Seeing Changshu Again: Taking Tourism Seriously! A Small City That Ignites Boundless Passion

Once again in Changshu, with reflections.

Remember that article from last year, 'Early Summer: In Search of the Dreamy Jiangnan at Changshu’s Yushan, Unlocking a Thorough Guide to Safe Travel’s First Stop'? A 3-day, 2-night deep dive into Changshu, I shared everything about visiting Yushan in that special period, and the chance encounter made me fall in love with this small city! Today, I’m back in Changshu, and this time, it’s added a youthful, new hue to my vision! As I said before, I’ve planted the seeds, and you’re welcome to come and reap! Come often to Changshu! I hope this phrase lingers on…

Changshu Yushan Cultural Tourism Resort is located in the northwest of Suzhou, Jiangsu, in the 'land of fish and rice' Changshu. It sits within a 1-hour transportation circle of the Yangtze River Delta, with high-speed rail, expressways, and elevated rapid routes, reaching Shanghai and Wuxi international airports in 40 minutes.

Changshu Yushan Cultural Tourism Resort: Accommodation

Changshu boasts representative themed guesthouses converted from old city residences like 'Rixie Linxi,' 'Tianning Anchán,' 'Yujian Tangzhai,' and 'Gongwang • Mazhai,' enriching the cultural experience for visitors — and they’ve truly won my heart!

Yujian Tangzhai (Tang Residence)

Located at 45 Xiannan Street in downtown Changshu, Yujian Tangzhai was the private garden of Tang Yikui from the late Qing Dynasty. The owner was the Director-General of Grain Transport, a high-ranking official dispatched by the central government to oversee all grain transport affairs, ranked as deputy first rank or full second rank. Today’s Tangzhai is a pure land in the bustling city; opening a window reveals ancient charm, and listening to a Kunqu opera performance in the house makes you forget the present world... Your soul shuttles between past and present.

Yujian Tangzhai has 20 guest rooms, divided into three themes: 'Forest,' 'Shadow,' and 'Leisure,' filled with Zen ambiance, quiet and cozy. Come here to enjoy the view, sip tea, meditate, and fully experience a different poetic lifestyle. The interior design uses elegant, plain colors, blending with nature; the restrained elegance inside and out creates a sense of purity and clarity.

Seclude yourself in this exquisite courtyard, watch the sunrise and sunset, see clouds drift by, take a leisurely stroll, calm your mind, and savor the relaxed pace of life. The best attitude towards life is to do nothing intentionally. Live with equanimity, be open-minded, let go, think clearly, and live freely. Be tolerant and patient; after several seasons, the willow you planted casually becomes a shade tree.

If I have to say what I love most: if I go back to Changshu, this hotel will be my first choice! I've seen many old-house conversions, but such exquisite post-design on the original structure, and so close to the refined style that contemporary young people adore — they’ve really nailed it! As for me, I could stay for three or five days and not get bored!

The hotel is located at 3 Tiantoulang, Changshu. Mazhai is a six-courtyard old Qing Dynasty building, full of antique charm and leisurely comfort! The guesthouse has nine rooms, such as 'Quick Rain Then Clear,' 'Rainy Mood in Mountain Stream,' 'Quiet Waterside Pavilion,' 'Autumn Mountain After Rain,' and 'Nine Peaks Snow Clearing,' with warm tones, five-star standard amenities, highlighting a humanized design concept — a style that is loved by contemporary young and middle-aged people.

In my view, what stands out more here is a philosophy of life! An attitude towards living! The hotel is divided into four spaces: cultural exchange, calligraphy and painting display, elegant gathering, and light luxury dining. The blend of the old and new creates a distinctive cachet — truly a great place for friends to get together.

Every step reveals a new scene, every step a painting; be it the light and shadow of the seasons, rain pattering on banana leaves, or the slanting shadows of trees, it’s leisurely and delightful. Amid grey bricks and white walls, it preserves the charm of Jiangnan architecture. Here, in a room, in a courtyard, you can sip tea and chat with a couple of friends, listen to the rain and enjoy the scenery, and together 'steal a half-day of leisure from a busy life.'

Changshu Yushan Cultural Tourism Resort: Cuisine

If I talk about what makes Changshu cuisine different, this time I feel it even more strongly! It’s cultured, with good presentation, and a more balanced flavor. I just experienced a few other places in Suzhou, so I can compare... Changshu is a city suited for slow living; people are easygoing and leisurely, and their spiritual needs are growing. This is also reflected in food: within a ten-minute walk of any neighborhood, you’ll find multiple noodle shops or restaurants of different flavors, packed with customers daily. The Yujian Tangzhai restaurant, a quality boutique guesthouse, must have matching dining facilities — you can encounter Changshu gourmet food without leaving the courtyard! A wonderful day starts with breakfast: single-portioned, with meat and vegetables, nutritious and healthy, giving a homey feeling.

Dining in the deep courtyards of an old mansion is about culture. Changshu is an important birthplace of Wu culture. The people are hardworking and wise, skilled in farming and animal husbandry, and happy to learn culinary arts. The abundance of local ingredients and the people’s eagerness to study cooking have created exceptional conditions for the development of Changshu’s food culture. The main characteristics of Changshu dishes are: first, the use of excellent ingredients — they must be authentic and top-quality; second, meticulous cooking with proper heat control; third, exquisite presentation with masterful knife skills.

Hongxun Noodle Shop

Located at 552 Zhujiang Road, Changshu, Hongxun Noodle Shop is one recommended by a friend, and I absolutely love its décor! An open kitchen, a long communal table running through the dining room, where many people sit around enjoying noodles with various toppings — it feels like a warm, festive long-table feast.

Changshu noodles are quite famous both in the province and nationwide, made from machine-rolled standard flour. This type of noodle has the right texture, soaks up flavors well, and is nutritious. There are many kinds of toppings, ranging from a dozen to over a hundred yuan, loved by people from all walks of life.

If you want to eat noodles with style, it's definitely Wangsi Old Noodle Shop. You may know about mushroom oil noodles, fried fish noodles, braised eel noodles, etc. — these are also their specialties. But innovatively combining them with local stir-fried dishes adds another layer of aftertaste. With over thirty toppings displayed at the counter, it’s dazzling.

I ordered the 120-yuan luxury set, truly witnessing a higher level of noodle dining. Besides choosing various toppings, there were several traditional snacks before the meal, like fried glutinous rice balls (youjian tuan) and crispy rice cakes (cifan gao). Accompanied by a bowl of savory tofu pudding, it perfectly rounded off the sumptuous breakfast.

The fried glutinous rice balls are golden and shiny, cylindrical, crispy on the outside and chewy inside, with a fragrant filling. Wangsi Restaurant’s pastries are also a long-established brand. As Spring Festival approaches, Changshu people have the custom of 'steaming cakes,' symbolizing 'rising steadily and making progress step by step' in the new year. A tip for tasting authentic steamed cake: it’s not that sweet at first bite, but leaves a hint of sweetness at the finish.

This 'bao yu' is not abalone? When I first heard the name, I also thought it was abalone. After waiting a while, a plate of fried fish arrived — this is Changshu’s 'bao yu' (exploded fish). It’s made by cutting large black carp into chunks and deep-frying them until golden and red on the surface. After frying, they’re soaked thoroughly in a savory sauce, making the flavor even richer, and it’s even more delicious when eaten with noodles.

There are many types of noodles for Changshu’s stir-fried topping noodles, such as: mushroom oil noodles, shiitake mushroom noodles, eel paste noodles, braised pork noodles, large pork chop noodles, etc. Among these toppings, my favorites are pan-fried pork chop, mushroom oil, and eel paste — fragrant, with a smooth, savory texture that leaves a lasting aftertaste.

Changshu’s Most Delicious Dishes Are Steamed — Taste at Forest Hotel

Jiangsu’s Changshu is a culinary capital of Jiangnan. The 'Old Eight Dishes' are traditional Changshu steamed dishes, with origins traceable to the pottery age. 'Changshu Steamed Dishes' are listed on Changshu and Suzhou’s Intangible Cultural Heritage protection lists. The head chef at Forest Hotel is one of the inheritors of this steaming technique, so for authentic steamed dishes, this is the place to go! Recommended dishes: Changshu Yipin Pot, Steamed Spicy Dried Vegetables, Yipin Mushroom Steam, Fresh Songshu Mushroom with Vegetable Hearts, Clay Pot Baked Sea Bass, Meat Skin Lion’s Head Meatballs, Braised Radish with Thousand Island Lake Fish Head, etc.

Sanfeng Farmhouse - Qingya Tea Garden

If I say this farmhouse, judging from its elegant environment and exquisite dishes, far exceeds many ordinary restaurants in Changshu city; it’s more like a private home-style restaurant. Every dish is perfectly and meticulously prepared, with excellent presentation, color, aroma, and taste. After the meal, enjoy a pot of Yushan green tea to refresh and soothe the spirit.

In the Changshu Yushan Cultural Tourism Resort, when you’re tired from your excursions, you can taste Changshu’s lake food and steamed dishes right inside Shanghu Scenic Area. October is the season for crabs, and the lobster with foxnut is a must-order dish.

Changshu Yushan Cultural Tourism Resort: Attractions

Weng Tonghe Memorial Hall

The Former Residence of Weng has become one of Changshu’s new 'Eighteen Views of Yushan.' The main building, 'Caiyi Hall,' is a typical Ming Dynasty structure of Jiangnan, with over five hundred years of history, featuring painted beams and carved pillars, grand and imposing. The 'burden brocade' colored paintings inside the hall are masterpieces of Su-style colored painting in Jiangnan, rare both at home and abroad, and a precious part of Chinese traditional cultural heritage.

Aerial photography clearly shows that its architectural design follows the traditional Jiangnan residential pattern centered on a central axis, divided into east, central, and west sections. The architectural forms are rich and varied, the layout is adapted to local conditions, vivid and full of charm. It is a typical and complete representation of the characteristics of residences of prominent families in Jiangnan during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

What attracted me the most was the museum’s cat — this is a habit of mine, starting from photographing the Forbidden City... Whenever I visit a museum at home or abroad, I look for the tracks of these little spirits. They are very friendly, and interacting with them and taking photos is a joy when visiting historic residences.

Weng Tonghe was a renowned patriotic politician in modern China and the most outstanding figure of the Weng family in Changshu. He served as Censor-in-Chief, Minister of Justice, Minister of Works, Minister of Revenue, Assistant Grand Secretary, Grand Councilor, and concurrently Minister of the Zongli Yamen (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and was also the imperial tutor to Emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu. In the halls of the Weng Residence — such as the Sedan Chair Hall, Caiyi Hall, Siyong Hall, and Bogu Xuan — Ming and Qing-style furniture and ancient hall furnishings are displayed, recreating the original appearance of Jiangnan residences from those periods.

The seventh courtyard of the Weng Residence houses the He Yinxiang • Cultural Creative Cooperative. Adhering to the concept of 'cultural heritage creativity and brand cooperation,' with quality and ingenious design as the standard, they integrate elements of Weng family culture, 'Caiyi Hall' culture, scholar-official culture, and Changshu’s regional characteristics. There are many culturally meaningful, traditional-yet-modern creative products, perfect as souvenirs.

Shanqianfang Cultural Tourism Creative Block

While experiencing the transformation of Shanqianfang, I’m also feeling the transformation of Changshu! With a trendy block like this, it will leave young visitors to Changshu with a label of 'cool Changshu' — Changshu has become youthful! This is the new direction for tourism in the new era, summed up in two words: Attraction!

Located at the foot of Yushan’s southern slope, beside Shanqiantang, the block gathers twenty to thirty traditional Jiangnan residences, some Republic-era Shanghai-style buildings, and four factory workshops from the 1960s and 70s. Now, based on the original appearance, through careful planning and design renovation, these old buildings have been transformed into a block beloved by young people.

At the same time, it has attracted many entrepreneurs to settle here: trendy dining, boutique guesthouses, cafés, bars, art bookstores, theaters, live-action role-play mystery rooms... A new district gathering fashion creativity and young entrepreneurship, and a must-visit spot for citizens and tourists’ leisure and entertainment, is taking shape.

Shanghu

It is a national AAAAA-level scenic spot, one of China’s first urban wetland parks, and the best ecological leisure lake among China’s Top Ten Charismatic Lakes. Aerial photography of its 800-hectare water surface, set off against the ten-mile-long Yushan, forms a picturesque landscape scroll.

Inside the wetland, seven islets like Hexiang Zhou, Diaoyu Zhu, Mingqin Zhou, and Peach Blossom Island are embedded, creating a unique landscape of lakes within islands and islands within lakes. Seen from above or strolled through, it’s intoxicating!

Fushui Villa, built by the water, with white walls and dark tiles, small bridges over flowing streams, winding corridors, and deep courtyards. Taking a boat ride at night on Shanghu is also a highlight! Night boating is open from April 2 to December 31.

While appreciating the night view of the garden pavilions, at Feixiong Academy, Changshu’s 'poetry, qin, painting, and seal' are combined with the ancient four arts 'qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting' to create six immersive interactive experience halls: 'Qin, Chess, Poetry, Calligraphy, Painting, and Seal.' Listen to ancient melodies in the Qin Hall, wield brush and ink in the Calligraphy Hall, wander through landscapes in the Painting Hall, watch the art of seal carving in the Seal Hall, play chess in the Chess Hall, and discuss poetry over wine in the Poetry Hall.

Wangsi Food

Location is in Fangta Garden, Tanong, Changshu. It’s not only a food collection store but also showcases the history of Wangsi Food, and the workshop offers some experiential activities. The main products include beggar’s chicken, osmanthus wine, Songshu mushroom oil, and some daily foods. As a time-honored delicacy in the Jiangnan region, Wangsi Beggar’s Chicken’s exquisite ingredients, intricate process, and unique flavor have earned it the reputation of 'Wu’s First Feast.' Today, the making technique of Changshu Wangsi Restaurant’s Beggar’s Chicken has been included in the Jiangsu Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Wangsi Restaurant was founded in the 13th year of the Guangxu reign (1887) and is exactly 120 years old. It got its name because the founder Wang Zukang was the fourth child in his family. It is a famous 'China Time-Honored Brand' in Changshu. Wangsi Beggar’s Chicken was created by Wang Zukang, the head of Wangsi Restaurant, who imitated the ancient slow-cooking method and improved the recipe. Here, I had the honor to meet Mr. Zhou Jinping, the ninth-generation inheritor of Wangsi Beggar’s Chicken, who demonstrated the making technique for us in the store.

To make beggar’s chicken, they typically use a free-range yellow chicken, pour special osmanthus wine over it, and stuff the cavity with eight fillings: shiitake mushrooms, cashews, dried scallops, winter bamboo shoots, ham, shrimp, lean meat, and chicken gizzards. After marinating, it’s wrapped in lotus leaves, coated with Yushan yellow mud, and slow-roasted for five hours.

Eating Wangsi Beggar’s Chicken is also particular. When it’s served, you need to knock it three times. The first knock for family happiness, the second for good health, and the third for career prosperity. Mr. Zhou said, 'Knocking three times is an innovation by Wangsi, making the eating more ceremonial and experiential.' Today, eating beggar’s chicken is more about culture; each knock carries hopes for a better life. Crack open the dried mud, tear open the lotus leaf parcel, and the tender, juicy, aromatic chicken appears. Take a bite; the chicken is succulent and fall-off-the-bone tender, with the fragrance of lotus leaves and earth.

Jinjiandao Tangyin Cultural Creative

Tangyin Creative Space is located at the foot of Yushan in Changshu. It is a community space that blends Chinese clothing culture with Eastern aesthetics, integrating experience, sharing, innovation, and communication, covering cultural creativity, study tours, aesthetics, public welfare, clothing experience, and Jiangnan handicrafts. Watching the owner gently hold exquisite cheongsams one after another, as if treasuring precious gems, I felt the same way!

'Tangyin' is both the art cheongsam brand under Jinjiandao and a comprehensive cultural creative brand. 'Tang' refers to the crabapple flower, which blooms brilliantly, embodying Chinese elegance — gentle yet passionate — carrying beautiful wishes. 'Yin' means expressing emotions through objects, chanting today’s life, symbolizing the expression of beautiful aspirations and sentiments.

The first floor is a retail area. The moment I stepped into the hall, I was deeply drawn by the variety of exquisite cheongsams — national style! Something I’ve always admired! There is also a men’s section, all high-end custom! The second floor is even more eye-opening: an array of creative cultural products, and the various series of cheongsams have won many awards both at home and abroad, truly impressive! They hold different handicraft experience classes weekly, taught by professional instructors, allowing visitors to experience the beauty of fabric art and the joy of needlework.

Nansuyuan Cultural Creative Space

At the foot of Yushan, there is now a place to visit—Nansuyuan Cultural Creative Space, which can be described as a realm of subtle charm. It is located in Lingtang New Village outside the North Gate, originally an abandoned warehouse overgrown with weeds. Under the renovation of the owner, Asu, it has been completely transformed. I remember going there last time in the evening and missing many details; this time in the daytime, I made up for it! At the space’s market, I was fortunate to meet many masters and learned a lot! Address: No. 1, Lane 5, Lingtang North Village, Changshu, Jiangsu.

At Nansuyuan, you can find a lifestyle you like. The Nansuyuan Cultural Creative Space brings together Yushan’s qin, poetry, painting, seal, and calligraphy schools, along with intangible cultural heritage. It integrates outstanding Yushan cultural resources, promotes cultural exchange, fosters cultural prosperity through the Nansuyuan creative market platform, and has built a cultural creative brand and a humanistic social space belonging to Yushan.

有书空间

有书空间, interactive and intelligent, knowledge + scenarios, visual + auditory + tactile, builds an immersive digital cultural field. Currently set up in many cities, you can say each one opens and immediately gains popularity, becoming a must-visit Instagram-worthy spot in that city! Travel enthusiasts who know about this space in a city will also make a special trip to check it out and take photos.

In my opinion, what '有书空间' aims to provide users is not an ordinary bookstore, but: a 'cultural aesthetic experience space.' They want those who enter the space to genuinely feel, 'This is the life I want'... And indeed, I truly felt it!

Opening in Changshu is also a kind of openness for the city! It can attract a large number of young people to this area to visit, experience, and spend. The architectural design inside the space is quite sophisticated; the corridor with a sense of depth resembles a time wormhole... It’s the best place for beautiful photos. In fact, as you walk around, you’ll find that every wall is suitable for composition.

Confucius Temple

Confucius Temple, as we all know, is an important place for worshipping Confucius and the highest local academy in ancient times. Now, many cities have restored their Confucius Temples. What are the characteristics of Changshu’s Confucius Temple? Let me show you.

The original site of Changshu Confucius Temple is on Xueqian Street in the southeast of the old city. It was first built during the Zhihe period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1054-1056), originally having Dacheng Hall, Minglun Hall, etc. In the third year of the Qingyuan era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1197), Yanzi Shrine was built, and it was reconstructed following the 'east temple, west school' layout of Suzhou Prefecture Confucius Temple. In the 22nd year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1362), a screen wall was added in front. In the Ming Dynasty, Yanzi Shrine was moved to the east of Dacheng Hall, with a separate stone archway, forming its own axis. The Qing Dynasty continued the Ming layout, forming a fixed arrangement, covering an area of 21.6 mu (about 15,000 square meters). In 2008, when the first phase of the project started, Dacheng Gate was severely damaged, and the construction unit underwent an overall restoration and protection. The reporter saw that the restored Dacheng Gate is three bays wide, with side extensions on the east and west, a flush gable roof, a width of 15.30 meters, a depth of 6.80 meters, an eave height of 4.45 meters, and a floor space of about 200 square meters.

The restoration of the three axes is roughly as follows: the central one is the temple, where the Lingxing Gate, Shrine for Noted Officials and Local Worthies, East and West Corridors, and Dacheng Hall were rebuilt on the original sites, and the Jimei Gate was repaired. The western one is the school, where the Academy Gate, Apricot Platform, Minglun Hall, and Zunjing Pavilion were rebuilt, and the Pan Pool and Pan Bridge were repaired. The eastern one is Yanzi Shrine, where the Chongsheng Gate and Chongsheng Hall were rebuilt, and the dedicated Yanzi Shrine was repaired.

When visiting, what attracted me most was still the architecture. The most distinctive feature here is the antique beam structure on the ceiling, with a double-step beam in the middle, shaped like a moon with gentle curves. Both the upper and lower eaves use dougong brackets; these brackets are not only large but also intricately constructed, designed and built strictly according to the 'Yingzao Fashi' (Building Standards) of the Northern Song Dynasty. The completed building has deep overhanging eaves, overall solemn, majestic, simple, and elegant, reflecting the exquisite craftsmanship of Suzhou’s traditional 'Xiangshan Gang' construction techniques.

Hudian Dragon Boat Base

Located at the southern foot of Yushan, east of Shanghu Lake, the Hudian Dragon Boat Base in Changshu’s Hudian area boasts a dragon boat culture with a thousand-year history, recorded since the Song Dynasty, earning it the reputation of being a 'living fossil' of Jiangnan’s water village farming culture. The Hudian Dragon Boat is a traditional custom born from sacrificial rituals, specifically a water parade ceremony to worship the water god Li Wang (Li Lu of the Song Dynasty).

The Dragon Boat Museum is divided into three major themes: historical heritage, local customs, and dragon boat craftsmanship. Within these three spaces, eight exhibition halls cover: Overview of Origins, Legend of Li Wang, Parade Spectacle, Intangible Heritage Inheritance, Glimpses of Racing, Custom Etiquette, Craft Heritage, and Beautiful Memories. Using graphics, text, and multimedia equipment, the exhibits recreate dragon boat making and the grand festivities, which is utterly stunning!

The locally distinctive Hudian dragon boat activities are warmly welcomed by locals and tourists. Since 1995, Hudian has held two folk dragon boat parades each year, scheduled in spring and autumn as seasonal blessings. The first in early spring is called 'Green Seedling Paddle,' and the second after the rice harvest is called 'Autumn Retribution.' To this day, it has been passed down and developed for over twenty years.

Changshu has its ancient charm! But this time, it has become younger! Doing nothing is a need, a normal state of leisure! Changshu has already taken note of the lifestyle of the younger generation and the preferences of travelers. Delicious food, wonderful accommodation, beautiful scenery + great photos — after work or on weekends and holidays, drive to a creative park, find a little tavern or a coffee shop, a few friends, and chat for an entire afternoon... Relaxed and comfortable!