Short Introduction to Shuzhou Local Culture: History, Nation, Diet, Architecture, etc.

Located in the southeastern part of Jiangsu Province, Suzhou serves as a major transportation hub connecting Shanghai and Nanjing. Known as a representative water town of Jiangnan and a famous center of silk production in China, Suzhou is also a culturally rich city with over 2,500 years of history. It is the only city in China that has never changed its original location. Famed for its classical gardens and ancient water towns, Suzhou features a landscape of interwoven rivers and lakes and enjoys a mild climate. Nine of its gardens, including the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Lingering Garden, have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

By the end of 2024, Suzhou had a permanent population of 12.987 million. It is also a city where all 56 of China’s ethnic groups are represented, reflecting its inclusiveness and cultural diversity. The city is renowned for its exquisite traditional craftsmanship, such as Suzhou embroidery, kesi weaving, and jade carving, as well as for its rich cultural heritage including Kunqu Opera, classical gardens, and silk. These are not only treasures of Suzhou’s culture but also shining examples of Chinese artistic brilliance and ingenuity. With its elegant charm and profound heritage, Suzhou continues to captivate the attention of the world.

Brief History

Suzhou is a renowned historic and cultural city in China and the birthplace of Wu culture. Known in ancient times as Gusu, it served as the capital of several regimes, including the State of Wu during the Spring and Autumn Period, Eastern Wu in the early Three Kingdoms era, and the short-lived Zhou dynasty during the Yuan dynasty. In the Spring and Autumn Period, Suzhou was the political center of the State of Wu, and it was here that King Goujian of Yue established his capital.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty, Suzhou became the political and economic hub of the Jiangnan region. In the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the city saw a flourishing of religious culture, with the construction of many temples and private gardens.

In the ninth year of the Kaihuang reign of the Sui Dynasty (589), after the fall of the Chen regime, Wu Commandery was abolished and renamed Suzhou, deriving its name from Gusu Mountain to the west of the city. The character “Su” is composed of the radicals for grass, fish, and grain, reflecting the area’s abundance as a land of fish and rice.

By the Sui and Tang dynasties, Suzhou had become a major land and water transportation hub along the southeast coast, and by the mid-Tang period, it was the second-largest city in China, after the capital Chang’an.

During the Southern Song dynasty, Suzhou’s classical gardens had begun to take shape, and the city earned the famous saying: “Above there is heaven, below there is Suzhou and Hangzhou.” At the time, it was also known as Pingjiang.

In 1275, Suzhou became part of the Jianghuai Province under the Yuan dynasty. During the Ming dynasty, starting in 1421, it belonged to the Southern Directly Governed Region (Nanzhili), under Suzhou Prefecture. In the Qing dynasty, Nanzhili was renamed Jiangnan Province, and Suzhou retained its status as a prefecture with its administrative divisions unchanged.

On April 27, 1949, Suzhou was liberated and established as a provincially administered city.

Region Culture

The Wu-Yue culture, also known as Jiangsu-Zhejiang culture, can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period. Originating in the Taihu Lake basin, it has a long history and gave rise to many prominent historical figures, such as King Goujian of Yue, Huang Zongxi, and Wang Yangming, who made significant contributions in politics, military affairs, culture, and the arts, leaving a lasting impact on the development of Suzhou and Chinese history.

Totem worship held a central place in the customs of the Wu-Yue region. Both totemic beliefs and the worship of spirits and deities played an important role in the daily lives of its people, with spring and autumn ancestral rites being key cultural practices. Dragons and birds were the primary objects of reverence.

As the cultural heart of the Jiangnan region, Suzhou has long valued education and scholarship. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was particularly noted for its outstanding performance in the imperial examination system.

Cultural legacies such as Suzhou gardens, Kunqu opera, and Su embroidery showcase the richness of Wu-Yue culture and are treasured gems in the cultural heritage of the Chinese nation.

The culture of Suzhou gardens is one of the most refined and enduring expressions of Chinese aesthetics and a shining jewel in the treasure trove of Chinese regional civilization. Suzhou, historically known as a center of elegance and artistry in the Jiangnan region, has cultivated a garden culture that seamlessly integrates nature, architecture, and philosophy. As one of China’s cultural capitals since ancient times, Suzhou attracted scholars, poets, and artists who found inspiration in its tranquil waterways and refined landscapes. Over centuries, the culture of classical gardens, shaped by the gentle rhythms of mountain, water, and human spirit, evolved into a unique artistic form that emphasizes harmony, balance, and poetic beauty. It is a culture that reflects the scholarly pursuit of inner peace and the art of living with nature, embodying the grace, restraint, and profound depth of traditional Chinese civilization.

People in modern-day Suzhou are known for their gentle demeanor and rational approach to life, distinctly different from the boldness of Beijing, the confidence of Guangzhou, and the unique style of Shanghai.

Local Dialect /Language

Wu Chinese has undergone over 2,000 years of evolution. It is primarily spoken in the southern part of Jiangsu Province, the entire municipality of Shanghai, and throughout Zhejiang Province. Additionally, parts of Jiangxi, Fujian, and Anhui provinces also use Wu as a regional language. Suzhou dialect, a variety of Wu Chinese, is renowned for its elegance. It has long been regarded as the standard form of Wu and a representative dialect of the region.

Architecture

Suzhou’s architectural style is a quintessential representation of Jiangnan. Known as Su-style architecture, it differs greatly from the Anhui-style but also draws on its strengths. Suzhou’s traditional residences form a poetic scene of bridges and flowing water, gray-tiled roofs and whitewashed walls, pavilions and terraces. The white walls and dark tiles, compact yet graceful layout, low-rise buildings in a dense but harmonious arrangement—all these define the charm of Suzhou homes.

Each courtyard is cleverly designed with sloped roofs to guide rainwater. In the courtyards, trees like sweet osmanthus and white magnolia are often planted, symbolizing prosperity and abundance. The layout of houses pays great attention to detail, incorporating elements of classical garden design. Curved eaves, covered corridors, rockeries, ponds, and weeping willows all come together to create elegance and vitality in the architecture.

Classical gardens such as the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Lingering Garden are outstanding examples of Su-style private gardens. Meanwhile, water towns like Tongli and Zhouzhuang feature clusters of traditional residences that give Suzhou the feel of a city within a garden.

Traditional Festivals

Spring Festival (the first day of the Lunar New Year): The Spring Festival is one of the most important traditional holidays in Suzhou. Families carry out thorough house cleanings, paste spring couplets on doorways, set off firecrackers, and visit relatives and friends to send New Year’s greetings—all to pray for peace, good fortune, and prosperity in the coming year.

Dragon Boat Festival (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month): The Dragon Boat Festival is another important traditional holiday in Suzhou, typically celebrated by eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves) and watching dragon boat races. It is also a time to honor the patriotic poet Qu Yuan and to ward off disease and evil spirits through traditional customs like hanging mugwort and wearing perfume pouches.

Special Festivals

Welcoming the God of Wealth at Xuanmiao Temple (Lunar January 5th): Welcoming the God of Wealth is a cherished folk custom in Suzhou. Every year on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, crowds of locals and tourists gather at Xuanmiao Temple to pray for a prosperous year ahead, hoping the God of Wealth will bless them with thriving businesses and abundant fortune.

Zha Shenxian (Treading the Immortals) – Lunar April 14th: Unique to Suzhou, "Zha Shenxian" is a traditional folk ritual held on the 14th day of the fourth lunar month. Locals flock to the Temple of the Immortals to seek blessings of good luck and "immortal energy." It’s a vibrant event that blends faith, culture, and a sense of communal hope for well-being and fortune.

Diet Style and Culinary Tastes

Generally, there are four types of cuisine in China, that include, Jiangsu, Shandong, Guangdong and Sichuan cuisine that taste different to one another. There is an old saying that, "sour in the east, hot in the west, sweet in the south and salty in the north," and thus Jiangsu cuisine is proclaimed as the "sweet in the south".

Jiangsu cuisine has great variety. After thousands of years of development, Suzhou foods can be divided into twelve categories, Jiangsu style dishes, Jiangsu style braised food, Jiangsu style pastry, Jiangsu style cakes, Jiangsu style candy, Jiangsu style confiture, Suzhou snacks and Suzhou rice-cake, among others.

Famous Suzhou dishes include, shrimp in Biluochun Tea sauce and Salted Bamboo Shoot in spring, Chicken in Watermelon and Plain Fried Shrimps in summer, Barb Liver Soup and Hairy Crab in autumn, Stewed Chicken in Marmite and Herring Tail in winter, etc.

Suzhou snacks are famous worldwide. For instance, Sweet Dried Bean Curd, Pine-nut Candy, Rose Melon Seeds, Shrimp-roe Soy Sauce, Sesame Seed Cake with Jujube Paste and Lard New Year cake have all received international praise and are worth tasting.

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Cultural Heritage

Suzhou is home to nine classical gardens recognized as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites. In addition to these masterpieces of landscape architecture, the city also boasts exquisite traditional crafts such as Suzhou embroidery, kesi (silk tapestry), and jade carving. Together with Kunqu Opera, classical gardens, and silk production, these cultural treasures are awe-inspiring. They are not only the pride of Suzhou but also a testament to the artistic brilliance and wisdom of the Chinese people.

Classical Gardens: Suzhou is world-renowned for its classical gardens, such as the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Lingering Garden, which represent the finest traditions of ancient Chinese garden design.

Silk Industry: Suzhou has long been one of China’s most important centers for silk production, known for its exquisite craftsmanship and elegant silk products.

Water Town Charm: Suzhou boasts an extensive network of waterways, interconnected by the Taihu Lake, the Yangtze River, and the Grand Canal. Its charming scene of small bridges, flowing streams, and riverside dwellings forms the quintessential landscape of a Jiangnan water town. Notable examples include Tongli Water Town and Zhouzhuang Water Town.

Cultural Arts: Suzhou is one of the birthplaces of Kunqu Opera, a refined form of traditional Chinese theatre known for its graceful movements and poetic lyrics.

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