Suzhou Off The Beaten Path

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The Precious Belt Bridge is located at the intersection of the Grand Canal and Dantai Lake, about 2.5km south-east of Suzhou. The first construction of the bridge dates back to the year 816 AD, during the mid Tang Dynasty. According to written accounts, the bridge derives its name from the local prefect Wang Zhongshu, who in a selfless act had sold his precious belt in order to help finance its construction. Since then, it has been reconstructed several times. The current structure of the Precious Belt Bridge is a Ming Dynasty era reconstruction of 1446 AD, during the reign of the Zhengtong Emperor. It spans 317m (1040ft), has a width of 4.1m (13.5ft) and has a total of 53 arches, of which the central three are larger to allow the passing of river vessels without masts.

To get here, it's best to take a taxi.

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The Museum of Ancient Chines Sex Culture is one of the more interesting and provocative attractions within Tongli. The museum is a collection of 1,200 artifacts relating to sex activity. The artifacts are divided up into various categories such as the repression of women, sexual positions, sexual devices, homosexuality and various kinky aspects towards sexual activity. These displays are spread out in two buildings that once held a girls school. I was surprised by the maturity of the exhibitions. Clearly the intention here is to educated rather than exploit. Just the same I might recommend that you do not bring the kids along.
The museum is open daily from 8:30am to 5pm.

In chinese, the street means "have it all". The street is as old as "GuanQian" street. As of tourist shopping, I think you can get more on that street instead of "GuanQian" street because there are a lot of crafts and silk shop on that street. Nowadays, the street also became a gathering for different bars and modern teahouse for locals to go. So on that street the oppotunity to see local people is much more than other places listed in my blog.

Apart from popular tourist spot, maybe you would like to explorer some of the city's real life and then Guan Qian Street is the place to go. It has been and is still the downtown of Suzhou. Again the place was full remodeled a couple of years ago but the old style of architectures are preserved there. On the street, you will still be able to find shops with hundres of years selling traditional Suzhou snacks, desserts, noodle soups and dinners. There is an small street besides it has a lot of resturants including some famous suzhou cuisine resturants such as "De Yue Lou", "Wang Si Jiu Jia". But I haven't been to those resturants for year myself so I really don't have an opinion on them.

"Guan Qian" street means before the temple. The central of the street is ChengHuang temple. Nearly every city in the old China has a ChengHuang temple. It is almost like a city hall for the city. It is a place for gathering and pray. A lot of the love stories in old China happen in such temples because it is the only place a mistress can go outside her home.

A senior official of the Wu Kingdom in the Spring and Autumn Period was grand master Wu Zixu. He was the second son of a senior minister in the Chu Kingdom, Wu She. In the seventh year of the reign of King Ping Wang of the Chu (522BCE), Wu She was murdered by the Chu king, so the son, Wu Zixu, headed for the Wu kingdom and the refuge of Helu, whom he helped to assasinate the Wu king Liao, so paving the way for Helu to become the monarch. In 514BCE, Wu Zixu was at King Helu's side as they built the great city of Helu (present day Suzhou), and then managed the army, administartive matters and national security.
In gratitude, the king granted him the territory of Shen, so Wu became Shen Xu. But over time, the king and his erstwhile loyal servant grew apart: Wu tried to persuade Helu not to attack the Qi kingdom, and to avoid peace with the Yue. Eventually Wu was required, as an act of great loyalty, to commit suicide with a ceremonial sword. Seemingly almost immediately, the king regretted his foolishness, albeit a little bit too late, and built a temple for Wu Zixu at a place by the river at the Panmen Gate.
Sadly, over the centuries, the temple disappeared and the structure standing today was constructed in 1988.

It is very difficult to find any hotel in China that isn't simply a slab-sided skyscraper rising out of busy streets, but the Sheraton in Suzhou is a very different affair.
The whole hotel complex is closely modelled on classical Suzhou architecture (of which there is very little left because of all the demolition in the city) with beautiful courtyard gardens. These gardens are worth visiting in their own right, and are free of charge. Just wander around looking like you have $180 a night to spend and the place is yours for the day.
The garden where most guests gather for the obligatory squat and click is actualy the least interesting part. Head off along the paths to find little courtyards everywhere. Some of these are best seen from inside the hotel through the frames of the windows. Several more courtyards are hidden away between the huge blank front wall and several of the restaurants, so go left or right out of the entrance of the hotel to look down into the 'wells'.
I don't know who designed this whole complex but it is one of the rchitectural and landscaping marvels of China.
Address: 259 Xinshi Lu, Suzhou

There are few bridges as typical of China than the Wumen Qiao, crossing the moat at the south-western corner of Suzhou’s old town. Sadly, the neighbouring area – described in every guidebook – has been flattened in the last few months. Your chance to see the Wumen Qiao striding across the wide canal alongside the old waterside buildings has gone forever. Presumably something new and charming will spring up in its place but the authenticity will have disappeared. One day China will wake up and want to see its heritage and it will all have been replaced by kitsch and poor-quality reproductions. Quite frankly, I’m not particularly bothered: it’s not my heritage. I do my best to promote it and encourage responsible development, but its up to China and the Chinese people to make their decisions.
Despite the spectacular beauty of the Wumen Qiao, a horrendous group of black cables is strung obtrusively across the canal alongside.
All you can do now is walk across the bridge and imagine how beautiful it must have been just a few months ago, with both banks crowded with houses and people earning their livelihoods. Suzhou has, again, made a classic decision that is incrementally lessening the attraction of the city: why not just get rid of all the gardens and replace them with factories making ball-bearings and automobile wing-mirrors. Then you can finally get rid of all those pesky tourists and look just like any other Chinese small city.

The temple became famous because of a poem which reads:
"The moon goes down, crows cry under a frosty sky. Dimly lit fishing boats, beneath maples sadly lie. Beyond the Suzhou walls, the Temple of Cold Hill chimes bells, which reaches my boat, breaking the midnight still."

The sound of bells here is believed to eliminate one's worries. This attraction is popular among Japanese tourists. There are traditional activities to welcome the New Year on New Year's Eve.