Mudu Travel Guide

Mudu as a southern ancient waterside town in Suzhou has the unique and typical structure differing from other waterside and ancient towns. Mudu is the only gardening ancient town in southern China. There were more than 30 private gardens or parks in Ming and Qing dynasties. The well-restored gardens include: Yan-Family Garden, Hongyingshanfang, Old-Pine-Tree Garden, Bangyan Villa and Panyin Thatched Cottage and so on. The deep culture accumulation, the elegant garden environment and famous historic legends offer you a good leisure place.

Mudu with the same age as Suzhou has roughly 2500-year history. It is said that during the late period of spring and autumn era, Fuchai, the king of Wu Kingdom, for pleasing Beauty Xishi established Wa-Gong Palace on top of Lingyanshan Mountain. And he once established the Gusu-Highland, which spent three years for wood collection and five years for completion. The wood continually came that they blocked the rivers and streams. So this place named Mudu (means the woods block the rivers or streams). 

During the three-Kingdom era, Mudu was the important stronghold in the southern area. It was also the Buddhist holy land. In Song dynasty, it was the center of west area of Suzhou, and one of the six towns in Wu County. During the mid-period of the Qing Dynasty, Mudu was the famous business area. During Emperor Kangxi’s three-time southern visits and Emperor Qianlong’s six-time southern visits, Mudu was their preferable place for each time. During the time ruled by Kuomintang, it was the administrative center of west of Suzhou.

Mudu is a cultural and educational center, from 1015 to the end of Qing Dynasty, more than 47 famous learners succeeding in royal exams. The famous men include: Fan Zhongyan (a famous official who administrated a famous reform in the Song Dynasty, and wrote the classical article Yueyanglouji), Feng Guifeng(a famous reformist in the late period of the Qing Dynasty) Sheng Deqian (a famous poet in the Qing Dunasty and one of Emperor Qianlong’s bosom friends in literature and poem writing) and so on.

Mudu Food

The local food include : Dyed rice in Wuyaoye Juice, it is said that Mulian, one of students of Sakyamuni, were eager to let his mother in starvation be replete, so he dyed the rice in juice of Wuyao leaf to avoid hungry ghosts' robbery, since then the local eat such a food each year in memory of this obedient son. Qingtuanzi. This used to be the special food for ancestor worship on Tomb-Sweeping Day. Generally, it is done and eaten by farmers’ family. Tianjiuliang is done by the stewing sticky rice and a special animalcule barm. It is a kind of sweet-rice wine. Eater could add some brown sugar and honey into food. It is good for chest.

Mudu Calligraphy

In history, the famous mud-sculpture masters came from this place. Their works are the rare collections in national museums. Currently, the silk, double-side embroider, rosewood carving, ink-stone, calligraphy and painting works as well as stone carving are all widely famous. Mudu culture is an important part of Wu Culture, which directly influences China’s culture in elegance and learners’ taste. The temple fairs are very popular such as Brave-General Meeting, Miaochangxun and so on. The cultural life in Mudu is fairly welcome ; possibly you will find your spiritual dreamland when you are wandering around this old town.