Ring in the Year of the Tiger in Zhouzhuang, Suzhou: A Journey of Wealth, Fortune, and Good Luck Awaits
2021 flew by so fast; in the blink of an eye, we're about to step into 2022. This year is the Year of the Tiger, so I deliberately planned a trip to ring in the New Year and soak up the festive atmosphere. I discovered that Zhouzhuang, not far from me, has a New Year fortune-themed cultural program built around the Shen Wansan wealth culture IP, featuring activities like touching the fortune ox, absorbing wealth luck, hunting for treasures, gathering prosperity, tasting fortune foods, walking the wealth path, and paying respects to the God of Wealth. It sounded incredibly fun, so I invited a friend and we eagerly set off. Driving from Shanghai to Zhouzhuang isn't far—about an hour's drive.
D1: Arrive in Zhouzhuang in the afternoon, check into the Latte Stone Art Inn.
D2: Wake up early to photograph the winter morning scenery of the ancient town, have lunch at Shen Hall Restaurant, listen to Shen Wansan's rags-to-riches story at Shen Hall in the afternoon, and dine at Chunlu Zhisi Resort Hotel.
D3: Head to Zhenfeng Cultural Street, explore the local shops, drink tea and enjoy Suzhou pingtan (storytelling and ballad singing) at Jubinlou, have lunch at Quangonglou Fashion Restaurant, and taste grandma-style flavors at Xiangcun Hefengli for dinner.
Tip: Remember to have your green health code ready.
This was my second stay at the Latte Stone Art Inn. Once you enter the scenic area, it's just a short walk away, as it's located inside the Carton King Kingdom, which is very convenient. After a comfortable night's rest, I started my fortune-seeking journey at nine in the morning.
We also welcomed the Winter Olympics in Zhouzhuang.
The beautiful scenery of Jiangnan never gets old. In Zhouzhuang, you can't find any trace of winter—lush greenery is everywhere.
The fortune journey begins at Shen Hall. When visiting the scenic area, Shen Hall is a must-see because it's the former residence built and lived in by Shen Wansan's descendants. So, how did Shen Wansan become the wealthiest man? It turns out he engaged in trade early on, doing business overseas. I also wanted to soak up some wealth luck and tried throwing copper coins. If you manage to throw a coin through the coin-shaped hole, it's said to bring you good luck. Amazingly, I succeeded on my second toss—I was thrilled! It seems the Year of the Tiger will bring me good fortune. We then went to the Wishing Tree, wrote blessings for ourselves and our families on wish cards and prayed. There are also experiences like touching the fortune pearl and packing wealth cakes awaiting visitors.
This old mansion faces east and sits west, with seven courtyards and five gate towers, housing over a hundred rooms large and small. Shen Hall consists of three parts. The front includes the water-wall gate and river pier, specifically used for mooring boats and washing clothes—a unique architectural feature of Jiangnan water towns. The middle section comprises the wall gate tower, tea hall, and main hall, used for receiving guests, handling weddings and funerals, and holding discussions. The rear portion contains the grand hall, small hall, and back quarters, serving as living spaces. The entire hall complex follows the typical 'front hall, back residence' layout. The front and rear buildings are connected by covered bridges and corridor pavilions, forming a circular corridor that is rare among similar structures.
Seeing the glittering gold ingots, I couldn't resist touching one.
When in Zhouzhuang, you must try the local specialties at Shen Hall Restaurant. This century-old eatery serves authentic flavors, and you can watch the river view right from the window. The menu features many of my favorites: Wansan pork knuckle, oil-blasted river prawns, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, sizzling eel paste, and more. The 'Eight Bowls' at Shen Hall Restaurant are a must-order. The Wansan pork knuckle is tender and rich without being greasy, and the fried gold bricks (stinky tofu) are incredibly fragrant—I loved them. Dishes like eel and stuffed field snails are also worth trying. The per-person cost is reasonable, offering great value.
With so many delicious dishes, I'm already planning to bring my family here for Spring Festival to experience the festive flavors.
After lunch, we took a scenic boat ride along the water lanes. The boatwoman paddled gently, and sitting there was pure bliss.
Zhouzhuang has a total of 14 bridges, with the most famous being the Twin Bridges, Fuan Bridge, and Grandma's Bridge. Gazing into the distance felt like admiring an ink wash painting. Born in Jiangnan, I've seen beautiful scenery in many cities, but the charm of Jiangnan water towns remains my favorite.
Inside the scenic area, there are other distinctive guesthouses, such as the Dreamer Theme Guesthouse.
Chunlu Zhisi Resort Hotel
For dinner, we decided to try something different at Chunlu Zhisi. The resort hotel boasts a fantastic setting, with beautiful night views.
The spiral staircase inside the hotel caught my eye, as did the rooms with scenic views—something I'd love to experience on my next visit to Zhouzhuang.
The Chun Restaurant is built by the lake, and its dishes are excellently flavored and beautifully presented. We ordered Zhouzhuang Wansan pork knuckle, freshly caught river prawns, steamed grouper, and three freshwater delicacies from Nanhu Lake. The highlight was the eight-treasure sticky rice with crab. The crab was rich in roe and plump in meat, and the glutinous rice absorbed all the crab's umami—I absolutely adored this dish.
As evening lights began to glow, Zhouzhuang's splendid night view came alive. We took a hand-rowed boat for the second time, and this time it was truly breathtaking. As night fell, the sky turned a beautiful blue, and the lights on both banks sparkled—it was a completely different Zhouzhuang. The boat drifted slowly, allowing me to fully take in this stunning night scenery.
The night view in Zhouzhuang is really fantastic, which is one of the reasons I love this place. Once the lights come on, Zhouzhuang becomes vibrant and full of energy. Everyone in the scenic area is out enjoying this magical moment; even sleeping feels like a waste.
The area near the entrance was also brilliantly lit, bursting with festive New Year spirit. In Shanghai, you rarely see such strong New Year atmosphere, so every year I especially look forward to the feeling of childhood Spring Festivals. Now, I can experience it right here in Zhouzhuang.
Zhouzhuang's light and shadow installations are well worth seeing. I especially loved the 'Rain Alley, Flower Alley' light show: in Flower Alley you see flowers in full bloom, and in Rain Alley you feel the drizzle lingering. At Yuchi’an (Fish Pond Shore), moonlight gathers on the wall like a pool. From a distance, you can watch carp swimming freely beneath duckweed. When you gently touch the 'water' surface, fish gather as if responding to you. Various 'fish' appear in your palm accompanied by golden ripples—a really fun interactive experience.
In the ancient alleys, you can feel the dreamlike atmosphere. Not far away, clusters of 'fireflies' fluttered around me, allowing me to see them glow up close.
The river surface displayed the four seasons of Zhouzhuang. I've seen Zhouzhuang in spring and winter, and I look forward to experiencing it in summer and autumn.
Museum Cultural & Creative Shop
The next day, I didn't sleep in—I got up early to first visit the Museum Cultural & Creative Shop. Inside, there were plenty of adorable cartoon-style coin purses, pencil cases, and small trinkets that you just can't put down.
Suzhou silk is also very famous, and I love buying mulberry silk products here. Taihu Snow inside Zhouzhuang is a great choice; they offer 100% mulberry silk comforters. Silk is naturally resistant to dust mites, making it ideal for families with babies or people with allergies. The material is breathable and extremely comfortable to sleep under.
Strolling along Zhenfeng Cultural Street, you'll find the Zhenfeng Twelve Workshops, all run by locals. I wanted to experience the local way of life. The first stop was a tofu workshop where they make handmade tofu, along with fried radish cakes, small wontons, and other snacks—all childhood favorites of mine.
At the Shoe Art Workshop, an elderly woman was making tiger-head shoes. They were tiny and adorable, impossible to resist, and not expensive at 50 RMB a pair.
There was also a bamboo weaving workshop where I saw a veteran craftsman weaving baskets. Artisans like him are becoming rarer, but you can still find them in Zhouzhuang—a piece of my childhood memories that I hope will continue to be passed down.
At Jubinlou, I chose a window seat, leaned back, and sipped Grandma's tea while listening to Suzhou pingtan. The teahouse had a program board with classics like 'Qing Tan' and 'Du Shiniang'. The pingtan melodies transported me back to the alleys of my childhood, when my next-door neighbor's grandpa would bring out his radio every summer and play pingtan. In Zhouzhuang, I leisurely absorbed all the beauty around me. Even in winter, the town was lush and green—truly lovely.
I also stumbled upon a small shop themed around blue calico, called Qingchu Yulan. I love tie-dye, and I found the items here quite special. I picked out a unique pair of blue calico earrings as a New Year gift for myself.
I also spotted tiger-themed elements here, as it's the Year of the Tiger—several shops were selling tiger-related gifts.
Quangonglou Creative Restaurant
I highly recommend the Quangonglou Creative Restaurant inside the scenic area. The dishes are incredibly creative and exquisite, almost like works of art. The 'surfing perch' comes in a plate with heated stones; when the fish and broth are poured in, the aroma bursts out. The healthful homemade black tofu was delicious, topped with seafood and mushrooms—I never knew tofu could taste that good. Other highlights included special beef cubes, chilled sweet and sour pork, bread bowl curry chicken, 'Blooming Fortune', and the swan pastry with bunny combo. All the plating was gorgeous, and most importantly, the food was delicious. At around 100 RMB per person, it's an absolute steal—I strongly recommend it.
These crystal-clear, jelly-like bites are called crystal eggs.
This festive-looking cold dish was cherry yam. At first, I thought they were cherry tomatoes, but to my surprise, they were yams inside.
The ice plant fruit flower was also an incredibly creative dish.
During the daytime in Zhouzhuang, I felt the warmth of winter, watching people chat along the riverbank, which brought back memories of my childhood. Zhouzhuang's vibrant local life is truly enchanting. As night fell, the sky turned a beautiful blue. I soaked in the evening, with lights on both banks gleaming—it was simply stunning.
Just seven kilometers from Zhouzhuang, there's a hidden paradise with a lovely name: Xiangcun (Fragrant Village). Xiangcun offers butler-style service, catering to guests' needs in every way so that everyone can enjoy rural pleasures. It's hard for city dwellers to experience the simple joys of the countryside, but here you can. Xiangcun features Era Show guesthouses, Hefengli Restaurant, a village history museum, a book lounge, a tofu workshop, a pasture, and a rice field.
The countryside has been beautifully renovated. Walking along the village paths, I felt a strong artistic vibe.
Xiangcun · Qizhuang Guesthouse has been renovated with an 'Era Show' theme. Each guesthouse reflects a different era—from the 1960s, 80s, 90s, to the 2000s—perfect for those who enjoy reliving different time periods.
This 1960s-style guesthouse brought back childhood memories.
If you want authentic farmhouse cuisine, Xiangcun can satisfy that. The ingredients are all locally sourced and fresh. We ordered several specialty dishes.
You might think there's no entertainment in the evening and you'd have to turn in early, but that's not the case. Xiangcun's nights are even more exciting. When the colorful lights come on, it becomes a truly distinctive new countryside.
Over 4 days and 3 nights, we traveled from the ancient water town to a paradise retreat. The dreamlike water village doesn’t only exist in dreams—it's very close by. Your distance to Zhouzhuang and Xiangcun is just one hour away.
