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Suzhou Shopping Guide: What to Buy and Where to Buy

Written by Ruru Zhou Updated Apr. 29, 2021

Shopping at Suzhou is to have a taste of local culture. The rivers and lakes at south of the Yangtze River bring intelligence to the Suzhou people, which make them produce particularly delicate artcrafts. As early as in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the goods were sold extraordinarily well so long as they had a local character on them.

Best Souvenirs to Buy in Suzhou

Suzhou Musical Instruments

Early in Qing Dynasty Qian Long year, Suzhou musical instrument manufacture was very thriving and the musical instrument manufactured here took the leading position in the whole country. Erhu (two-stringed bowed instrument with a lower register than Jinghu), and bamboo flute developed a new school by its inherent local characteristics and lasting style. Presently the main musical instrument enterprises are the First Folk Musical Instrument Enterprise, the Second Folk Musical Instrument Enterprise, the Third Folk Musical Instrument Enterprise, and the West Musical Instrument Enterprise, which produce more than 100 various instruments including Jinghu, Erhu, dulcimer, Yuan, zheng, flute, Xiao, Sheng, timpano, suona, gong, cymbals, violin, the electric guitar etc.  What’s more, Purified padauk Erhu and timpano were awarded by Jiangsu Province and the Ministry of Light Industry respectively. The successful invention of the Pulled Yuan by Suzhou Musical instrument workers made up for the lack of bass musical instruments that were replaced by Western musical instruments such as cello in the past China.

Suzhou Padauk Carving

Suzhou padauk carving has a long history. It has formed the Su style--- the style of simple modeling, upright and straight lines, worked excellently and well polished since the Ming Dynasty. The wood for padauk carving products is mainly used to decorate meeting rooms, dining rooms, and studies. They include beds, tables, sofas, and wardrobes. There are other products like boxes, plates, rolling scrolls, etc. Tub-shaped objects, chests and animals, flowers, and characters are engraved in the way of shallow relief, relief sculpture, and engraving. The padauk first must be dried in order not to contract, distort, or crack. The main products are whole set furniture such as beds, cabinets, desks, sofas, etc, What’s more, the padauk are also used to decorate higher class bedrooms, dining rooms, reading rooms, and meeting rooms. They include small things such as boxes, plates, seats, tables, and folding screens; the craftworks as canisters, cages, and covers as well as characters, beasts, and flowers through simple carving, embossing, or engraving skills; and some travel souvenirs: chopsticks, seal boxes, the bookmarks, line boards, teacup saucer, and other thousand varieties.

Suzhou Fan

Suzhou Fan is the general term for Suzhou folding fan, sandalwood fan, silk palace fan, and paper fan. Suzhou Fan is well known for its long history and refining craft ship. The folding fan got its name for folding keeping and is also called a scattering fan for scattering it while opening to use. The frame is mainly made of bamboo slats with fan surface made from rice paper. Suzhou fans were produced first at Southern Song (1127-1279) and flourished in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties when many masters appeared. Levigation bone jade folding fan attracted many experts to write poems draw pictures and carve on it when came out, then formed a fine and elegant style. The “Old Fan face”, well-known for its fine, strong, even, and endurable quality, is the best among the Suzhou fans. With the paintings and calligraphy, this fan can be appreciated as well as cool people. The area of Peach Blossom Shipyard of Changmen has been the centralized place for Suzhou fans ever since.

Suzhou Writing Brush

Writing brush, Anhui ink, rice paper, and Duanxi Ink-slab, are regarded as The Four Treasures of the Study in China. The special writing brush was introduced into Suzhou from Wuxin, Zhejiang province in the late 18th century. In times, the Suzhou Writing brush has formed its own local style that varies in shape, equal length, round, and robust tips. Suzhou writing bushes are classified into six categories: Goat hair, Mixed hair, Purple hair, Wolf hair, Clock glume, and Weasel's hair. Furthermore, there are more than 300 sizes of brush, including big size, middle size, small regular script size, couple brushes screen brushes, etc. The diameter of some brushes is as big as the bowl mouth; others are as small diameter as the embroidery needle. The well-chosen materials and fine craft guarantee excellent performance and quality of the writing bush, which also wins the compliment of the general users.

Suzhou Embroidery

Suzhou embroidery, multi-colored and gorgeous, is regarded as a pearl of Chinese art. The original place of Suzhou embroidery is in the area of Wu County, and now it has already spread to Wuxi, Changzhou, Yangzhou, Suqian, Dongtai, and other places in Jiangsu. With fertile land and mild climate, Jiangsu is a good place for raising silkworms; as a result, this place is rich in silk and wins the name of the town of brocade and embroidery. The superior geographical environment, the gorgeous brocade, and the prismy thread together create favorable condition for Suzhou embroidery. Daily necessities of Suzhou embroidery do not only varied stitches, superb workmanship, and elegant colors, but the designs have the meaning of festivities, longevity, and fortune which are welcomed by the populace. There is also an upscale variety, called "the picture embroiders" or "Lady's chamber embroidery".

Su Brocade

Su Brocade, well-known for its magnificent color, delicate patterns, and softness, Nanjing Yun Brocade, and Sichuan Su Brocade are honored as the most famous brocades in China. Suzhou Song Brocade started during the Five Dynasties (907-960), and developed prosperously until the Song Dynasty, especially after the empire Songgaozong moved the capital to the south of China, which transferred the national political and cultural center to the south of the Yangtze River. In order to satisfy the cultural need, there appeared a kind of extremely thin and fine brocade for the purpose of mounting pictures and calligraphies. There are more than 40 varieties, including "the blue tower brocade", “the purple hundred flowers with dragon brocade,” “the red persimmon with turtleback brocade "and so on. Those old and beautiful pictures are preserved together with the brocade, that is the reason why people today mention brocade will naturally think of Song Dynasty, and it is also the reason why it is called Song Brocade.

Best Shopping Streets in Suzhou

Suzhou is not only famous for its water towns and gardens in China, but it’s a wonderful place for visitors to shop. As far as Suzhou souvenirs are concerned, you are highly recommended to purchase Suzhou embroidery, which is listed among the four famous Chinese embroideries along with Xiang embroidery, Shu embroidery, and Yue embroidery.

In addition, Suzhou Biluochun Tea, Taohuawu New Year Woodblock Prints, and Su fans are also ideal choices during your Suzhou travel, and the popular shopping streets in Suzhou include Guanqian Street, Shiquan Street, Fengqiao Avenue, Huqiu Wedding Veil Street, Pishi Street, and Huaihai Street

Guanqian Street

Lined up with many famous stores Guanqian Street has long been famous in the Qing Dynasty (1616 -1911), where you can purchase clothes, headwear, tea, bonsais, glass wares, and even musical instruments used in Taoist masses, and it features local cultural atmosphere.

Guanqian Street is the commercial, cultural, religious, and tourist center of Suzhou, where the famous stores are highlighted by the Dao Xiang Cun Store, Qian Taixiang Store, and Huang Tian Yuan Store, you should visit Xuanmiao Temple Street if you are a Taoist practioner.

Shiquan Street

Stretching for 1,800 meters (1,969 yards) long from Anli Bridge of Fengmen Gate in the east to Sanyuanfang of Renmin Road to the west, Shiquan Street is lined with stores of the Ming (1368- 1644) and the Qing (1616 -1911) styles, with walls and dark grey roof tiles matching one another in tranquil elegance. Shiquan Street specializes in selling silk products, embroideries, curios, calligraphic works, and paintings, and you’re highly recommended to buy souvenirs and specialties at Qin Han Tang Store Gu Lin Ge Cheongsam Store, and Mao Ren Store.

Fengqiao Avenue

Fengqiao Avenue is a famous cultural and tourist avenue in Suzhou, where stores of the Ming (1368- 1644) and the Qing (1616 -1911) styles stand in great numbers, and it’s a wonderful place for visitors to purchase Suzhou embroideries, the four treasures of the study (i.e. writing brush, ink stick, ink slab, paper), sandalwood fans, rosewood carvings, and silk. In addition, a number of curios stores, pearl stores, and teapot stores are also available on the street.

Address: Fengqiao Avenue, Huqiu District, Suzhou
Transport: bus 33, 44, 301, 307 
Nearby attractions: Hanshan Temple, Suzhou Amusement Park and Fengqiao Bridge

Shilu Walking Street

Paved with cobblestones, Shilu Walking Street was built in the late Qing (1616 -1911) Dynasty, where a great number of noted stores are distributed, represented by Xin Su Tian Di, Shilu International Commercial City, Asia Mansion, Chengtai Department Store and Five Star Appliance Store.

Pishi Street

Pishi Street is a wonderful place for those who prefer plants and animals, and you can not only purchase various kinds of ornamental plants, but you can also buy different species of pets such as dogs, birds, and cats. Pishi Street is also a favorite place for locals to ramble about during the weekend, where fresh flowers are on sale throughout the year.

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