Shihu Scenic Area is located on the southwest outskirts of Suzhou, seven kilometers away from the ancient city. It is known for its Wu and Yue historical sites and the pastoral scenery of the Jiangnan water towns, featuring numerous ancient temples, pagodas, tombs, and the retirement homes of Song Dynasty pastoral poets like Fan Chengda. The area mainly consists of the Shihu Resort, scenic viewing area, film and cultural area, and characteristic dining area.
The most famous scenic spot in Shihu is the ‘Shihu Moon Series,’ which originates from the nine-hole bridge (Xingchun Bridge) on the lake. The holes are connected, and their reflections in the water form nine moon shadows in the lake on the evening of the 18th day of the eighth lunar month, creating a spectacular ‘nine moons in a row’ phenomenon. The scenic area offers barbecue and boat services.Main attractions include the Shangfangshan National Forest Park, three Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units such as Shen Shixing’s Tomb, Lengjia Pagoda Courtyard, and Yuecheng Site, and five Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Units including Xingchun Bridge, Fan Chengda Temple, Zhiping Temple, Yuecheng Bridge, and Gu Ye Wang’s Tomb. There are also over twenty other attractions such as the Shihu Buddha Temple, Jiaotai, Qianlong Imperial Path, Fisherman’s Village, Bao Ji Spring, Peacock Garden, Shihu Dike, Yue Dike, and Wucheng Site.
Additionally, the Fisherman’s Village (also known as ‘Yu Village’) on the north side of Shihu is a house built by modern calligrapher Yu Jue in 1934 in the Fisherman’s Village. It is simple and elegant, with a view of the lake from the door, and its main hall is ‘Fushou Hall,’ granted by Empress Dowager Cixi. The Shihu Retreat within the scenic area was the place where the pastoral poet Fan Chengda of the late Southern Song Dynasty retired and lived out his old age, calling himself ‘Old Man of Shihu. ‘ Shihu has a long history and is full of anecdotes and folk tales. It is said that during the Spring and Autumn period, the Yue State dug canals to attack the Wu State, cutting through the mountain feet and carving stone channels to connect Suzhou, hence the name Shihu. After the fall of Wu, the famous Yue official Fan Li retired to Taihu with Xi Shi, and thus there is a town nearby named Lishu. The scenic area is open all year round, accessible 24/7.
