Panmen Scenic Area (Panmen Gate) – the Only Water and Land City Gate in the World

Panmen Scenic Area is a key cultural relic in Suzhou, blending ancient military architecture, classical gardens, and serene canals.

With a history spanning over 2,500 years, Panmen Gate in Panmen Scenic Area is one of the oldest and best-preserved city gates in the world, earning its place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the "China's Grand Canal" extension. Its well-preserved gates, walls, and moat offer a glimpse into China’s ancient fortification systems. Apart from the magnificant Panmen Gate, elegant Song Dynasty Ruiguang Pagoda and graceful Qing-era Wumen Bridge together creates a picturesque panorama showcasing Suzhou's finest craftsmanship. As dusk falls, these illuminated complex transforms into an enchanting wonderland where pagoda lights twinkle and ancient structures bathed in golden hues.

Ruiguang Pagoda (瑞光塔) is a seven-story, octagonal brick-and-wood Buddhist tower standing at 53.57 meters tall. It was constructed over a 26-year period from 1004 to 1030 AD during China's Northern Song Dynasty. The seven tiers symbolize a famous Buddhist saying, "Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda". (救人一命，胜造七级浮屠) The pagoda’s structure ingeniously combines brick and wood, reducing its overall weight while enhancing structural strength, allowing it to soar majestically with a resplendent appearance.

During a 1978 renovation, precious artifacts were uncovered on the pagoda's third floor, including the sutra manuscript of the Lotus Sutra, which was a foundational Mahayana Buddhist text, and Pearl Relic Shrine, the pagoda's most prized artifact.

Panmen Gate (盘门) is a UNESCO-listed landmark in Suzhou and China’s only preserved combined land-and-water city gate. Dating back to 514 BC during the Spring and Autumn Period. it was commissioned by King Helü of Wu (吴王阖闾) and designed by minister Wu Zixu (伍子胥), serving as a critical defensive and transportation hub. It features a double-walled barbican land gate and a canal-passing water gate, showcasing ancient China’s military ingenuity. The name "Panmen" (meaning "coiled") possibly originates from dragon carvings or the winding waterways. The existing city gate is a remnant structure from the Yuan Dynasty, while the gate tower was rebuilt in early summer 1986.

Spanning majestically across the Grand Canal outside Panmen, Wumen Bridge (吴门桥) presents an imposing sight. With a total length of 66.6 meters and a base width of 5.8 meters, its vault rises over 9 meters above normal water level - making it the tallest arched bridge among Suzhou's ancient bridges. It was originally constructed in 1084 (Northern Song Dynasty) and was rebuilt in 1872 (Qing Dynasty) as a single-arch stone bridge.

The bridge exemplifies classical Jiangnan water-town architecture through its dignified posture, standing as a monumental representative of large-scale stone arch bridges in the region.

Your visit to Panmen Scenic Area promises a perfect blend of cultural immersion and scenic beauty. For Buddhist enthusiasts and architecture admirers, ascending the historic Ruiguang Pagoda is particularly rewarding. As you climb through its levels, you'll discover some Buddhist statues and its ingenious brick-wood construction techniques. Don't miss the chance to participate in the traditional bell-ringing ritual at the pagoda's base, a meaningful experience that connects you with centuries of local spiritual practice. As evening falls, the area transforms into an enchanting open-air theater, with captivating cultural performances and immersive historical reenactments bringing Suzhou's rich heritage to life.

Note: 1) The performances are free; 2) Performance schedules may change due to weather, seasons, or other factors. Due to time and venue constraints, prioritize your preferred shows.

Tourists can complete their Panmen Scenic Area visit with an unforgettable cruise along the UNESCO-listed Suzhou Grand Canal from Xinshiqiao Pier, which is just 1 km (about a 10-15 minute walk) from Panmen Scenic Area. This 45-minute cruise takes you through living history, gliding past Song Dynasty stone bridges and waterside architecture. It also offers live performances of Suzhou traditional opera for your enjoyment.

The Panmen Scenic Area has three main entrances: the East Gate, Mid Gate, and South Gate. It is recommended to enter through the East Gate, which serves as the main entrance. From here, visitors can first see the famous Ruiguang Pagoda. Covering an area of 24.86 hectares, the scenic area is not very large, allowing tourists to explore comfortably on foot. We recommend two tour routes, both covering the major attractions, with slight variations in the bridges and pavilions you'll pass along the way.

Soute Route: East Gate → Ruiguang Pagoda → Hall of Four-Auspicious Merits (四瑞堂) → Buddhist Drum Tower → Double-Pavilion Corridor Bridge (双亭廊桥) → Billows-hiding &Green Forest Pavilion (涛隐翠墅榭) → Attractive Scenery Pavilion (丽景楼) → Memorial Temple of Premier Wu Zixu (伍相祠) → Panmen Gate (Water and Land City Gate) → North Gate

North Route: East Gate → Ruiguang Pagoda → Hall of Four-Auspicious Merits (四瑞堂) → Buddhist Bell Tower → Chunshui Bridge (春水桥) → Sufei Pavilion (苏飞苑) → Green Wave Bridge (碧波桥) → Attractive Scenery Pavilion (丽景楼) → Memorial Temple of Premier Wu Zixu (伍相祠) → Panmen Gate (Water and Land City Gate) → North Gate

Panmen Scenic Area is located at 49 Dongda Street, Gusu District, Suzhou, just 6 km away from Suzhou Railway Station.

Distance from Suzhou Main Attractions:

• About 3.5 km from Pingjiang Road
• About 4 km from Suzhou Silk Museum
• About 5 km from Suzhou Museum
• About 6.5 km from Humble Administrator’s Garden
• About 7 km from Hanshan Temple
• About 8 km from Shantang Street

• By Metro: take Metro Line 4 or 5 to Nanmen Station (南门站), which is just a 10-minute walk (about 800 m) to Panmen Scenic Area. Check more about Suzhou Metro Lines >>
• By Bus: Panmen Scenic Area is well-connected by several bus lines.
• By Private Transfer with China Discovery: If you’d like to move seamlessly between destinations without worrying about transportation, then our Private Transfer service is the perfect choice. Our all-inclusive packages feature private transfers with experienced driver, comfortable vehicles, and professional guide, ensuring a smooth and relaxing journey. You can focus on sightseeing of Panmen trip. Please feel free to contact us!

Suzhou enjoys a subtropical monsoon maritime climate, characterized by four distinct seasons, mild and humid weather, and abundant rainfall throughout the year. Panmen Scenic Area in Suzhou is a year-round destination. In spring and autumn, pleasant temperatures make these seasons ideal for outdoor exploration. Check more about Suzhou Weather >>

Panmen Scenic Area offers different experiences by day and night. During the day, visitors can focus on architectural heritage and landscapes, and even climb the historic Ruiguang Pagoda (before 16:00) for detailed sightseeing. At night, the scenic area transforms with stunning illuminations, accompanied by traditional cultural performances (18:00~20:30), which creating a lively and romantic atmosphere ideal for evening strolls.

If don’t mind the crowds, Tourists can also explore the historic Panmen Scenic Area during China's major festivals, where traditional celebrations come alive. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the enchanting Panmen Lantern Fair illuminates the ancient walls with dazzling displays. Dragon Boat Festival offers even more excitement, featuring Wudi (Wu-style) folk cultural activities, immersive theatrical performances, and breathtaking traditional acrobatics. Check more about China Holiday >>

Generally, a classic Suzhou tour takes about 1~2 days. Visiting Suzhou, you can't miss elegant Suzhou gardens, like Humble Administrator's Garden, Lingering Garden, Master of the Nets Garden, etc. You can choose one or two of them for a great garden delight. Other must-be-visited sights in Suzhou City include Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory from which you can watch the process of silk making from silkworms to elegant products, Tiger Hill which is known as the first sight in Suzhou, Suzhou Museum which is designed by I. M. Pei and Suzhou's old canalside roads (like Pingjaing Road and Shantang Street), etc. If you like Jiangnan watertowns, you can visit Tongli, Zhouzhuang or Luzhi to have a wonderful time.

☛ 1 Day Suzhou City Highlights Tour
☛ 1 Day Suzhou Zhouzhuang Tour
☛ 2 Days Best Suzhou & Tongli Water Village Tour

If you want to explore more about Jiangsu Province, you can travel to Nanjing - the old capital city of 6 ancient dynasties, Wuxi - a beautiful lakeshore city, Yangzhou - old culture center of southern China, etc. Check more about Jiangsu Tours>

☛ 5 Days Jiangsu Tour (Suzhou, Wuxi & Nanjing)

In fact, most people travel Suzhou with Shanghai - the best gateway city to Suzhou, and Hangzhou which has long been on a par with Suzhou since ancient times. Generally, it needs 2~3 days enjoying Shanghai's highlights and another 2~3 days appreciating the poetic beauty. Check more about Shanghai Suzhou Hangzhou Tours>

☛ 3 Days Hangzhou & Suzhou Beauty Tour by High Speed Train
☛ 4 Days Shanghai Suzhou Excellent Tour
☛ 5 Days Shanghai Hangzhou Suzhou Highlights Tour

Since 2012, we have helped numerous customers visit Suzhou and surroundings. With our fully-inclusive private tour packages, all of our customers enjoyed their trips to the exquisite gardens, peaceful watertowns, informative silk factory or museum, old Suzhou streets, etc. Some of them kindly shared their precious photos and stories about their Suzhou journey, just get inspired now.

"We were lucky for being able to watch Chinese dancers at the Lingering Garden at the time of visit…" - shared by Nguyen (Check her The Pursuit of Natural Beauty with the Beloved one - 14 Days Beautiful China Exploring Tour>)

"Suzhou was the real treat at the end of the trip! Everything about Suzhou was perfect…" - shared by Elizabeth from Britain (Check her Long-lasting Memory brought by First Trip to China - 16 Days well-Organized and Wonderful First Visit to China>

Besides the wonderful travel stories, many customers who visited Suzhou with China Discovery also send us their first-hand feedbacks about their trip, feel free to read the Suzhou Reviews and learn what they say about their experience. If you want to start your Suzhou tour now, don't hesitate to contact us.