Jiangsu is well known for the production of silk and for fine silk products and craftsmanship. The wonderful Nanjing cloud brocade is popular with foreign tourists, and is exquisitely displayed at the Nanjing Brocade Research Institute. According to the Institute’s website, yun jin has a history of almost 1,000 years, and has been used as tributes to the royal families in several dynasties including the Yuan, Ming, and Qing.

Suzhou is probably the most visited location in the Yangtze River Delta region to discover more about silk production and manufacturing. Many visitors go there to learn more about silk and to purchase silk products such as bedding, clothes, and ties at a silk factory. The exquisite, double-sided Suzhou embroidery is one of the crafts that especially intrigue tourists with its intricate workmanship and beautiful designs.

Silk Shopping Places in Suzhou

Guangqian Street
Guanqian Street has long been recognized as the commercial center of Suzhou. It is also a resort for native people at night and on the weekends. Since the Qing Dynasty, all sorts of shops with different brands and dozens of department stores have been gathered here.

Shiquan Street
Shiquan Street is located in the hotel area in the ancient downtown of Suzhou. The famous Nanlin Restaurant, Suzhou Restaurant, Nanlin Hotel, as well as the classical garden of The Master-of-Nets Garden are located on this street. Shiquan Street is well known for its craftworks like Suzhou Embroidery chinaware antique, calligraphy, and painting, chinaware, silk, inscriptions, jade, rosewood articles, etc. Modern industrial products, curios, and art crafts are also available here.

Embroidery Research Institute
Suzhou embroidery is one of the four most famous embroidery schools in China. Kittens and goldfish are common motifs. With 48 embroidery colors, the Institute turns out unique needlework, of which double-faced embroidery is the most outstanding.

Suzhou No. 1 Silk Spinning Mill
It specializes in producing raw silk with domestic silkworm cocoons as its raw material. Western visitors often enjoy observing the processes of sorting, boiling cocoons, spinning, rewinding, and packing.

Handicraft Trade Center
It sells embroidery, Chinese musical instruments, Chinese brushes, ink and ink-stone, silk and silk garments, herbal medicines, carpets and other various handicraft articles.