Located in the center of Suzhou City, Pingjiang Road is the largest and best-preserved historical block in Suzhou. It’s a 1.6km-long (about 1mi) narrow road along the old canal, Pingjiang River, still maintaining its ancient Chinese water town features.
With a history of over 2,500 years, Pingjiang was once the main road of the ancient east Suzhou city. This road can be seen on the map of Suzhou in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).The government has protected and reconstructed the old buildings and alleys in accordance with their previous appearances and the “water flowing along the roads and alleys” structure.
What to See along Pingjiang Road
Many small alleys intersect Pingjiang Road, including Xuanqiao Alley, Shilinsi Alley, Chuanfang Alley, Donghuaqiao Alley, Caohuxu Alley, Dingxiang Alley, Daxiao Xinqiao Alley, Xiaojiao Alley and Niujia Alley, etc. Along the alleys are many old residential areaswhere celebrities used to live. Nowadays they have been changed to bars, teahouses, and cafes, while still maintaining their former appearances.
Seventeen stone bridges have stood over the river near Pingjiang Road for hundreds of years. Most of them still look like they have for hundreds of years, each with a different story and distinctive bridge railing carvings.
The China Kunqu Opera Museum is located in Mid Zhangjia Alley in the Pingjiang Road Zone. The building was once Quanjin Guild Hall, the best-preserved among more than 100 provincial halls in Suzhou. As the home of Kunqu, a classical Chinese opera, the Suzhou government built this museum to protect and pass on Kunqu art. Inside the museum visitors can see the splendid stage of Quanjin Guild Hall, the handwritten script of many Kunqu operas by late Qing (1644-1911)Kunqu professionals and famous singers, and a pipa (a four-stringed ancient Chinese musical instrument) used by Pipa King, Xue Laqing. The most valuable and splendid part of the collection is the movable opera stage, decorated with white jade and glass lotus lights. This museum holds a kunqu performance each Sunday at 2pm.
Near the Kunqu Opera Museum is Suzhou Pingtan Museum. Pingtan is regarded as one of three unique culture heritages of Suzhou together with Kunqu and Suzhou Classic Gardens. Inside this museum is a screen drawing of the great Pingtan master, Liu Jingting, in the early Qing Dynasty learning skills from his teacher, a stone pillar built in 1926 to honor the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Pingtan troupe naming Guangyu Troupe, an exhibition hall of 27 kinds of Pingtan genres, and various Pingtan materials including unique copies, scripts, and audio records. Every afternoon, Pingtan artists perform on the Pingtan stage in this museum, the Depth of Wuyuan, set the same as it was 100 years ago.
What and Where to Eat along Pingjiang Road
Snack stalls along the streets are run by local residents. They wear water town-featured clothes and sell osmanthus jelly, glutinous rice balls in fermented rice wine, meat-stuffed moon cake, begonia cakes and so on. You can eat those snacks while walking along the streets experiencing the Pingjiang culture.
Street shops on the road are also enticing. On the northern end of Pingjiang Road, Legegzi Belgium muffin store provides scented freshly baked muffins decorated with cream and fruits. The famous Jijiao Gala is a place to taste delicious chicken claws and duck tongues.What’s more, there are pan-fried buns stores, and the well-known “Fox’s Yogurt” selling special yogurts of different flavors.
Some Suzhou restaurants appeal to tourists from all over the world. Famous restaurants on this road include Sounghu Restaurant, and Yuxiangfandao Restaurant. Visitors can’t miss the sweet and sour mandarin fish, crab tofu and pork hock in brown sauce there.
How to get to Pingjiang Road
1. By Metro
Take metro line 1 to Lindun Road Station or Xiangmen Station. Walk for about 300m (328yd) to the south end of the road.
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