# Shantang Street (山塘街)

Suzhou, Jiangsu Province · East China, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shantang-street
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** The street itself is free. A combined ticket for Yuhan Hall, Quanzhou Guild Hall, Shaoxing Guild Hall, the Ancient Opera Stage, Shantang Pavilion, Antai Firefighting Association, Jiangnan Tailor Shop, the pingtan tour boat and other sights costs ¥100. Electric boat ¥50 per boat (30-minute trip); hand-rowed boat ¥80 per boat
- **Time needed:** 3 hours
- **Getting there:** Near Shantang Street (bus stop) and Shantang Street (metro station)
- **Good for:** History & Culture, Old Towns & Villages, Photography, Waterfront

## About Shantang Street

Suzhou has many streets and lanes, but the most famous is Shantang Street, known as “the No. 1 famous street of Gusu.” In the classic tale “Three Smiles,” Tang Bohu meets Qiuxiang, and the “Chasing the Boat” episode, in which he hires a small boat to follow her all the way to Wuxi, takes place on the Shantang River.
Shantang Street is a classic water lane. Boats travel back and forth on the river, houses have stone steps leading down to the water, and women wash clothes and vegetables by the riverbank. The street is lined with shops, including Suzhou time-honoured brands such as Caizhizhai, Huangtianyuan and Lüyang Wonton Shop, as well as traditional crafts such as embroidery, purple sandalwood carving and blue calico. Its front-shop, back-workshop layout makes it a true microcosm of old Suzhou.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 1038. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
Site: China Trip (https://cnatrip.com) — independent China travel guide in 13 languages.