Written by: Huang Bihui
Posted on: June 14, 2019 | 
The ancient water town of Zhouzhuang (Image by Stella)
Kunshan is a county-level city which comes under the administration of Suzhou city in Jiangsu province, China. It is also known as the number one county-level city in China as its economy is rapidly progressing, due to the presence of numerous hi-tech industries and Taiwanese investors. This has resulted in a higher GDP than most of the other counties of China. Furthermore, Kunshan enjoys geographical advantage as it borders Shanghai, one of the biggest metropolises of China. Since it’s close to water bodies, the weather is usually humid all year round in Kunshan. However, the temperatures do increase in the summers (up to 33°C) and decrease in the winters (as low as 3°C).
But more than just a fast-developing city with high-rise buildings, Kunshan is where Kunqu (Chinese opera) originated, and its home to famous ancient water towns such as Zhouzhuang and Jinxi. Zhouzhuang is China’s most popular ancient water town; most of its architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasty has been fully preserved. When walking up and down the bridges here, you can stop to drink some Apocha (tea), listen to some Kunqu or tour the water town via the canals on a boat. You can even pick some souvenirs such as the bamboo products, small furnaces, and tubu (cloth). If you want to learn more about Kunqu, you can visit Bacheng, the birthplace of Kungqu, located near Kunshan. One of the most famous Kunqu artists, Yang Shousong, has opened a studio here, which allows people to gain an intimate insight into this art form.
There are a couple of routes you can take to arrive at Kunshan. If you are a foreigner flying in from abroad, you can take a flight to any of the Shanghai airports and then catch a high-speed train to Kunshan. The train ride will take approximately twenty minutes. Otherwise, you can simply take a cab from the airport, but keep in mind that a car ride will take around two hours. If you are a domestic tourist, or have been traveling within China already, you can take any high-speed train to Kunshan from any Chinese city.
As a modern city, Kunshan has three train stations, several big malls and attractions such as the Qingyang Port Waterfront City Center and the Duke Creative Park. Schools and universities in the city offer courses in both English and Chinese, such as the Duke Kunshan University (DKU), a collaboration between Duke University and Wuhan University. Shopping centers like Baisheng (Parksons) and Jinying (Golden Eagle) are located in downtown Kunshan, where you will also find residential areas. Especially during the weekends, the downtown gets busy as families gather at the cinema to watch both Chinese and English movies, along with the occasional Japanese or Indian film. When eating out, the malls offer Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Singaporean and even Indian food, while some families just use it as a place to unwind after a busy day.
But how can you miss out on trying the local food? Kunshan is famous for its Yangcheng Lake Hairy Crabs, available between mid-September and December. It is said that the best time to have the female hairy crabs is September, and for the male hairy crabs, the best time is October. It takes about 10 tools to break its shell, and Bacheng museum actually displays the ancient tools used by the locals to eat crab. If you are looking for another seafood delicacy, try Aozaomian, a noodle dish served in a thick black carp fish broth. It originated from Aozaoguan, a century old eatery on Tinglin road in Kunshan. Another must have item is wadisu, a pastry with a name that can be literally translated to ‘crispy sock bottom,’ named after its shape. The layers in between the pastry are crispy when you first bite into it, and then melt in your mouth. The best wadisu can be found at Jinxi! It’s a bit savory and sweet, but considered a perfect snack to have with tea.
As an international student studying at DKU, I personally love visiting the water towns because it allows me to learn about Kunshan’s long-standing history and the intricacies of the local food. Besides that, when I am free from my academics I’m always in search of good food. When looking for a change of taste, there are two amazing Korean BBQ restaurants in the city, including Mingdonghuolu, which I often visit with my friends. After the BBQ, I recommend going for karaoke at a KTV (K-Michun-K) place behind the restaurant. When craving some authentic South Asian food, there is always the Indian restaurant ‘Suswagth.’ Generally though, foreign food is always a bit more expensive than the local Chinese food.
So, whether you want to spend the night in the noisy city center or dive into the serene and unique suburbs, Kunshan has it all for you. While in Kunshan, you can experience a modern lifestyle, but on the outskirts of the city you can walk through scenic ancient water towns. This county-level city should definitely be on your list while you are in China, and especially if your destination is Shanghai!
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