Shajiabang·Yushan Shanghu Tourist Area is located in Changshu City, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, consisting of three parts: Shajiabang Scenic Area, Yushan Scenic Area and Shanghu Scenic Area, with a total area of about 41.2 square kilometers. Among them, Shajiabang Scenic Area covers 10.6 square kilometers, featuring red culture and water town ecology; Yushan Scenic Area covers 25.1 square kilometers, belonging to the remaining veins of Tianmu Mountain, with the highest altitude of 263 meters; Shanghu Scenic Area covers 5.5 square kilometers, with water area accounting for 80%, and it is a national wetland park. The scenic area integrates three elements: red revolutionary culture, Jiangnan landscape, and historical and cultural heritage. It has more than 80 kinds of landscape resources such as ancient buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties, revolutionary sites, and natural wetlands. The annual number of visitors exceeds 2 million, making it a comprehensive tourist area with both educational significance and leisure functions in the Yangtze River Delta.
History and Culture
The history of Shajiabang Scenic Area is closely related to the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. In 1939, the New Fourth Army established an anti-Japanese base in Shajiabang area. Local people and soldiers carried out guerrilla warfare together, leaving the revolutionary story of "Lu Dang Huo Zhong (Reed Mars)". In the 1960s, the modern Peking opera "Shajiabang" made this red history widely known. The existing Chunlai Teahouse and the former site of the rear hospital in the scenic area are physical witnesses of the revolutionary activities at that time.
Yushan is one of the birthplaces of Changshu culture, where literati of all dynasties left traces. Gu Kaizhi, a painter of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, once lived in seclusion here. Xiao Tong, the Crown Prince Zhaoming of the Southern Dynasty, once studied in Yushan, leaving the site of "Zhaoming Prince's Reading Platform". Zhang Xu, a calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, once served as the county captain of Changshu, and his "Cao Sheng (Sage of Cursive Script)" calligraphy style and Yushan scenery complement each other. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Yushan School of Qin (a traditional stringed instrument) and the Yushan School of Painting emerged, forming unique cultural schools that are still inherited today.
Shanghu gets its name from the legend that Jiang Taigong (Jiang Shang) fished here, with a history of more than 3,000 years. Shen Zhou, a painter of the Ming Dynasty, visited Shanghu many times and created "Shanghu Tu (Shanghu Picture)" which has been handed down. Attractions such as Taigong Island and Diaoyutai in the scenic area are related to this legend. The Yanzi Tomb by the lake is an important relic in memory of Yan Yan (a native of Changshu), a disciple of Confucius, witnessing the development of Confucianism in the south of the Yangtze River.
Main Attractions
Shajiabang Scenic Area
Shajiabang Scenic Area is located in the south of Changshu City, with the theme of "red education and green ecology". The core areas include the Revolutionary History Memorial Hall (with a construction area of 3,000 square meters, displaying more than 200 revolutionary cultural relics), the Reed Marsh Wetland (covering 6.7 square kilometers, with a reed coverage rate of 70%), and Chunlai Teahouse (a reconstructed Qing Dynasty building, the venue for the live performance of Peking opera "Shajiabang"). Hengjing Old Street in the scenic area restores the style of Jiangnan water towns in the 1930s, with a total length of 500 meters. It has more than 30 old-fashioned shops such as post offices and blacksmith shops, and regularly performs scenarios such as "Aqing Sao Outwits Diao Deyi". The "Reed Marsh Lotus Festival" held every summer, where thousands of mu of lotus ponds and reed marshes set off each other, is a landmark landscape.
Yushan Scenic Area
Yushan Scenic Area stretches across the north of Changshu urban area, divided into two parts: Yushan National Forest Park and Yushan Cultural Park. The main peak Jianmen has an altitude of 261 meters, known for "strange stones, ancient temples, and beautiful trees". There are natural landscapes such as Jianmen Strange Stone (a natural stone gate, about 5 meters wide and 20 meters high) and Lianzhu Cave (a group of karst caves with a total area of about 800 square meters) in the mountains. Cultural attractions include Xingfu Temple (founded in the Southern Qi Dynasty, the existing buildings were rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty, and the "Kongxin Tan (Hollow Pond)" in the temple is a place where literati of all dynasties wrote poems), Yanzi Tomb (the tomb of Yan Yan, a disciple of Confucius, with a total length of 300 meters of the tomb passage and 8 pairs of stone beasts from the Ming Dynasty), and Qian Qianyi and Liu Rushi's Tomb (a joint tomb of literati in the Ming and Qing dynasties, witnessing the cultural history of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties). The Yushan City Wall in the scenic area is a relic of the Ming Dynasty, with an existing length of 1.2 kilometers and 3 city towers, from which you can overlook the entire city of Changshu.
Shanghu Scenic Area
Shanghu Scenic Area is located on the south side of Yushan, featuring "mutual reflection of lake and mountain, ecological wetland". It is divided into 7 islands such as Hezhouxiang, Diaoyuzhu, and Taigong Island, connected by 11 bridges. The core landscapes include Shanghu Wetland (covering 4.4 square kilometers, inhabited by more than 150 species of birds such as egrets and wild ducks), Taigong Island (covering 0.3 square kilometers, with a statue of Jiang Taigong enshrined in Taigong Temple on the island, and "Diao Huang Tang" in the temple reproduces the scene of Jiang Taigong fishing), and Peony Garden (covering 100 mu, planting more than 300 kinds of peonies, including 8 ancient peonies over 100 years old, and the "Shanghu Peony Fair" is held during the spring flowering period). The total length of the lake shoreline is 12 kilometers, and you can take a cruise ship (one-way ticket price is 40 yuan per person, with a voyage of 40 minutes) to visit, and you can see traditional scenery such as "Hudian Yanyu (Lake Misty Rain)" along the way.
Cuisine
Jiaohua Ji (Beggar's Chicken)
Jiaohua Ji is a traditional famous dish in Changshu, originating from the folk practice in Shajiabang area. It uses local three-yellow chicken, wrapped in lotus leaves and yellow mud, then roasted over charcoal fire for 3 hours, with tender and juicy meat. The signature Jiaohua Ji in "Ludang Restaurant" in Shajiabang Scenic Area is about 88 yuan per chicken, made by traditional craftsmanship and needs to be booked 2 hours in advance. "Wangsi Restaurant" (founded in 1886) at the foot of Yushan has improved on the traditional basis by adding ham, mushrooms and other fillings, with a price of about 128 yuan per chicken, which is a Chinese time-honored dish.
Yushan Xunyou Mian (Yushan Mushroom Oil Noodles)
Yushan Xunyou Noodles are made with pine mushrooms (wild fungi) native to Yushan as the topping, paired with hand-pulled noodles. The "xun oil" (mushroom oil) simmered from fresh mushrooms and lard has a rich aroma, and the noodle soup is simmered with pig bones and chicken racks for more than 6 hours. The "Xingfu Temple Vegetarian Noodle Shop" next to Xingfu Temple is a classic establishment. A bowl of Xunyou Noodles costs 35 yuan, served with side dishes such as vegetarian chicken and marinated eggs. It is limited to 200 bowls daily, and the best time to enjoy it is during the breakfast hours (6:30-9:00).
Shanghu Quan Yu Yan (Shanghu Whole Fish Feast)
Shanghu Quan Yu Yan uses fresh fish from the lake as the main ingredients, including Songshu Guiyu (squirrel mandarin fish, using Shanghu mandarin fish of about 1.5 kilograms, crispy outside and tender inside, seasoned with sweet and sour sauce), Yinyu Chao Dan (silver fish fried with eggs, Shanghu silver fish is 5-7 centimeters long, transparent all over, fried with local eggs), and Yutou Tang (fish head soup, simmered with flower silver carp head of more than 5 kilograms for 2 hours, with milky white soup). "Wanghu Lou" Restaurant in Shanghu Scenic Area provides a whole fish feast set meal, about 380 yuan for 3-4 people, with ingredients all caught on the same day.
Changshu Zheng Cai (Changshu Steamed Dishes)
Changshu Zheng Cai is a representative of Jiangnan steaming techniques, retaining the original flavor of ingredients with "qing zheng (steaming)". Representative dishes include Zheng Shiyu (steamed reeves shad, Shanghu reeves shad without removing scales, steamed with ham and bamboo shoots, priced at about 168 yuan per serving), and Zheng San Chou (steamed three stinky foods, mixed with stinky tofu, stinky amaranth stems, and stinky winter melon, with a unique flavor, about 38 yuan per serving). "Lao Changshu Zhengcai Guan" at the foot of Yushan has inherited three generations of skills, with an average consumption of about 80 yuan per person. Steamed crabs (Shanghu hairy crabs) in autumn are a seasonal specialty.
Tickets
Tickets are sold separately for each scenic spot, and a combined ticket can also be purchased for 135 yuan per person.
- Shajiabang Scenic Area: 100 yuan per person
- Yushan Scenic Area: 30 yuan per person
- Shanghu Scenic Area: 60 yuan per person
You can search for the official WeChat public account "常熟文旅旅游发布" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours of each scenic spot are slightly different:
- Shajiabang Scenic Area: 8:00-17:30 (8:30-17:00 in winter), and the night view of Hengjing Old Street is open until 20:00 (May-October);
- Yushan Scenic Area: 8:00-16:30 (8:30-16:00 in winter), and the Jianmen Cableway operates from 8:30 to 16:00;
- Shanghu Scenic Area: 8:00-17:00 (8:30-16:30 in winter), and the last cruise ship is at 16:00.
During the Peony Fair (late March- late April), Shanghu Scenic Area is open until 18:00, and during the Shajiabang Lotus Festival (July-August), it is open until 21:00.
Tour Routes
Two-Day Classic Tour
Day 1: In the morning, visit Shajiabang Scenic Area (3 hours), visit the Revolutionary History Memorial Hall, take a wooden boat through the reed marsh (60 yuan per boat, can seat 6 people), and taste Jiaohua Ji in Hengjing Old Street at noon; in the afternoon, go to Shanghu Scenic Area (2.5 hours), enjoy the Peony Garden (in spring), take a cruise ship to view the lake scenery, watch the sunset by the shore of Shanghu in the evening, and stay in Shanghu Hotel. Day 2: In the morning, climb Yushan (3 hours), start from the entrance of Xingfu Temple, go up the mountain, pass through Lianzhu Cave and Jianmen Strange Stone to the top, and take the cableway down the mountain (30 yuan per person for one way); have Xunyou Mian in Xingfu Temple Vegetarian Noodle Shop at noon; visit Yanzi Tomb and Yushan City Wall in the afternoon, and end the trip before 16:00.
Red Culture Tour
Day 1: Visit Shajiabang Scenic Area all day, focus on visiting the Revolutionary History Memorial Hall (1.5 hours) and the former site of the rear hospital, watch the live performance of "Shajiabang" (at 11:00 and 14:00, 40 minutes each), and participate in the "Zhong Zou Geming Lu (Retrace the Revolutionary Road)" hiking activity (from the reed marsh to Chunlai Teahouse, 3 kilometers in total); stay in Shajiabang homestay at night to experience the night life of the water town. Day 2: In the morning, visit Changshu Museum in Yushan Scenic Area (free of charge, 1 kilometer away from the entrance of Yushan) to learn about the revolutionary history of Changshu; in the afternoon, go to Shanghu Scenic Area, listen to the lecture "Jiang Taigong and the Strategy of Governing the Country" on Taigong Island (starts at 10:00 on weekends) to feel the wisdom in traditional culture, and return at 15:00.
Transportation
- Bus: Take bus No. 5 or 7 in Changshu to directly reach Shajiabang Scenic Area (fare 2 yuan, operating hours 6:00-18:00); take bus No. 110 or 112 to reach Yushan Scenic Area (fare 1 yuan, operating hours 5:30-19:00); take bus No. 125 to reach Shanghu Scenic Area (fare 2 yuan, operating hours 6:30-17:30).
- Self-driving: Starting from Suzhou, take Changtai Expressway (G15W) to Changshu Shajiabang Exit, 5 kilometers away from Shajiabang Scenic Area, with a driving time of about 1 hour; it takes about 1.5 hours to Yushan Scenic Area. Parking fees at scenic spots: 10 yuan per time for Shajiabang, 15 yuan per time for Yushan, and 20 yuan per time for Shanghu (including overnight stay).
- High-speed rail: After taking the high-speed rail to Changshu Station, transfer to bus No. 3 to the urban area, then transfer to bus No. 5 to Shajiabang; or take a taxi to Shajiabang Scenic Area, costing about 30 yuan, with a driving time of 25 minutes.
- Tourist special line: There is a direct tourist special line from Suzhou South Bus Station to Shajiabang, departing at 8:00 and 10:00 every day, with a fare of 35 yuan per person and a driving time of 1.5 hours.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Shajiabang Reed Marsh: Covering 6.7 square kilometers, taking a wooden boat through it can experience the revolutionary mood of "Lu Dang Huo Zhong (Reed Mars)". In summer, lotus flowers and reeds grow together, which is the core scene of the story "Shajiabang".
- Yushan Jianmen: The landmark landscape of the main peak of Yushan, with a majestic natural stone gate. Climbing to the top, you can overlook the panoramic view of Changshu City and Shanghu. Xu Xiake of the Ming Dynasty once left his footprints here.
- Shanghu Peony Garden: More than 300 kinds of peonies are planted, among which precious varieties such as "Yao Huang" and "Wei Zi" were tributes in the Tang Dynasty. When in full bloom in spring, thousands of peonies bloom together, enjoying the reputation of "Jiangnan Peonies Are the Best in the World".
- Xingfu Temple: An ancient temple of the Southern Qi Dynasty. The artistic conception of "Qu Jing Tong You Chu, Chan Fang Hua Mu Shen (A winding path leads to a secluded place, where the Buddhist abode is surrounded by flowers and trees)" in the temple is integrated with natural landscapes, making it an excellent place to experience Jiangnan Buddhist culture.
- Hengjing Old Street: Restoring the style of water towns in the 1930s, combining old-fashioned shops with scenario performances, allowing you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Jiangnan folk customs and revolutionary history.
Travel Suggestions
- Best travel seasons: Spring (March-May) when peonies in Shanghu are in full bloom and Yushan is covered with fresh greenery; Autumn (September-November) with cool weather, suitable for mountain climbing and crab tasting, which is the best time of the year.
- Shajiabang Scenic Area is relatively large. It is recommended to rent a bicycle (20 yuan per hour) or take a sightseeing bus (30 yuan per person for a through ticket) to save energy for visiting the depths of the reed marsh.
- To taste Xunyou Noodles, you need to go early. Xingfu Temple Vegetarian Noodle Shop opens at 6:30 every day and may be sold out after 10 o'clock. It tastes better when paired with local "osmanthus chestnuts" (15 yuan per serving).
- It is recommended to take the Shanghu cruise in the afternoon to take photos of the lake and mountain reflections with the light. The "Jiang Taigong Fishing" sculpture on Taigong Island is a classic check-in spot.
- For red culture experience, you can participate in the "Aqing Sao Training Class" in Shajiabang (100 yuan per person) to learn revolutionary history and experience scenario performances, which is suitable for team activities.
Notes
- There are many mosquitoes in the Shajiabang reed marsh in summer, so it is necessary to bring mosquito repellent; it is windy in winter, so it is recommended to wear a windproof coat.
- Some mountain roads in Yushan are steep, and the section from Jianmen to Lianzhu Cave requires using both hands and feet. It is recommended to wear non-slip hiking shoes, and it is not suitable for the elderly to go alone.
- Shanghu is an ecological protection area. Swimming and fishing in the lake are prohibited, and violators will be fined 200-500 yuan.
- When buying Jiaohua Chicken, choose stores with clearly marked prices in the scenic area to avoid low-quality products from roadside vendors.
- The scenic area is crowded during holidays. For the live performances in Shajiabang, you need to take a seat 30 minutes in advance; there may be a queue of more than 1 hour for Shanghu cruises, so it is recommended to travel at off-peak times.
- The price of drinking water in Yushan and Shanghu scenic areas is relatively high (5-8 yuan per bottle). It is recommended to bring your own water bottle. There are free direct drinking water points in the scenic areas.