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 Suzhou
may be "paradise on earth" but this paradise shuts down by 10pm.
There are a few bars for socializing which have opened up across the city
in recent years, including a great little Indian Bar on Renmin Road and
a couple of small places on Shi Quan Street. Suzhou is not known as a
place with an exciting nightlife. It is a nice place to relax, kick back
your feet and soak up some of the atmosphere in the traditional tea houses
which are dotted about the town. There is an especially quaint teahouse
in the City Art Institute on Gangzhou Road. Check out what's going on
at the Sheraton Hotel too, as they often organize parties especially on
local or national holidays.
There are more choices for children, or the young at heart. . Suzhou
has the Chinese version of Disney World! There is no Mickey Mouse but
there is a large selection of high-tech amusement games and rides. Holiday
Water World is another place worth trying and there is also a lake here
where you can swim in the summer.
Suzhou Silk Tourist Festival
Time: September
20-25
Venue: Suzhou,
Jiangsu Province
Suzhou, the famous silk industrial capital of China, is also a major
silk production center in the country. Silk garments are on display
during the festival, trade negotiations are held, art performances
and tourist activities are organized with silk as the central theme. |
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New
Year's Eve Bell-Tolling
In ancient times the region south of the Yangtze River was scattered with
temples and monasteries. As the saying goes, "There were 480 temples
during the Southern Dynasties". Some of these religious establishments
have remained to this day and the more famous of them are the monasteries
of Suzhou. The Chinese tradition is for religious followers to gather at
a local temple on New Year's Eve where they wait for the bell to toll for
108 times and pray for a safe and happy new year. It is believed that the
bell tolling helps drive away worries and trepidation, increase one's intelligence
and prolong one's life. To get lost for a little while amidst this auspicious
and congenial environment on New Year's Eve is an ideal way to start life
afresh in the coming year. |
