Suzhou Fengmen Hengjie | The scent of life.

Historically, Suzhou had 5 Hengjie (horizontal streets), located at Loumen, Panmen, Changmen, Tangjiaxiang and Fengmen. Today, Fengmen Hengjie is the only remaining one of these 5 streets. It embodies a rich local culture, even secular culture. To the point that some people say, "If you haven't been to Fengmen Hengjie, you haven't truly experienced Suzhou's local life." In the past, the Hengjie had rice shops, pawn shops, copper shops, coffin shops, tea houses, restaurants, and cloth shops. One street encompassed all the necessities of daily life, making it very convenient. Today, the Hengjie is more focused on agricultural products, attracting visitors with its wide variety, freshness, and affordability. The residents of the Hengjie also differ from the past, with almost every household renting their street-facing rooms to outsiders for business. Suzhou locals themselves have withdrawn from business operations. These hardworking outsiders, who intend to settle in Suzhou, have propped up the prosperity of today's Hengjie. The businesses previously run by locals have declined and eventually disappeared, leaving only memories for the older generation. Today's Hengjie is still bustling, with small shops constantly calling out. In the narrow alley, people are shoulder to shoulder. During my leisure time, I like to join the crowd and experience the joy that cannot be found in the city. Suzhou dialect mixed with non-standard Mandarin, bargaining in front of small shops. The feeling is like listening to a melody, immersing me in a strong local atmosphere. Walking along the street, you will see various shops. There are shops selling Qingtuan (green rice balls), Shengjianbao (pan-fried buns), silk, and various small accessories. Each shop has its own characteristics and style, making it hard to resist stopping and taking a look 👀. In Fengmen Hengjie, you can also taste various authentic Suzhou delicacies. For example, Haitanggao (sea buckthorn cake), Meihua Gao (plum blossom cake), Tangzhou (sweet rice porridge), etc. These delicacies are not only delicious but also affordable, leaving you with a lingering aftertaste 😋. In addition to food and shops, Fengmen Hengjie also has many ancient buildings and cultural heritage sites. For example, ancient bridges, ancient wells, and ancient buildings on the Hengjie. These ancient buildings and cultural heritage sites witness the history and culture of Suzhou, and also allow people to experience the unique charm of Jiangnan water towns 😍. Walking along this narrow, linear street, each time, I am surprised by the vitality and life of old Suzhou🌿 and fireworks🔥, which still exist so vividly. Food recommendations: ✔Zhao Tianlu A time-honored brand in China, the egg yolk and pork chop🥓 are crispy and tender, with a fragrant aroma in every bite. ✔Lao Tantou Burst Fish As always, there are many people. Through the window🪟, you can see the master butchering, slicing, and washing the fish before frying it. Their secret sauce is also amazing. ✔Zhang Ji Big Cake Shop The big cake🫓 is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, both sweet and savory are delicious, making it hard to choose. Just get a piece of each, add freshly fried dough sticks, and pair it with freshly brewed hot soy milk🥤, satisfying! ✔Hao Lai Lai Cake Still highly recommend the cost-effective glutinous rice cake🍰. This time, I tried two other cakes in the shop, but I still think the glutinous rice cake is the best. ✔Qianwei Luobofang Completely attracted by the aroma, I happened to catch a promotion, so I bought 6 duck feet to try. The bones are fragrant, the meat is springy, and the braised flavor is rich. ✔Kunyi Cigu Pian This should be the seasonal "potato chips"🍟 without a doubt, and completely additive-free, very healthy. Although there are many shops selling Cigu (water chestnut) slices on this street, this is the only one that makes them fresh. The freshly made ones are very crispy, and the flavor is much better. ✔Qingke Roasted Cake It is said to be the best roasted cake in Suzhou. It looks like both white flour steamed bread and toast🍞. Before it is baked, many people gather at the door. Driven by curiosity, I bought one to try. It looks ordinary, but tear off the crispy surface layer, and you can see the soft texture inside. It tastes really fragrant, with a sweet milky aroma. ✔Huangfuxing Cake and Dumpling One of the four must-try cakes and dumplings in Suzhou. Recommended red bean🫘 pine nut cake and rose pine nut cake. Red bean pine nut cake has a powdery texture, rose pine nut cake is glutinous, with a super bright red color. Inside are melon seeds, pine nuts, walnuts... Moderate sweetness, glutinous rice lovers will love it! ✔Zhang's Sweet Rice Wine Strong aroma of rice and wine. In winter, buying a few boxes to make drinks🍸 and sweet soup is really delicious. Location: Fengmen Hengjie, Gusu District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province Opening hours: All day