Suzhou Street

Suzhou Street

Suzhou Street is located in the northwest suburbs of Beijing. It is a marketplace street built along both banks of Houhu Lake, imitating the water towns of the Jiangnan region. Constructed during the Qianlong era to replicate the charm of southern water towns, it served as a scenic waterway exclusively for the Qing emperors and empresses to stroll and shop. Burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, it was reconstructed on its original site in 1990, making it the only surviving example of an ancient Chinese "imperial market."

Located in the middle section of Suzhou River, the street stretches over 300 meters in total, featuring one waterway flanked by two streets. Shops line the banks, with a total of 64 various types of stores, 14 archways, and 8 small bridges. Both sides offer a colorful array of tea houses, restaurants, banks, pharmacies, pawnshops, silk and cloth shops, and printing bureaus.

The shores are lined with various shops such as jade and antique stores, silk shops, pastry shops, teahouses, and gold and silver jewelry stores. The shop assistants here are all dressed as eunuchs and palace maids. Whenever the emperor, empress, or concubines visit for leisure or shopping, the shopkeepers put on a lively and enthusiastic performance.

The creation of such a beautiful Jiangnan-style water town market street resembles a folk temple fair that combines entertainment, gourmet food, and commerce. It reflects the unique charm of Qing imperial life and the thriving traditional commercial culture of China. Visitors can shop along the shore or take small boats, immersing themselves in the rich fun of a vintage-themed tour.

Among the street names in Beijing, there are as many as seven named after Suzhou. In addition to Suzhou Street inside the Summer Palace and near the Purple Bamboo Garden, there are five more within the city. Nowadays, on Nanchizi Street, there are Big Suzhou Lane and Small Suzhou Lane. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, this area was the eastern imperial garden. The Golden Water River of the Forbidden City flowed through the Flying Dragon Bridge here before entering the Sweet Flag River. In ancient times, there were exquisite stone bridges and numerous pavilions and terraces, creating a very beautiful scene. The Ming poet Chen... wrote: “The river winds gently along the edge of the forbidden city, its carved flow clear through the years untold. Best is when the southern wind blows at dusk, with lotus fragrance and sleeping white gulls.”

On Chongwenmen Inner Street, there are Suzhou Lane and Suzhou Alley. In the early Ming Dynasty, this area was a water town in the southeast corner of the capital. Additionally, in the northeast corner of Beijing’s Imperial City, there is another alley also called Small Suzhou Alley. In the past, imperial river water was diverted here, and there were rockeries and pavilions. As it shared the same name as Small Suzhou Alley in Nanchizi, it has now been renamed Yangchun Alley.

The Suzhou Street in front of the famous Wanfo Temple in western Beijing was very well known in the city.

Wanfo Temple was built in the fifth year of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1577), and historical records state that it was funded by the mother of Emperor Wanli with a huge sum of money. It is located five li outside Xizhimen. Wanfo Temple was one of the largest temples in the capital. At its peak, the temple covered an area of over four hectares and housed up to several thousand monks. It had three sets of courtyards: the central courtyard was the main temple area, with the main hall called Dayanshou Hall enshrining the Three Great Bodhisattva, behind which was the Heavenly King Hall, in front of which were the Bell and Drum Towers. There was also the Ning’an Pavilion, Stele Pavilion, Scripture Tower, and others. Today, the Yongle Bell at the Great Bell Temple was originally hung here. The east courtyard was the abbot’s quarters, where monks lived, and the west courtyard was the imperial lodge, used by emperors during their visits. Emperors such as Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty would pass through Xizhimen in their dragon carriages when traveling to the Western Hills, then switch to dragon boats at Baishi Bridge. Upon arriving at Wanfo Temple, the boat would dock, and the emperor would stay at the imperial lodge, resting, drinking tea, dining, or even staying overnight to listen to monks recite scriptures and perform Buddhist rituals. Empress Dowager Cixi also frequently passed by here on her way to the Summer Palace. At the northern end of the west courtyard, there is a pavilion rich in Chinese ethnic style, said to have been the Empress Dowager’s dressing table. With its ornate porches, corridors, pavilions, rockeries, and strange peaks, the scenery is exquisitely serene.

Emperor Qianlong visited the Jiangnan region several times and greatly admired the peerlessly beautiful scenery of Suzhou. In the 26th year of Qianlong’s reign (1761), it was the 70th birthday of the Qianlong Emperor’s mother. The monks of Wanfo Temple planned to recite longevity scriptures for the imperial dowager. The emperor ordered the construction along both banks of the imperial river in front of Wanfo Temple of many shops and houses, stretching several li, to mimic southern market streets and alleys. These were created for the imperial procession to tour and were named Suzhou Street. The water of the imperial river came from Yuquan, crystal clear and mirror-like, with fish leaping and stones visible beneath the surface. Trees were planted along the banks, with weeping willows hanging directly over the water, while famous flowers and fine trees competed in beauty. Two layers of exquisite and dainty stone bridges were also built in front of the temple, making visitors feel as if they had entered a fairyland. Today, the China Modern Literature Museum and the Beijing Art Museum are located here, greatly promoting the research of modern Chinese literature and art, benefiting the reference and prosperity of contemporary literary and artistic endeavors, and also playing a significant role in the protection of the ancient temple and cultural relics.

Address: No. 19, Xinjian Gongmen Road, Summer Palace, Haidian District, Beijing

Type: Themed block / boat tour

Recommended visiting time: 1–2 hours

Phone: 010-62881144

Opening hours:

Peak season (April 1 – October 31): 8:30–17:00; Off-season (November 1 – March 31 of the following year): 9:00–16:00

Ticket information:

Gate price: 10.0 RMB