Suzhou and the Sex Museum in Tong-Li

Strikingly beautiful, with canals and dusty stone bridges, Suzhou is hailed ‘The Venice of the East’. But who would have thought that a place so conventionally ‘Chinese’ would have a rather naughty side just outside the city…?

Boat tour of Suzhou’s canals

With the saying “When in Rome” in mind,  my friends and I decided that seeing Suzhou from the water would give us a nice perspective of the city. We hopped on a small boat and a local man navigated us through many winding and picturesque canals. It was super scenic and I’d recommend a boat tour to anyone.

One thing to note is that you do not pay the rower – instead, you pay the company. Therefore ensure you barter down the price of the boat ride beforehand and the money you save can go towards a generous tip for the rower. I think our initial price was 200 rmb but we got it for 80 rmb which I think is a fair price because our boat trip didn’t last very long. Also the rowers have to pay rent for the boat, so after that’s paid for they make very little profit depending on the tips they receive.

Suzhou’s famous silk

Suzhou is famous for its silk so my friend Sarah, took the opportunity to purchase a made-to-fit dress. The shop assistant took her measurements and Sarah chose the fabric and style she wanted.

A week later it was delivered to where we were staying in Wuhu and it looked absolutely beautiful. The quality of the dress was stunning! All the measurements were perfect and it highlighted her lovely figure. Sarah used to usually always wear baggy clothes so I was super surprised to see how her dress had transformed her shape!

Sex Museum in Tong-Li

Please note: Museum closure!
Unfortunately this museum has now closed and the collection has now reportedly move to Hainan.

Something else I can’t forget to mention about Suzhou is an amazing sex museum tucked away in the town of Tong Li. No trip to Suzhou is complete without a visit to this historically diverse and rather saucy museum. It’s not the obvious sort of XXX museum you’ll find in bigger European cities. Instead, it’s filled with decorative artefacts, unusual practices, beautiful paintings, and many elaborate sculptures dating back from hundreds of years ago.

It sheds light on traditions that are amusing, baffling, and nothing short of ridiculous! For example, I discovered when two amorous lovers were engaging in the art of love making back in the day, a servant would be on-hand to cool them down with a fan. Hilarious.

Now try and tell me that wouldn’t be a little awkward for all parties involved?!

As you pass through the admission gates and enter the courtyard, you are greeted with a very big… sculpture…!

Would someone please explain to me what’s going on here?!

The gardens of Suzhou

There are tens upon tens of gardens in Suzhou. They are beautiful but also rather expensive to enter. I only recommend going to a couple if you’re travelling on a budget.

Despite not seeing many of the gardens, I still had an interesting and enriching time wandering around the back streets. Slices of local life are in abundance. Watching the children play games and the elderly play marjong is something to enjoy away from the crowds. I often find back streets churn up some real treasures and often give a different perspective to a place.

And remember to sneak off to the side streets of Tong-Li for that hidden attraction…

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Have you been to Suzhou or Tong-Li?