiful design by famed Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, whose family’s ancestral roots were in Suzhou. Said to be Pei’s last design before he retired, the stylish white structure incorporates inner pools and reflective spaces.
One of Suzhou’s most iconic landmarks is the striking seven-story Tiger
Hill Pagoda (also called Huqiu Tower), known as the “Leaning Tower of China” due to its gradual tilt over the centuries. The surrounding lush hillside is covered with several great attractions, including Wanjing
Villa, a park showcasing gorgeous bonsai, with scenes crafted to look like Suzhou gardens in miniature.
Shantang Street, one of Suzhou’s most famous arteries, was originally a 9thcentury Grand Canal extension linking Tiger Hill to the city center. It was part of the elaborate canal system that earned Suzhou a nickname that stuck: The Venice of China. Today, the picturesque street is lined with colorful canal-side shops and restaurants, and is popular with visitors. Somewhat less kitschy and touristy is Pingjiang Road, another pedestrian-only street that’s now filled with a delightfully quirky array of cafés, teahouses, food vendors and shops. For those in need of a Western-style shopping fix, the far more modernized Guanqian
Street will suffice. As for food, try two local favorites: the fabulous noodles at Tong
dexing, and the superb soup dumplings at Xish
engyuan. Check out a performance of pingtan, Suzhou’s captivating brand of traditional story-singing, at Pin Von Teahouse.
Adding to its charms, the city is easy to get to. Highspeed trains connect to central Shanghai and Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport in less than 30 minutes, with fares as low as around $6. For that speed and price, Suzhou can even serve as a day trip from Shanghai.
Hotels like the sumptuous Shangri-La (from $120; Shangri-La.com/Suzhou) and the resort-like Pan Pacific (from $85; PanPacific.com) are affordable by Western standards. Two anticipated newcomers are Le Méridien at Suzhou Bay in July, and the W Suzhou in August. So go ahead, find some fresh air in China.