This film is part of Free

Chinese Scene

Take a serene tour of the canals, bridges and pagodas of Suzhou in Eastern China.

Travelogue 1920 4 mins Silent

Overview

This precious travelogue documents a gentler pace of life in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, often dubbed the 'Venice of China' for its network of canals and beautiful gardens. We see the elaborate irrigation systems used in surrounding rice and lily fields, rare footage of the ancient practice of fishing with cormorants, and glimpse some of the city’s famous bridges, temples and pagodas.

Suzhou (romanised to Su-chow in the film) is one of China’s most popular tourist attractions. Its classical gardens were restored in the 1950s after suffering serious damage during WWII. Today they are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.