A famous dish made with eel, known for its unique appearance. Typically, four thick and sturdy eels (about 250 grams each) are used. They are live-bled, gutted, cleaned, and their spines removed. The heads and tails are cut off, and a net-like pattern of knife cuts is made into the flesh, going deep enough to reach the skin. Dry starch is sprinkled on top. Minced pork and seasonings such as Shaoxing wine are then spread over the eel flesh. After that, the...
Marinated duck is a traditional signature dish of Songhelou and a famous cold dish in Suzhou. In the old days, rural folk in Suzhou observed the customs of "Fire God Vegetarian" and "Thunder God Vegetarian" in June and July. Before partaking in the vegetarian meal, they would first visit the "Fire God Hall" and "Thunder God Hall" at Xuanmiao Temple to offer incense. The Qing Jia Lu records: "Before committing to a vegetarian diet, relatives and friends must exchange gifts as a…
Suzhou cuisine relies heavily on the aquatic environment of the region’s water towns. Boat dim sum and boat dishes are among its primary traditional forms, featuring seasonal fish, shrimp, crabs, ducks, as well as “water eight immortals” such as water shield and gorgon fruit. The flavors of Suzhou cuisine are refined, mild, and well-balanced—neither too strong nor too light—leaving a lasting impression on diners (Suzhou)…
The tradition of viewing lanterns during the Lantern Festival has a long history in China. Legend has it that over two thousand years ago, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty “stacked lanterns into a mountain to worship Taiyi.” By the Tang Dynasty, the custom of hanging lanterns during the festival became even more popular. During the reign of Emperor Ruizong of Tang, a grand lantern tower was erected in Chang’an, with tens of thousands of lanterns lit. In the Song Dynasty, the spectacle reached unprecedented heights, with lantern markets emerging in towns and cities. As a result, …
Produced in Suzhou, Jiangsu. First, prepare the plum paste: wash the yellow-ripe plums of summer, add 20% salt, and place them in a vat to pickle for about 30 days. After pickling, remove the plums, mash them into a paste using a wooden stick (or a pulper), and strain out the pits. Then spread the mashed green plum flesh in the sun for 7–10 days until it turns yellowish-brown. This is how the plum paste is made. The juice extracted during the plum pickling process, after being filtered, is called plum dew and can be used to process osmanthus in clear water. Secondly, the plum paste must be kept fresh: the osmanthus should be treated with the plum paste method on the same day it is picked to prevent loss of fragrance and color. The osmanthus can be placed in a bamboo basket, soaked in clean water, then removed and drained of excess moisture. Add 30% plum paste, mix well, and pour everything into a vat. Let it sit overnight so that the osmanthus fully absorbs the plum paste. The next day, remove the osmanthus, drain off any seeping liquid, and then add 30% plum paste and 15% salt based on the original weight of the osmanthus, stirring thoroughly. Once the vat is full, sprinkle salt on top and immediately press it down firmly with bamboo strips. This allows for long-term storage while preserving the natural color, aroma, and flavor of the osmanthus. It can be stored for a long time and used as needed, with the fragrance still intact.
Also known as Nanhu or Ti Hu. Over the centuries, a unique set of traditional craftsmanship techniques has gradually developed and been consistently used to this day—from material selection, production, assembly, gluing, tuning to varnishing. Its construction consists of components such as the neck, soundbox, vibrating membrane (python skin), tuning pegs, soundbox base plate, and strings. The neck is made from old rosewood that has been stored for over 60 years…
Song brocade refers to silk fabrics woven in the style characteristic of the Song Dynasty. Suzhou Song Brocade is honored as the "Crown of Brocades" and is as renowned as Nanjing Yun Brocade and Chengdu Shu Brocade. According to the Western Han Dynasty text *Shuo Yuan*, “Duke Ping of Jin sent Shuxiang on a diplomatic mission to Wu. The people of Wu decorated boats to see him off, with a hundred people on the left and a hundred on the right. Among them were those clad in embroidered robes and leopard fur, and others in brocaded robes and fox fur…”
Product Name: Beggar's Chicken Product Features: Rich in fat, tender and juicy chicken, delicious flavor. Production Process: Changshu Beggar's Chicken uses a local specialty — the Luyuan Sanhuang Chicken as the main ingredient. This breed is plump, tender, and best when each chicken weighs around 1,700 grams. The specific preparation method is: after slaughtering a live chicken, marinate it with vegetable oil, cooking wine, and refined salt…
Candy Cai Zhi Zhai is a household name among people of all ages in Suzhou. In fact, the fame of Cai Zhi Zhai extends far and wide not only because of its delicious candies, but also because, as the story goes, they can even have healing properties.
Suzhou boat dim sum is part of the dim sum offerings in Suzhou boat cuisine. Suzhou boat cuisine boasts a long history, closely tied to Suzhou’s identity as a water city. Known as the “Venice of the East,” Suzhou historically relied heavily on boats for transportation. At one time, there were over ten types of boats operating solely along the famous Shantang River, including sand boats, lantern boats, fast boats, pleasure boats, performance boats, and upstream boats...
Suzhou-style confections are renowned across China, featuring over 150 varieties in four major categories: open-sale sweets, roasted snacks, soft candies, and special flavors—such as pine nut candy, zongzi candy, peanut candy, three-color pine nut soft candy, crispy pine candy, and pine nut-date candy. Among these, the zongzi candy exclusively produced by Zhizhai Confectionery is the most famous.…
Lacquer carving is crafted from natural lacquer (raw lacquer) Luodian sheets, various colors of Shoushan and Qingtian stones, and involves coating and meticulous carving to create daily-use furniture and artworks. These pieces are known for being wear-resistant, acid-resistant, glossy and smooth, sturdy, and durable. Suzhou lacquer carving is made with finely selected materials, features distinctive shapes, fluid lines, exquisite painting, and elegant hues...
Among Suzhou-style dishes, there are many that use river shrimp, such as stir-fried shrimp, brined shrimp, and Shrimp with Biluochun Tea, among which Shrimp with Biluochun Tea is a traditional classic from the Wu region. "Biluochun" refers to the Biluochun tea, a specialty of Dongshan and Xishan on Dongting Lake. This dish is made by cooking river shrimp with the fragrant juice of freshly brewed Biluochun tea. The taste is not only that of the fresh river shrimp…
Su Embroidery is one of China's four famous embroidery styles, renowned for its fine needlework and elegant colors. The patterns of Su Embroidery are delicate and beautiful, with a wide range of themes and lively, flexible techniques. Whether depicting figures or landscapes, they all reflect the subtle and enduring cultural essence of the Jiangnan water towns. Suzhou is a historic cultural city with over 2,500 years of history, often hailed as the “...
Chicken with Rice Wine Lees…
Zhouzhuang Three-Flavor Dumplings, also known as soup gluten balls, are a famous local delicacy from Zhouzhuang Town in Kunshan City. Surrounded by water on all sides, Zhouzhuang boasts an ancient charm, elegant beauty, and picturesque scenery, earning it the nickname “land of rivers and lakes.” The outer skin of Zhouzhuang Three-Flavor Dumplings is made from gluten, while the filling is finely chopped and meticulously prepared using chicken breast, fresh shrimp, pork leg meat, along with green onions, ginger, rice wine, and more. Cooked in chicken broth, these dumplings have thin skin, tender filling, and a crystal-clear appearance. The broth is clear and flavorful, combining the best elements of a snack, dish, and soup. With just one bite, the rich juices burst forth, making them truly a premium delicacy. In November 1983, Professor Chen Congzhou, a renowned ancient architecture expert from Tongji University in Shanghai, visited Zhouzhuang and was full of praise after tasting them. He spontaneously wrote: “Zhouzhuang Three-Flavor Dumplings from Kunshan, Jiangsu, combine the strengths of soup dumplings, steamed buns, and wontons — a delicious delight under heaven.”
White Fish…
Suzhou water chestnuts are renowned for their sweet, crisp, and tender texture, ease of cooking, and suitability for processing. After the liberation, they were also the preferred variety for making canned water chestnuts. Bao Zhongzhou introduced that in the early 1980s, just the town of Chefang alone cultivated 6,000 mu of water chestnuts, most of which were purchased by canneries in Suzhou, Nantong, and other areas...
Most longtime residents of Suzhou know that areas such as Loufeng, Xietang, Chefang, and Guoxiang, located to the east and south of Lotus Pond and Huangtian Pond, are densely covered with aquatic crops like pond lotus roots — a famous production region for Suzhou’s pond lotus roots. Every midsummer, lotus flowers sprout from the underground stems of the lotus roots, filling the air with their fragrance for miles around. Blooming unstained from the mud, they attract city dwellers eager…
Barb Fish Lung Soup is a specialty dish from Suzhou, Jiangsu. The fish liver is rich and tender, floating on the surface, while the fish meat is delicate, and the soup is clear and flavorful—making it a seasonal delicacy in summer and autumn. The fish liver is commonly referred to as "fish lung" among locals. At the time, due to the character "鲃" used in a poem, someone wrote an article in a newspaper mocking Mr. Yu for confusing "斑" (spotted) with "鲃" (barb), sparking a heated literary dispute...