Suzhou Shopping

Always known as a paradise of natural beauty, Suzhou could be a paradise of shopping as well if you have the know-hows. Besides silk and embroidery, Suzhou offers abundance of specialties for you to choose from, such as sandal wood folding fans, silk fans, wood cut paintings, jade carvings, calligraphy, paintings and silk lingerie. They are not only the excellent souvenirs of your journey but the best gifts to take home to your friends and relatives.

Not to forget "Kesi", or carved silk, which is made from a unique weaving process by mixing raw and boiled silk. Material of this type was once reserved only for imperial robes but can now be bought as paintings, scrolls and waistbands. The green teas, Biluochun Tea in particular, velvet blankets, moon-cakes and pine-seed candies are also worth buying.

There is no need to visit a large number of shops in search of the best local products, because most of the larger shops have been in business for many years and offer high quality goods.

Suzhou Shopping Areas

Guanqian Street

Guanqian Street is name after the Mysterious Taoist Temple. It has a history of more than 150 years and it is well known for many one-century characteristic shops such as Daoxiangcun Confectionery Shop, Qiantaixiang Silk Shop, Huangtianyuan Round Dumpling Shop. Its food street which is located between Taijian Lane and Bifeng Lane is well-known for Suzhou-style dishes in south of Yangtze River, the National Key Preservation Unit - the Mysterious Taoist Temple on the street attracts both home and foreign visitors with its profound Taoism culture.

Guanqian Pedestrianized Shopping Street

a local snack shop at Guanqian Street

Shiquan Street

It is situated in the hotel area in ancient downtown of Suzhou. The famous Nanlin Restaurant, Suzhou Restaurant, Nanlin Hotel as well as the classical garden of Master of the Nets Garden are located on this street. It strews Ming and Qing Dynasty style architectures there and here. Shiquan Street is well known for its craftworks like Suzhou Embroidery chinaware antique, calligraphy and painting, chinaware, silk, inscriptions, jade, rosewood articles, etc. Modern industrial products, curios and art crafts are also available here.

A shopping mall at Shiquan Street

Shilu (Stone Road) Pedestrian Street

It is said the street had already been very prosperous in ancient time. Reconstructed in 2003, it now becomes one of the best shopping centers in Jiangsu Province. Xinfeng Lane here is to be restored and become a special street with cafes and pubs. People can enjoy the leisure life there after doing shopping. The opening of this pedestrian street also stimulates consumers' popular enthusiasm with the market at night in the Shilu commercial area. Business hours of the stores on Shilu are prolonged to 10 PM.

the night view of Shilu Street