Autumn Golden Week in Suzhou

Whatever you want to experience in Suzhou during the Golden Week public holiday that marks China's National Day (Oct 1 to 7) Shuzhou has it in droves. Whether you prefer lingering in traditional Chinese gardens or exploring water towns, the city can offer it.

Night tour in Master-of-Nets Garden (Wangshiyuan)

Master-of-Nets Garden will stage a Kunqu Opera performance of One sweet dream in the garden-the present and the past, a scene of The Peony Pavilion, written by famous Chinese playwright Tang Xianzu of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Location: 11 Kuojiatao Alley, Suzhou

Time: 7:00 -17:30 Ticket price: 40 yuan

Night tour: 19:30 - 22:00 Ticket price: 100 yuan

Transport: Bus No 529, 931, 55, 202, 204, 47, 501, 511

More information http://www.szwsy.com/En/DefaultWSY.aspx

Tongli-version Emoji festival and Pokemon Go

Tongli, a water town in Suzhou's Wujiang district will hold an emoji-themed lantern festival, following the success of last year’s event. Another feature of this year's festival will be the introduction of Tongli's own emoji. The emoji has been designed in the shape of gorgon fruit which is harvested from Taihu Lake from early August to October.

There will be 12 emojis of Tongli gorgon fruit scattered in shops and scenic spots in the town. Visitors can take photos of different emojis and exchange them for gifts in Tuisi Square.

Location: Tongli town, Wujiang district, Suzhou

Time: Oct 1- 6; 7:30 -17:30 daily

Transport: Take a bus from the north square of Suzhou Railway Station or from Suzhou North Bus Station/South Bus Station. Fares cost 8 yuan and buses run from 06:10 to 16:00

For more information, visit: http://www.tongli.net/index_en.php?m=Index&a=indexcn

Adventures in a light wonderland - Taihu Midi Carnival of Lights

Some 30 million LED lights will light up a fabulous nighttime scene at Midi Camp in Wujiang district over the holidays. Among the attractions are a 10-meter high movable moon lantern, 4000 sq m recreation of a galaxy, 12 glittering castles and a 50-meter-long sakura gallery. A carriage parade, laser show and fluorescent light dances will also feature of the course of the event.

Location: North of Miaogang Bridge, Qidu Town, Wujiang district, Suzhou

Time: Sept 15 to Oct 14; 18:30 - 21:30 daily

Ticket price: 60 yuan

Pumpkin Festival in Suzhou Amusement Land

Pumpkins are considered a symbol of a bumper harvest in China. Suzhou Amusement Land has organized pumpkin festival for you till the end of Halloween, featuring pumpkin houses, pumpkin music performances and pumpkin cuisines. Traditional amusement park activities, rides, roller coasters and games of skill will also be available.

Location: No 397 Changjiang Road, Suzhou National Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone (SND)

Time: 9:30 - 16:30 (depending on the attraction)

Ticket price: 70 yuan for children; 148 yuan for adults

Transport: Subway line 1; Bus numbers 2, 3, 33, 38, 301, 302, 303, 304, 312, 313, 324, 42, 51, 67, 68, 69, 89

Suzhou Crafts of the Ming and Qing Dynasties from Palace Museum Collection

Suzhou Museum has teamed up with the Palace Museum to bring 101 unique cultural relics 'home' to Suzhou temporarily. Most of the masterpieces in the collection were originally created by excellent craftsmen from Suzhou but had, until now, been enshrined in the old imperial palace in Beijing. Items include lacquerware, bamboo engraving and royal jade carvings.

Location: Special Exhibition Gallery, Suzhou Museum, 204 Northeast (Dongbei) Street, Suzhou

Time: Aug 13 to Nov 13; 09:00 - 17:00 daily (no admission after 16:00)

Ticket price: free

For more information, visit: http://www.szmuseum.com/sugong/index.html

Yao Huifen's Embroidery Art Exhibition

Yao Huifen is the fourth generation of the successors of Shen Shou, a renowned embroidery master of the late Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911).

Yao began studying embroidery when she was young and is now an expert in Suzhou embroidery. She has also developed her own stitching methods, which combine traditional skills with visual arts, including ink painting, oil painting and portraiture.

As a famous national craft artist, Yao has also been designated as a Suzhou Ambassador to promote Suzhou embroidery culture and art abroad.Her representative works Zhang Daqian Portrait and Red Lotus are also being displayed.

Location: Zhongwangfu Nanmu Hall, Suzhou Museum, 204 Northeast (Dongbei) Street, Suzhou

Time: Aug 20 to Nov 6; 09:00 - 17:00 daily (no admission after 16:00)

Ticket price: free

My Flamenco Carmen (MI CARMEN FLAMENCA)

Antonio Andrade and his flamenco company adapted the tragic Mi Carmen Flamenco from Prosper Merimée and Georges Bizet's passionate and ardent opera of the same name. In this version of Carmen, classic operatic songs are recreated with Arabic, jazz and salsa elements, which is in good accordance with the style of pure flamenco.

Mi Carmen Flamenca reshapes the classic opera, both in music and dance, innovating some traditional Flamenco moments.It debuted at the Deutsche Opera in Berlin and has since been performed in the best theaters worldwide.

Duration: approximately 120 minutes with a 15-minute intermission

Location: Suzhou Culture and Arts Center (SCAC) Grand Theater, No 1 Guanfeng Street, Suzhou Industrial Park, SuZhou

Time: 19:30, Oct 4 Ticket price: 100, 180, 280, 380, 480, 580 (VIP) yuan

Transport: Subway Line 1; Bus No 1, 2, 219, 28, 47, 812, 100, 206, 108, 106, 129

Online booking from the official website.

2016 Taihu Rainbow Music Festival

The 2016 Taihu Rainbow Music Festival will present well-known DJs, rock bands and folk singers from home and abroad. It will feature a plethora of genres such as heavy metal, punk, jazz and pop.

There is also an RV & Camping Expo on site, a handicrafts fair, snacks and local delicacies.

Location: Taihu Lake No. 1 Camping & RV Park, 1699 North Taihu Avenue, Suzhou National Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone (SND)

Time: Oct 1 – 3 from 9:00

Ticket price: single day: 80 yuan pre-sale and 120 yuan on the site; three-day ticket: 180 yuan pre-sale and 280 yuan on the site. (children under 1.2 meters is free of charge.) Transport: subway Line 2; Bus No 351

Booking online and you can get digital tickets: http://piao.damai.cn/109205.html

Note: Participants can camp inside the park but must bring their own tents. RVs can be rented (ask the on-site staff for prices). The camping is open from 15:00 to 09:00 the next day.

Baimajian (White Horse Gully) Longchi (Dragon Pool) scenic spot

Baimajian will hold a sunflower festival from Sept 15. During the two-month festival, some 20,000 sunflowers will be in bloom in a 5000-square-meter display zone. A sightseeing gallery will provide visitors with a chance to get up close with the flowers.

Location: Jianlin Village, Fengqiao Street, Suzhou National Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone (SND)

Time: 8:15 -18:00

Ticket price: 60 yuan

Transport: Bus No 357, 333

For more information, visit:http://www.szlongchi.com/en/index.asp

Da Yangshan National Forest Park is an urban forest theme resort that integrates ecological tourism, recreation and ecological science popularization.

It is also a perfect place to be close to natural landscapes and experience the rustic charm of nature. Yangshan hotsprings will help relax you, and succulent plants in the botanical garden will bring you to a world of green.

Location: No 8 Yangshan Ring Road, Hushuguan Economic and Technological Development Zone, Suzhou

Time: 9:00-16:30

Ticket price: 40 yuan Transport: Bus No 304, 333, 357, 44

For more information, visit: http://www.jsdys.cn/en/index.asp

Hairy crabs (Dazhaxie)

In season: from mid-September to mid-November

Autumn is the best season to eat hairy crabs, and those caught in the Yangcheng Lake are considered to be among the tastiest.

The traditional way to cook the crab is through steaming it, which fully brings out the original flavor. The crab is served in a variety of ways, such as, braised hairy crab with dried scallops, wok-fried hairy crab with spring onion, wine-preserved crab, and braised bean curd with crab.

The crab is best eaten with vinegar, soy sauce, or ginger tea, to balance the yin and yang within your body, according to traditional Chinese beliefs.

Steamed lotus root stuffed with sticky rice

Typically eaten from mid-August to early October

Autumn is the harvest season for lotus roots, a delicious and nutritious vegetable that has been consumed by people in China for thousands of years.

The lotus root is known to increase the appetite and has a wide range of health benefits including replenishing the body's water levels, providing high amounts of vitamin C, and warding off autumnal illnesses.

Although you can find lotus root on most restaurant menus - especially when in season– it's also a fun and easy vegetable to cook at home. Simply wash the lotus root to remove dirt, cut into medium-sized slices, and layer inside your rice cooker. Then cover the holes of the lotus root with sticky rice and boil the mixture for an hour. The last step is to drizzle the lotus root with osmanthus infused honey or brown sugar.

Sugar roasted chestnut

In season: from mid-September to early October

There is no snack more popular with Suzhou residents during this season than a humble bag of freshly roasted chestnuts with sugar.

A chestnut vendor can be found in street corners of Suzhou, usually surrounded by a distinctive chestnut aroma. Accompanied by the sound of shoveling, the vendors cook the chestnuts in woks filled with black sand, oil and malt sugar. The chestnuts are then roasted with brown sugar and oil.

Gorgon fruit (Jitoumi or Qianshi)

In season: from early August to late October

The gorgon fruit is an ideal snack for autumn and is one of the eight aquatic delicacies harvested from Taihu Lake.

You can buy fresh gorgon fruit kernels from street vendors, and the round, soft and chewy ones are the best for cooking.

The classic dish is gorgon fruit soup - the quick-boiled ones are tasty - with some rock candy and osmanthus for extra flavor. It is also recommended to cook the dish with lotus seed and Chinese yam, which has a wide range of benefits for the body.