A Night Cruise on Shantang Street in Suzhou: A Boat Carrying All the Gentleness of Gusu

As dusk spread over the flying eaves of Shantang Street, I boarded a boat at the Bai Juyi Pier. The black-awning boat gleamed with a warm wooden glow, and the boatwoman, wearing a blue cloth headscarf, rowed gently. With each stroke, the ripples pushed the boat slowly into the depths of the river alleys, opening the page of Suzhou’s night.

The white walls and black tiles on both banks were first soaked in twilight. As the boat moved forward, the red lanterns under the eaves lit up one after another. The warm yellow light filtered through the carved window lattices, casting delicate shadows on the water. When the wind blew, the lantern reflections swayed, like a river full of scattered stars. Passing under the Star Bridge, the bridge’s arch framed the lights on both sides into a moving painting. Looking down, the gentle sound of water flowing beneath the boat could be heard; looking up, the moss-covered bridge body appeared mottled. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether I was inside a painting or traveling through time.

The audio guide said this river once carried the grain transport supervised by Bai Juyi and witnessed the prosperity of merchants during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Just as I was deeply absorbed, the sound of Pingtan storytelling from an old teahouse on the shore floated with the evening breeze. The soft and melodious tune from "Tang Bohu Points Autumn Fragrance," accompanied by the clear sound of the sanxian, blended with the river’s breath, becoming the most authentic background music of Gusu. Occasionally, I could see riverside homes with open windows, where elders picked vegetables under the lamp and children leaned on the windowsill watching the boats. The everyday life and ancient charm collided warmly.

The 40-minute cruise eventually came to an end. As the boat docked, looking back at the river alleys, the lights had already connected into a warm red glow. It turns out that the night on Shantang Street is never a still scene but a boat’s rowing sound, a river of lantern reflections, and a piece of Wu dialect, quietly blending all the gentleness of Gusu into this night cruise.

Post by Scarlett McAllister95 | Oct 20, 2025