Suzhou and the Sex Museum in Tong-Li

On Suzhou Canal with Boatman
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 canal

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

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, there would be a servant on-hand to cool them down with a fan… Now try and tell me that wouldn’t be a little awkward for all parties involved?!

Suzhou sex museum, China

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

China Sex museum, Tong Li, Sculpture, Penis, Suzhou

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

There are tens upon tens of gardens in Suzhou – they’re beautiful but expensive so I only recommend going to a couple. I had a far more interesting and enriching time wandering around the back streets, watching the children play games and the elderly playing marjong. To be able to watch local life away from the crowded tourist spots always offer a different perspective to a place.

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

Have you been to Suzhou or Tong-Li?

the culture map blog

Hi, I'm Shing

Welcome to The Culture Map, a place where I share my travel guides, adventurous tales, and capture the inspiring diversity of our world.

5 Responses

  1. Ahhhh, now I get why you liked my Chinese Penis Destroyer picture! Haha, this is much more, um, ‘impressive’…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Discover more unique places from around the world

© 2024 The Culture Map · Privacy Policy