Dragon Boat Festival Meets Children's Day: Take Your Kids on a Folklore-Themed Trip

    Traditional Zongzi-Making

    Households in Suzhou often make their own zongzi, and the methods used today still closely follow ancient traditions—a rarity even across the nation. Glutinous rice and various fillings are wrapped in green bamboo or reed leaves into triangular pyramid shapes (called “lotus-leaf zongzi”) or cylindrical shapes, then boiled over high heat and simmered slowly for several hours. Zongzi in Suzhou are generally divided into three types: savory, sweet, and plain. Common households make plain zongzi, red bean zongzi, and date zongzi, while more elaborate versions include pork-fat glutinous rice zongzi. These use premium red beans, which are cooked, skinned, and desanded before mixing with sugar and fat to form the filling. A slice of fatty pork is also added inside—this is a classic Suzhou flavor.

    In addition to dragon boat races and zongzi-making, families in Suzhou also hang bundles of calamus and mugwort on their doors, and many drink realgar wine to ward off evil spirits. These customs carry the heartfelt wish to pray for health and safety for loved ones.

    If you still haven’t had enough, you can visit other scenic spots. The Humble Administrator’s Garden, Tiger Hill, Hanshan Temple, Lingering Garden… Paradise-like Suzhou is sure to dazzle you with its beauty.

Travel Tips:

    Transportation: Suzhou enjoys very convenient transport. Though it has no civil airport, it is easily accessible via Shanghai Hongqiao and Pudong airports, with multiple transportation options available.

    Food: Suzhou-style specialties include Biluo Shrimp, Bamboo Shoot and Fresh Meat, and Stir-Fried Three Shrimps. Suzhou snacks are also famous nationwide, such as honey-glazed tofu, pine nut candy, rose-flavored melon seeds, date paste sesame cakes, and lard rice cakes—all delicious treats. Major food streets include Taijian Lane, Shiquan Street, Xueshi Street, Ligongdi, and Fenghuang Street.

    Accommodation: Highly recommended is the Suzhou Tujia Sweetome Vacation Apartment (Dongshan Resort Area), located on Xinshi Street, Lincheng Town, East Dongshan Peninsula, Wuzhong, right by Taihu Lake. With a Spanish Mediterranean style as its community theme, its prime location lets you enjoy a unique lakeside vacation life. The apartment offers a rich variety of room layouts, complete with kitchen and laundry facilities, and daily amenities designed to five-star hotel standards. Its warm atmosphere and upscale experience provide an unprecedented homelike comfort for your journey.