Mudu Ancient Town
"First Town of Wuzhong" (a must-visit on Emperor Qianlong's six southern tours), Yan Family Garden / Hongyin Mountain Villa / Gusong Garden / Bangyan Mansion
Visitor info
- Opening hours
- 08:00-17:00
- Ticket
- Combined ticket CNY 78
Price is indicative — final quote on inquiry.
"First Town of Wuzhong" (a must-visit on Emperor Qianlong's six southern tours), Yan Family Garden / Hongyin Mountain Villa / Gusong Garden / Bangyan Mansion; connected with Lingyan Hill (ruins of the Wu King's Guanwa Palace, Xi Shi's fragrance-gathering path). Mudu is said to take its name from King Fuchai of Wu building the Guanwa Palace for Xi Shi, when timber stockpiled for three years "clogged the creek" — making it Jiangnan's only "garden town": four garden mansions — Yan Family Garden, Hongyin Mountain Villa, Gusong Garden and Bangyan Mansion — cluster inside the town. Hongyin Mountain Villa served as Emperor Qianlong's temporary palace and was a must-visit on his six southern tours; Yan Family Garden has been passed down over four centuries and changed hands five times, with scenery for every season — spring cherry blossoms, summer lotus, autumn osmanthus and winter plum. Lingyan Hill west of town is the site of the Spring and Autumn period Wu Kingdom's Guanwa Palace, where relics such as the "Fragrance-Gathering Path" and "Xi Shi Cave" tie into legends of the Wu–Yue rivalry; from the summit you can look out over Taihu Lake. Direct Metro Line 1 access makes it the most convenient ancient town to reach, and it can be combined with Tianping Mountain's red-leaf season into a one-day route.
Getting there: Metro Line 1, Mudu Station
Photos
More in Suzhou
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