Fengmen Hengjie Market Street
葑门横街
A century-old market street east of the old city, where water chestnuts and lotus root, Suzhou-style rice cakes and cooked food stalls crowd the narrow lanes. It is one of the most authentic everyday scenes in Suzhou.
Fengmen Hengjie lies outside Fengmen Gate in Gusu District. It stretches about 600 meters and is Suzhou's most famous old wet market street. Along both sides you'll find stalls selling seasonal seafood, “Water Eight Immortals” (wild rice stem, lotus root, Euryale seeds, water chestnuts and more), Suzhou-style rice cakes, braised duck and pickles, as well as long-established noodle shops and pan-fried bun stands.
The street is busiest from 7 to 10 a.m., when you can see locals doing their daily shopping. Admission is free. It is within walking distance of Xiangmen Station on Metro Line 1 or near Line 2, and can be combined with a visit to Tianci Village of Soochow University.
Opening hours
Approx. 06:00–18:00 (liveliest in the morning)
Nearby sights
- Soochow University (Tianci Campus)
- Master of the Nets Garden
- Twin Pagodas of Luohan Temple
- Suzhou Pingtan Museum
- Pingjiang Road
- Couple's Retreat Garden
- China Kunqu Opera Museum
- Canglang Pavilion