City guide: Suqian                                                           

1.General introduction

    Suqian is a city with a cutural history of 2,500 years. The earliest use of the name

started in 762 A.D., Tang Dynasty. In later century, the jurisdiction was changed or

renamed a number of times or even abandoned sometimes when the turnover of a

dynasty took place. In 1945 during the Republic of China, Suqian as a county

jurisdiction was restored again but the scope of its jurisdiction varied.

Location & population

    Situated in the Jiangsu Northern Plain, Suqian City borders six county-level cities,

including Sihong, Siyang, Shuyang, Xinyi, Pizhou and Suining. As a prefecture

jurisdiction, Suqian has four prefecture neighbors, including Xuzhou, Lianyungang,

Huai’an, Yangzhou. The city flanks Anhui Province on the west.

    The city is located on the North Jiangsu Plain, with a highest elevation of 71 m

over sea level and the lowest 2.8 m only. The elevation is gradually reduces along

northwest to southeast. The region involves three fourths of the total area of the

city. Suqian is abundant for water resource and the water surface area is close one

third of its total land mass. There are two freshwater lakes in Suqian, Lake Hongze,

which is one of the four largest freshwater lakes in China, and Lake Luoma. Four

rivers run through the city, including the the Grand Canal, Huaihe River, Yihe River

and Suhe River.

    Other resources are rock salt, crude oil and natural gas. The lakes, Hongze and

Luoma, are under well protected from contaminating. More resources include

minerals of quartz, phosphorus, cooper, iron, etc.

    The jurisdiction has a population of 5.15 million. The physical lans mass is 8,555

square kilometers, with a water surface area occupying one fourth of the land.

Climate

    The city is located in a temperate zone with an oceanic monsoon climate with four

distinct seasons. Annual average temperature is 17°C and annual average precipitation

is around 900 mm, less than its neighbors.

Economy & industry

    Suqian was traditionally considered as a farming land and its fertile soil and moderate

rainfall make the city one of Jiangsu’s agricultural areas. The agricultural products

mainly include rice, cotton, vegetable and poultry. With its abundant water resources,

Suqian has a reputation for its aquatic products, including crab, shrimp, silver fish and

aquatic vegetable. The city is putting more efforts to boost its green agricultur and forest

coverage. The agriculture income now occupies 25% of the city’s total GDP.

    The investment and capital funds accelerate the city’s economic expansion and

urbanization. New industrial sectors boom, including food and spirit manufacture,

textile, construction, electronic, chemical and machinery. The most important food

manufacture is alcoholic beverages. The sector has a production history of 400-500

years, tracking back to the Ming Dynasty. Two well-known brands of liquors, Yanghe

and Shuanggou, have won many national and international medals. Silk export is

recently intensified.

    One can never forget its national reputation as a “Flower Town in China”,

awarded to Shuyang County. With these fabulous botanical products including

flowers, garden trees and bonsais, the county creates a new opportunity for both

business and environment protection.

    Economic growth and environmental conservation have always seemed like two

different approaches. Many investment projects in the city have become significant

in environment contamination. The local government has been putting stiff

environmental policies into practice and has spent significant funds over years to

protect its ecosystem.

2. Transportation

Land transportation: 

    The length of high-grade road in Suqian has been 220 km. Beijing-Shanghai

Expressway, Nanjing-Suqian-Xuzhou Expressway, Xuzhou-Suqian-Huai’an-Yancheng

Expressway, Suqian-Xinyi first-grade Road and Suqian-Shuyang first-grade road form

a high-grade road circle around the 60-km2 city proper. Xinchang Railway, 205 National

Road and 305 Provincial Road all come across Suqian. It is 7.5 hours’ driving to Beijing,

4.5 hours’ driving to Shanghai and 2.5 hours’ driving to Nanjing. From the city proper

to each county, there is o­nly thirty minutes’ driving.

Air transportation: 

    Guanyin airport is 60 km away from Suqian and Baitabu airport is 100 km away from

Suqian, which are air bridges from Suqian to important cities at home and abroad.

Different transportation ways form a three-dimensional transportation network of

water, land and air. 

By public bus

    Like other tourist cities in China, Suzhou has a convenient public transport system.

Most of the buses running in the city o­nly take exact change so make sure you have

some small coins before getting o­n. The price of regular buses is 1Yuan per person. 

3. Education & Health care

Education

    Suqian has well instituted compulsory primary education system and the secondary

schools achieves significant graduate rate. Suqian College is an unique higher learning

institution in this city and has departments for computer, foreign language, civic

engineering, machinery, etc.

Hospitals

Suqian People's Hospital

Address: 138 Huanghe Road South, Suqian, Jiangsu

Tel: 86-527-423 9233

4. Recreation

Shopping

    Suqian is famed as China's Capital of Wine and Flowers for a good reason. For

visitors, both of these local specialties are good souvenirs to take home. 

    Daylilies are the most famous flower in Suqian. The daylily is a yellow flower vegetable,

of a golden color and is shaped like a needle. Every May the flower buds are harvested,

and then dried and steamed to be cooked into delicious food. The cultivation of the

daylily in Suqian has a history of over 2,000 years. Huaiyin, in Suqian prefecture, is one

of the major daylily-producing areas in China. Daylilies are nutritious with many

essential vitamins and minerals contained, and are believed to have great medicinal

purposes. 

    Another local specialty is alcoholic beverages. Suqian city is well-known for its

alcohol production. The water in Suqian is sweet and pure, and is very suitable for

distilling a top-quality alcohol. The local alcoholic beverages have won many national

and international awards. Yanghe and Shuanggou are two famous brands, ranking

among the nation’s top ten liquors. The two wines have the history dating back to

the Ming Dynasty.

Cuisine

Local restaurants:

1)Huanlou Restaurant

Address: 26 Xingfu Road, Suqian, Jiangsu

Tel: 527-421 3192

2)Hungguang Hotel Restaurant

Address: 76 Zhengdong Street, Sucheng District, Suqian, Jiangsu

Tel: 527-421 3853

3)Maling Restaurant

Address: Xingfu Road North, Suqian, Jiangsu

Tel: 527-421 3336

4)Mingquan Restaurant

Address: 59 Huangyu Road, Suqian, Jiangsu

Tel: 527-421 4289

5)Youth Restaurant

Address: Xingfu Road North, Suqian, Jiangsu

Tel: 527-421 3393

Attractions

    Luoma Lake: Situated in the northwest of the city, Luoma Lake Ranks among the

four largest freshwater lakes of Jiangsu. It covers a total area of 375 square kilometers

(145 square miles), dotted by several natural scenic spots and historical sites. 

    Qianlong Temporary Palace: This is a well preserved old building complex in the

south bank of the Luoma Lake. It was first built around 1684, and the Emperor

Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty had been to there three times for worship. 

    Zhangshan Forest Park: 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) north of the city proper, the park

gets a fine management of mountain and water landscape.