Xishan, located 35 kilometers southwest of the city of Suzhou, is the largest island in China's fresh water lakes. It covers a total area of 82.36 square kilometers and is the biggest island in Lake Taihu. It is commonly known as Dongting Xishan (West Mountain). It is connected by one bridge to the Suzhou National Tourist Resort Area and is known as the "Pearl of Lake Taihu".
Suzhou's Xishan has a geographical advantage that is unparalleled. It is only 120 kilometers from Shanghai. The climate on the island is pleasant, the scenery beautiful, the mountains and waters are integrated, there are many ancient sites, lush fruit trees, and abundant resources. It has been successively named a national AAAA-level scenic spot, a national modern agricultural demonstration park, a national forest park, and a comprehensive reform pilot town for small towns. It is truly a "mountain of flowers and fruits, land of fish and rice, and a paradise beyond the world".
Ming dynasty literary figure Yuan Hongdao wrote in his "Dongting Mountain Journal" that Xishan has seven wonders: the beauty of the mountains, the beauty of the rocks, the beauty of the dwellings, the beauty of the flowers and fruits, the beauty of seclusion, the beauty of the traces of immortals, and the beauty of the integration of mountain and water.
Xishan has numerous historical sites. There is the fairyland of Piɑomiɑo Peak, known as the first peak of Lake Taihu; there is Bingchang Village, where Wu and Yue once competed for hegemony; there is Mingyue Bay Ancient Village, where King Fuchai of Wu and Xi Shi admired the moon; there is Qixian Alley in the ancient East Village, where the four hermits of Shɑngshɑn lived in seclusion during the Eastern Han dynasty; there is Jingxiu Hall in the ancient East Village, where Emperor Qianlong kept his concubine; there is Shigong Mountain, where the high-ranking monk Haideng of Shaolin Temple once lived; there is Linwu Cave (Linwu Plum Sea), known as the "Ninth Cave Heaven under Heaven"; there is Gǔ Zhāngyuán, home to the oldest tree in Wuzhong; there is Baoshɑn Zen Temple, a thousand-year-old Buddhist temple; there is Dayu Temple, built to commemorate Dayu's flood control efforts; there is Tangli Carved Flower Building, known as the "First Building of Xishan"; and there are also Jiezhou Garden and Chunxī Hall in East Cai Village, Airitang in West Cai Village, and newly opened attractions such as San Mountain Island, Cowboy Country Club, Green Light Leisure Farm, and many other scenic spots, attracting tens of thousands of Chinese and foreign tourists every year.
Xishan is known for its saying "There are flowers every month, fruits every season, eighteen harvests in a year, and fish and shrimp every day." Famous teas like Biluochun tea, green variety loquat, wumei variety waxberry, large Buddha hand ginkgo, nine family variety chestnut, Xishan honey tangerines, as well as Taihu hairy crabs, silver fish, white fish, and white shrimp from Lake Taihu enjoy a reputation at home and abroad.
The scenery of the Xishan scenic area changes endlessly with the seasons, revealing its charming allure. With towering trees, blooming flowers, fragrant fruits, and forests dyed in autumn colors, each season has its own unique features. The serenity of the mountains, the freedom of the waters, the wonder of the caves, and the strangeness of the landscapes leave one in awe, refreshed, and reluctant to leave.
In recent years, the rural tourism in Suzhou's Xishan has flourished, attracting citizens from Suzhou, Shanghai, and surrounding areas through activities such as the distinctive plum blossom festival and fruit picking tours. The Suzhou Xishan Rural Tourism Information Service Platform (www.xsnjlweb.com) provides the most comprehensive information release, the most trustworthy service, and strict service quality for a wide range of tourists, offering the most valuable Suzhou rural tourism information and accommodation reservation services for Suzhou Xishan.