Stamp-Collecting Journey: Discover Wuzhong, Suzhou Through Fun Stamps

Stamp collecting is now one of the trendiest ways to travel—calling all stamp enthusiasts! I heard that Suzhou's Wuzhong District has something big in store. From January 20 to February 24, you can stop by any of the eight designated scenic area visitor centers in Wuzhong to pick up a free official stamp-collecting booklet. Collect eight stamps that all bear the mark of Wuzhong. Spending a cozy winter trip in Wuzhong while checking off these beautiful stamps is truly an experience not to be missed.

As usual, let me first show off my spoils.

Where to get your stamp booklet: Dongshan Luxiang Ancient Village Visitor Center, Xishan Scenic Area Visitor Center, Mudu Ancient Town Visitor Center, Luzhi Visitor Center, Guangfu Xiangxuehai Visitor Center, Wangshan Visitor Center, Yuyang Mountain Scenic Area Visitor Center, Sanshan Island Visitor Center.

Note: The stamp booklet is free, one per person. No proxy pickups allowed.

Dongshan Luxiang Ancient Village Visitor Center:

Inside Dongshan Luxiang Ancient Village, Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou.

Xishan Scenic Area Visitor Center:

No. 8 Daqiao Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou.

Mudu Ancient Town Visitor Center:

No. 188 Shantang Street, Mudu Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou.

Luzhi Visitor Center Cultural Creative Store:

No. 21 Xiaoshi Road, Luzhi Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou.

Guangfu Xiangxuehai Visitor Center:

Approximately 220 meters southwest of the intersection of Fuhu Road and Xiangtong Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou.

Dawang Coffee:

Dawang Coffee by Jiulong Pool, Wangshan Scenic Area, Yuexi Subdistrict, Wuzhong District, Suzhou.

Yuyang Mountain Scenic Area Visitor Center:

Taihu Yuyang Mountain Scenic Area, Huan Taihu Avenue, Wuzhong District, Suzhou.

Sanshan Island Visitor Center:

Taihu Sanshan Island Reception Center, Changqi Pier, Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou.

Note: Each person can only stamp once per location. No proxy stamping.

The guide is all set—grab your stamp buddy and come explore Wuzhong through its stamps!

Afternoon: Luzhi Ancient Town (Baosheng Temple, Ye Shengtao Memorial Hall, Jiangnan Cultural Park, Wansheng Rice Shop)

Morning: Xiangxuehai – Yuyang Mountain

Afternoon: Xishan Mingyuewan Ancient Village

Morning: Mudu Ancient Town – Wangshan (Wangshan Village - Guanyin Temple - Jiulong Pool)

Afternoon: Dongshan Scenic Area (Yuhua Scenic Spot - Diaohua Lou - Zijin Nunnery - Luxiang Ancient Village - Sanshan Island Landing Pier - Dongshan Sanshan Island)

For the first stamp stop, I chose the nearest Luzhi Ancient Town. The stamp booklet can be picked up at the Duanduan Youli Cultural Creative Shop inside the visitor center. The array of cultural creative products on display are simply irresistible.

The dense network of crisscrossing waterways in Luzhi Ancient Town paints a rich picture of the Jiangnan region. The most authentic local experience is to don a blue floral dress and wander through the town’s classic scenes of bridges, streams, and riverside homes.

Baosheng Temple in Luzhi Ancient Town is a thousand-year-old Buddhist temple in Jiangnan. The clay arhat sculptures in its antique museum are said to be the work of Yang Huizhi, a master sculptor of the Tang Dynasty. The temple was first built in the second year of the Tianjian reign of the Liang Dynasty (503 AD), giving it a history of over 1,500 years.

The wintersweet at the entrance of the Ye Shengtao Memorial Hall is in bloom. This site was once the 'Wu County Fifth Higher Primary School' where Ye Shengtao taught.

The exhibition hall mainly uses precious objects, photos, and written materials to present the brilliant life of Mr. Ye from various angles, highlighting his outstanding achievements and contributions in education, literature, and social activities, especially his educational reforms and literary creations during his time in Luzhi.

Wansheng Rice Shop is based on the original Wanchengheng Rice Shop in the southern market of Luzhi Town, located on the west bank of the Nanshi River. It sits at the south gate of Luzhi Ancient Town. You can reach its dock by heading north via Nantang Port and crossing South Bridge, or from the west side of the town via Tiandu River, crossing Yamenbang Bridge.

The second stop is Xiangxuehai Scenic Area. At the Xiangxuehai Visitor Center, you can stamp a design featuring the characters 'Xiangxuehai' and a plum blossom.

As the saying goes, 'Jiangnan has nothing but a sprig of spring to offer.' The wintersweet in Xiangxuehai is quietly blooming, bringing the first hint of spring and marking the start of this year’s plum blossom season.

At Situ Temple, four ancient cypresses, known as 'Qing, Qi, Gu, Guai' (Clear, Strange, Ancient, Odd), form a natural landscape painting.

Tongguanyin Temple, the oldest temple in the Wu region, is surrounded by 600-year-old camphor trees.

Continuing west towards Xishan, the next stop is Yuyang Mountain. The stamping spot here is at the Taihu Tourism Center next to the ticket checkpoint.

Yuyang Mountain is a favorite among Jiangnan’s literati and offers the best views of Taihu Lake. Take the cable car to the summit pavilion, where the Taihu Bridge stretches across the water like a rainbow, and the lake’s vast misty expanse unfolds before you.

Driving across Taihu Bridge, you officially enter the territory of Dongting Xishan. Beautiful Taihu Lake, enchanting Xishan—from Piaomiao Peak on Xishan, you can take in the entire lake and mountain scenery. At the Xishan Scenic Area Visitor Center, you can collect your fourth stamp.

On Xishan, not only can you climb Piaomiao Peak, but you can also visit the 'Ninth Wonder of the World'—Linwu Cave. Inside, stalactites hang from above, light and shadow shift, making you feel like you’ve entered an elaborate underground palace.

Climb Shigong Mountain to gaze out over Taihu Lake; the remnant peaks of Tianmu Mountain can be faintly seen in the distance. There are islands within islands and lakes within lakes.

The romance of Mingyuewan Village lies in waiting for a sunset at the ancient dock. It’s said that Bai Juyi once moored his boat and landed here. The people of Mingyuewan traded with the Xiangchu region and bid farewell right here. When Liu Changqing came here looking for his friend He Jiu but failed to find him, he left behind the famous lines: 'The old friend is gone, yet the bright moon remains; who sees the lonely boat come and go?'

Mingyuewan on Suzhou’s Xishan is an ancient village on an island in Taihu Lake. Facing the lake to the south and backed by green hills, its shape is like a crescent moon, hence the name. During the Spring and Autumn period, King Fuchai of Wu is said to have enjoyed the moonlight here with Xi Shi. A thousand-year-old camphor tree in the village was planted by the Tang poet Liu Changqing when he visited a friend; it is over 1,200 years old, an important symbol of Mingyuewan and a witness to the village’s millennium-long history.

At the Mudu Ancient Town Visitor Center, you can collect the fifth stamp.

Mudu Ancient Town is a water town with Han culture as old as the city of Suzhou itself, boasting over 2,500 years of history. It is one of the 'Thirteen Guardians' of the Taihu Lake scenic area. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the town had over 30 private gardens, earning it the reputation of 'Town of Gardens' with a wealth of cultural relics. Half of the scenes in the Qing Dynasty painting 'Prosperous Suzhou' depict Mudu.

Yan’s Garden was originally the residence of Shen Deqian, a famous scholar of Suzhou during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. Over several centuries, it has acquired a refined cultural ambience and the elegance of a classic garden. The renowned modern architect Professor Liu Dunzhen called it a 'classic masterpiece of Jiangnan gardens.'

Hongyin Shanfang is a famous garden on the outskirts of Suzhou from the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. Because it faces the Xiangxi Creek and backs onto Lingyan Mountain, its ‘beauty of creeks, hills, breeze, and moonlight, and the charm of ponds, pavilions, flowers, and trees’ surpasses other gardens. Thus, every time Emperor Qianlong visited Jiangnan and came to Mudu, he would always stop at Hongyin Shanfang to stroll, watch operas, and sip tea. For this reason, locals also call it Emperor Qianlong’s ‘folk summer palace.’

The sixth stamp is at the scenic Wangshan area, known for its lush hills and clear waters. Hiking up Wangshan is a very popular activity. At the visitor center cultural creative shop at the scenic area entrance, you can pick up a stamp booklet.

Wangshan’s Jiulong Pool has emerald green waters. During the rainy season, nine dragons are said to spout water, a spectacular sight. Dawang Coffee sits on the shore of Jiulong Pool, a two-story white wooden house brimming with artistic charm. Stamp your Wangshan mark, while away the afternoon with a cup of coffee, and if there’s a market, the place will be bustling with life.

Deep in the bamboo groves, Baohua Temple is serene and solemn, with dappled light and shade—perfect for a photo-op.

The seventh stamp location is at Luxiang Ancient Village, at the visitor center next to the ticket checkpoint. Here you can also catch up on some garden floral window stamps.

Dongshan Luxiang Ancient Village

With its whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs, Luxiang Ancient Village dates back to the Southern Song Dynasty, over a thousand years ago. Backed by Hangu Mountain to the north and facing Taihu Lake to the south, it’s a scenic spot blending natural beauty with historic sites.

Entering the village, you find Hanshan Port leading directly to Taihu Lake. A tiny ferry dock greets visitors at the village entrance. It was here that Grand Secretary Wang Ao embarked and disembarked when traveling to and from the village. Local fishermen also set out to fish from here. A pavilion on Hanshan Wharf provides shelter from wind and rain.

Luxiang Ancient Village is the hometown of Grand Secretary Wang Ao of the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty. Founded during the Southern Song Dynasty, it got its name from the six ancient lanes in the village. The village preserves three Ming Dynasty memorial archways (for Jieyuan, Huiyuan, and Tanhua), ancient streets and alleys from the Ming Dynasty, and over 30 Ming and Qing buildings. It is a rare museum of Ming and Qing architecture in Jiangnan.

Huaide Hall was originally the residence of descendants of Ming Dynasty Grand Secretary Wang Ao before it passed to the Yuan family. It is said to have been built with leftover materials from the construction of Huihe Hall. It was renovated in the second year of the Daoguang reign and is also known as 'Jue Lu.'

Huaigu Hall, also known as the Wang Family Ancestral Hall, was originally the ancestral hall of Wang Ao’s family. After centuries of wear, it had fallen into disrepair. Now owned by a Mr. Zhang, it has been carefully restored to its former glory, with a front courtyard, upper courtyard, Li Garden, Juxian Hall, and Nanmu Hall among its sights.

Huihe Hall, also known as the 'Prime Minister’s Mansion,' is a large hall complex built on a Ming foundation and reconstructed in the Qing Dynasty. It was the residence of Ming Grand Secretary Wang Ao. The architecture is grand, with a main structure spanning five courtyards, including a gate tower, main hall, back hall, living room, flower hall, and study. Its brick carvings, wood engravings, and plaques are rich in cultural significance, representing the official residences of ancient Jiangnan.

Don't miss the 'Baiyu Square Cake' featured on A Bite of China. The red bean filling is fragrant, and the glutinous rice dough is chewy. One bite fills your mouth with sweetness that’s not sticky or greasy. It’s said to come from a century-old shop.

The last stop is Sanshan Island, where the stamp spot is at the visitor reception center next to Changxin Pier. Stamp before you board, and then you can start your fun stamping journey on the island.

After taking the ferry to the island, you can rent a shared vehicle to cycle around. Along the way, check off spots like Jiemei Bridge and Niangniang Temple.

Sanshan Island has yielded Paleolithic tools and fossils of ancient vertebrates dating back 12,000 years, known as the Sanshan Culture, proving that the Taihu Lake basin is also a cradle of Chinese civilization.

Sanshan Island features jagged peaks and bizarre rock formations, such as Banbi Peak, known as the 'Number One Wonder Peak of Wuzhong,' along with rocks shaped like zodiac animals, an ox’s back, a white cat, a golden rooster, a waterfall, and the Maitreya Buddha. It is often called 'Little Penglai.'

Three days of slow living in Wuzhong feel like stepping into a paradise beyond the city. Ancient towns and villages, cultural relics, photo spots, delicious food, and cozy lodgings—this richly colorful journey is unforgettable. Come celebrate the New Year in Wuzhong—it’s just fantastic!