Spotlight on Zhuhou

Marco Polo was a thirteenth century explorer, the son of a merchant from Venice, who traveled extensively in the vast, unexplored territory of the Mongol Empire, which then stretched from Poland, east to Korea, south to Persia, and as far north as Siberia, and to the Mongol capital in China. Called “Soochow” in Marco Polo’s historic epic of his travels, "The Travels of Marco Polo, or, A Description of the World," Polo described Suzhou as a “very great and noble city,” whose citizens traded silks and carved jade and rosewood using paper money. Polo noted Suzhou as a city of great wealth, filled with skilled craftsmen and a leisure class embodied by the region’s great philosophers. A wealthy city then and now, modern day explorers can still find remnants of Polo’s journey in Suzhou as seen in the thriving wedding gown industry built upon its specialty in silk embroidery and brocade, and the remarkable gardens and temples that open up this ancient Gate to the East.

Founded in 514 BC, Suzhou is well known for its many canals, stone bridges, pagodas, and beautiful gardens. Suzhou is often dubbed the "Venice of the East" or "Venice of China." Pingjiang Street and Shantang Street are just two of Suzhou’s ancient canals that feature stone bridges and well-manicured waterways. In particular, Shantang Street is just over two miles long and has many ancient temples and architecture along the route. In recent years, restoration work on Shantang Street has been initiated as a historical and cultural protection zone, and is a popular route for tourists who want to experience the traditional heritage and folk customs of the area.

The building of Yunyansi pagoda, locally known as Tiger Hill pagoda, began in 959 AD and was completed in 961 AD during the Song Dynasty. The brick pagoda is seven stories high and has an octagonal shape. Like Italy’s tower of Pisa, the pagoda leans to the northeast at just over 3.5 degrees, due to the shifting of soil that makes up a portion of its foundation. The pagoda is made up of an estimated 6,000 tons of brick and has become a symbol of ancient Suzhou. It was declared a historical relic of national importance in 1961.

Kunqu, also called Kun Opera, is one of the oldest forms of Chinese Operas, and is also considered to be one of China’s Four Great Characteristic Melodies. Kunqu originated in the Wu Kingdom, which is today’s Kunshan area of Suzhou. The art form grew and thrived despite setbacks during the Cultural Revolution, and has regained popularity and significance in recent years leading to its current level of importance and appreciation. The Kun Opera Museum in Suzhou enables visitors to walk through the opera’s history.

Suzhou is a paradise for gourmets, with hundreds of years of culinary experimentation using quality ingredients and a focus on uniqueness in color, aroma, and taste. Signature dishes include Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish, which is characterized by its lack of bones and the softness of its meat. The presentation of the dish, with the fish’s mouth positioned wide open and tail bent upwards, gives it the overall look of a squirrel. Another signature dish is Whitebait Soup, a light, delicious soup seasoned with ham, bamboo slices, green vegetable leaves, and Whitebait liver. Another popular dish is Cracking Eel Paste. This dish consists of broiled and stir-fried rice field eels that are served ”cracking” from the sound of the still sizzling oil from cooking.