Shanghu is located at the southern foot of Yushan Mountain in Changshu. This lake and mountain are must-see tourist attractions in Changshu. Shanghu has a bit more elegance due to the presence of water. According to legend, it is named after Jiang Shang (Jiang Taigong) who secluded himself here to avoid the tyranny of King Zhou of Shang at the end of the Yin Dynasty. If you want to find a scenic and leisure park for a stroll, Shanghu is the perfect choice.
The Fushui Embankment, which runs through the lake from north to south, divides Shanghu into two parts, east and west. The 17-arch Chuanyue Bridge on the embankment is like a string of pearls on the water surface. Hexiangzhou in the south of the lake is a large island connected to the land by a bridge. Visiting Shanghu mainly focuses on the area around Hexiangzhou, so people generally enter from the main (south) entrance on the south bank of Shanghu, which is close to Hexiangzhou. As soon as you enter the main entrance, you will see Taigong Island. You can see the statue of Jiang Taigong fishing. Visit the Jiang Shang Cultural Center and the ancient ship model museum. Then go to Fushui Villa, which is an important building in Shanghu. Originally at the foot of Yushan Mountain, it was the residence of Qian Qianyi. His lover, Liu Rushi, one of the eight beauties of Qinhuai River, is buried here. To this day, at the southern foot of Yushan Mountain, you can still see the tomb of Liu Rushi and the tomb of Qian Qianyi. Unfortunately, the original building has been destroyed. The one in Shanghu now is a replica. Then go to the aquatic forest in the west of Hexiangzhou. The large area of fir trees growing in the water is also a major attraction of Shanghu. Walking on the wooden plank road laid on the water surface and taking deep breaths in the forest feels particularly good. The lake surface in the forest is full of water caltrops. You can see little white waterbirds in the forest. You can also take a bamboo raft drifting tour in the aquatic forest. The reference price is 25 yuan. Finally, return to Hexiangzhou and take a look at the Liuxiang Hall, Boya Hall, Zhaoshan Tower, and Four Scenery Garden of Ming and Qing architecture. They have all been renovated. Except for Zhaoshan Tower, which is originally by the lake, the others have been moved from other places in Changshu. Then go to the Jiangnan Peony Pavilion in the Chinese Peony Garden to see peonies. After visiting the Landscape Culture Garden with conventional park attractions such as rockeries and artificial waterfalls, you have basically visited Hexiangzhou. Tourists with children can walk on the iron chain bridge in Hexiangzhou; have fun at the Happy Island with children’s amusement facilities; take a cruise on the lake and see the rippling blue water and Yushan Mountain reflecting on the water. The reference price for speedboats is 40 yuan, and for painted pleasure boats is 40 yuan (sailing starts at 300 yuan, which is equivalent to being fully occupied by 10 people). Every April, the peony flower exhibition is a business card of Shanghu. In summer, lotus flowers are in full bloom on the lake. In autumn, there is a lantern festival, generally from September to October. At that time, the night garden will be open, and it will be lively until nine or ten o’clock in the evening before closing. In autumn, when hairy crabs are on the market, it is also time to enjoy delicious food. Changshu not only has Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, but also the clear water crabs in Shanghu are equally excellent. The water caltrops in the aquatic forest are also ripe. Boatmen pick water caltrops in the water caltrop thickets by boat. You can directly buy freshly picked water caltrops in the scenic area.Located outside the main entrance of Shanghu Scenic Area, Shanghu Water Street features several specialty tourist shops and restaurants. Among them, Xiushui Square is quite famous for its braised pork, chicken soup, fish soup, and Chinese mitten crabs. Operating hours are from October 28th to February 28th, 08:10 to 16:10.
Preferential policies include: Children under 6 years old (inclusive of 6 years old) or with a height of 1.4 meters (inclusive of 1.4 meters) are admitted free of charge (with household registration book). Children/students aged between 6 (exclusive of 6) and 18 years old (inclusive of 18), full-time undergraduate and below students enjoy half-price tickets with valid identification. Elderly people aged 70 years old (inclusive of 70) and above are admitted free of charge with valid ID (free), while those aged between 60 (inclusive of 60) and 70 (exclusive of 70) enjoy half-price tickets with valid ID.
Supplementary information: Complimentary access for infants in arms on bamboo rafts and electric carts within the Shanghu Scenic Area. The above information is for reference only, and the actual policies should be based on the public notice at the scenic spot.
Service facilities include parking lots: [Shanghu Scenic Area Parking Lot No.1] with a reference price of 7 yuan per time for cars with less than 7 seats, 20 yuan per time for minibuses, and 25 yuan per time for coaches; located at the entrance of Shanghu Scenic Area Gate No.1; with 720 spaces. [Shanghu Scenic Area Parking Lot No.2] with the same reference prices and located at the entrance of Shanghu Scenic Area Gate No.
Alipay and WeChat Pay are not accepted. Convenience Stores: There are several vending machines located within the Shanghu Scenic Area, near Shanghu Yangliu Isle Store, Shanghu Sijingyuan Mini Shop, Shanghu Peony Garden Mini Shop, and Guanhe Bridge Small Commodity Shop. WeChat Pay is accepted here.
