Must-see attractions in Jiangsu

Named by Life magazine in 1937 as 'the most powerful woman in the world', Song Meiling (aka 'Madame Chiang') was the First Lady of the Republic of China …

Originally the home of a prince, the oldest garden in Suzhou was first built in the 11th century, and has been repeatedly rebuilt since. Instead of…

This museum and working silk factory was established as a state-owned silk factory in 1926. The highlight of the museum is seeing its massive, 80-year-old…

A one-kilometre walk north of the old town, Lingyan Mountain, the ‘Cliff of the Spirits’, was once the site of a palace where Emperor Qianlong stayed…

The most active temple in Nanjing, Jiming Temple was first built in AD 527 during the Three Kingdoms period and has been rebuilt many times since.

In the south of the city in a smartened-up pedestrian zone full of restaurants, the Confucian temple Fūzǐ Miào has been a centre of Confucian study for…

Before the communists took over, this college was China's oldest private university, founded by missionaries of the Methodist church in 1900. The…

To the south of the Twin Bridges, this beautiful 60-room, three-hall structure was built in the Ming era and bought by the Zhang clan in early Qing times…

Lashed by electronic music from the shops alongside, the Taoist Temple of Mystery stands in what was once Suzhou’s old bazaar, a rowdy entertainment…

A haven of solitude and an oasis of peace in a busy town, the Confucian Temple is adorned with several ancient (one is 830 years old) gingkos and rows of…

One of the largest gardens in Suzhou, this 3-hectare plot was originally built in the Ming dynasty by a doctor as a relaxing place for his recovering…

Built by Zhu Yuanzhang in the 14th century, the imperial palace was reportedly a magnificent structure that served as a template for Beijing's Forbidden…

After the Taiping took over Nanjing, they built the Mansion of the Heavenly King (天王府, Tiānwáng Fǔ) on the foundations of a former Ming-dynasty palace…

Housed in a historic building, this small museum boasts an impressive range of modern handicrafts created by skilled Suzhou artists. Its nearly 1000-piece…

Perhaps the most interesting place in Mudu is this villa, with its elaborate opera stage, exhibits and even an imperial pier where Emperor Qianlong docked…

Fourteenth-century Zhonghua Gate has four rows of gates, making it almost impregnable, and could house a garrison of 3000 soldiers in vaults in the front…

This beautiful complex in the northwest corner of the village is the highlight of the town, dating to the Ming dynasty. It was once the home of a former…

The oldest Buddhist temple in Suzhou, Bao'en Temple dates back 1700 years and its current reincarnation goes back to the 17th century. The temple's star…

With a rich collection of antique furniture and intricate carvings of stone, wood and brick (it often serves as a movie set), this dignified complex was…

A dazzling use of daylight and design merges in this new museum, hung with contemporary landscapes, calligraphy and modern art that stands out boldly from…