Guanfu Scenic Area in Suzhou

Guanfu Scenic Area in Suzhou

Guanfu Scenic Area in Suzhou is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Guanfu Scenic Area is located in Wuzhong District, Suzhou. It has a subtropical monsoon climate and is a AAAA-level scenic spot open all day. It encompasses famous attractions such as the Copper Guanyin Temple, Guanfu Temple Pagoda, Guanfu Temple Bridge, Xiangxuehai, Situ Temple, Sheng'en Temple, and Shilu'an. The combined ticket price is 56 RMB, making it a great place to experience the charm of Taihu Lake and rural life.

Guangfu Town is situated between 31°11′ to 31°28′ north latitude and 119°50′ to 119°57′ east longitude, located in the southwestern suburbs of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, approximately 21.5 kilometers from the city center. Guangfu lies on the Taihu Plain in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and features a landscape of alternating hills and basins, with undulating hills and mountains surrounding the entire area. To the east, it borders Fenghuang Mountain, Zhashan Mountain, and Chenghuang Mountain, adjacent to Cangshu; to the south, it neighbors Xukou and the resort area; to the west, it faces Taihu Lake and looks across the water at Zhenhu; to the north, it connects with the plains of Dongzhu. The town covers a total area of 59.354 square kilometers, including 6.476 square kilometers of water bodies.

Within Guangfu’s territory, there are more than twenty large and small hills, offering both mountain and water scenery. The water flows around the hills, and the hills come alive with the presence of water, creating a mutually enchanting and picturesque landscape. The area is known for its reputation as a “land of lake and mountain beauty, a blessed paradise.” Strolling through the streets of the ancient Guangfu Town, with hills above your head and water below your feet, you’ll truly understand what Shen Zhou, a renowned Ming Dynasty painter, meant when he said, “Hills above the house and water below, opening the door reveals shimmering waves that cleanse the eyes.”

Guangfu is one of the 13 scenic areas of Taihu Lake designated as a national scenic spot by the State Council. It is also a historically and culturally renowned town in Jiangsu Province, a nationally recognized town with beautiful environments, and a hygienic town in Jiangsu. It enjoys numerous titles such as “China’s Hometown of Flowers and Trees,” “Hometown of Fruits,” “Hometown of Osmanthus,” and “Hometown of Artistic Carving.”

After being recommended by the Jiangsu Provincial Tourism Attraction Quality Rating Committee and evaluated by the National Tourism Attraction Quality Rating Committee, the Guanfu Scenic Area in Wuzhong District, Suzhou, was officially approved as a national 4A-level tourist attraction.

Guanfu is located 21.5 kilometers from the center of Suzhou, bordering Taihu Lake. The area features winding hills, narrow and winding rivers, rugged mountain paths, and crisscrossing fields. To the east, it borders Cangshu Town; to the south, it neighbors Xukou Town; to the west, it faces Taihu Lake; and to the north, it connects with Dongzhu.

Guanfu has a northern subtropical humid monsoon climate. Influenced by the regulating effect of Taihu Lake, it features distinct seasons, warm and moist weather, abundant rainfall, ample sunshine, and a relatively long frost-free period.

The town is home to more than twenty large and small hills, including Dengwei Mountain, Xuemu Mountain, and Xiqi Mountain, as well as lakes such as Dongyan and Xiyuan. It boasts numerous historical sites and scenic spots, such as Xiangxuehai, Situ Temple, and Sheng'en Temple, among which two are provincial-level cultural heritage sites and thirteen are municipal-level cultural heritage sites. The Taihu Fishing Port within its territory is the largest inland fishing port in China and an important birthplace of Wu culture and Taihu fishing culture. Guangfu has been successively recognized as a historically and culturally renowned town in Jiangsu, a nationally beautiful environment town, and a national hygienic town.

Guangfu is a well-known “Hometown of Flowers and Trees in China” and “Hometown of Artistic Carving in China.” The area is most famous for osmanthus sapling cultivation and is one of the top five osmanthus production regions in the country. In traditional handicraft industries, four major carving arts—nut carving, jade carving, rosewood carving, and Buddhist sculpture—are widely renowned. Guangfu nut carving has been included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage protection lists.

Guanfu Town: Located in the western suburbs of Suzhou and on the shore of Taihu Lake, Guanfu Town is 21.5 kilometers from the city center. The town has a land area of 62 square kilometers and a Taihu water area of about 160 square kilometers, with a shoreline of approximately 32 kilometers. It governs 10 villages (communities) and has a permanent population of 63,000.

Guanfu has long enjoyed the reputation of a “land of lake and mountain beauty, a blessed paradise.” With superior ecological resources, beautiful natural scenery, and profound cultural heritage, Emperor Qianlong visited here during all six of his southern tours. The town is home to more than twenty large and small hills such as Dengwei Mountain, Xuemu Mountain, and Xiqi Mountain, as well as lakes like Dongyan and Xiyuan. It boasts attractions such as Xiangxuehai, Situ Temple, … More detailed information about Guanfu Town++