1. Tickets and opening hours: Don't miss the opportunity to enter the garden

Ticket price and purchase

Ticket price: There are two types of tickets for the Master of the Nets Garden: day tour and night tour. The day tour ticket price is 40 yuan/person in the peak season (April 21st - October 20th) and 30 yuan/person in the off-season (October 21st - April 20th of the following year). Students can enjoy a half-price discount with a valid student ID, and visitors under 6 years old and over 70 years old (inclusive) can enter the park for free. The night tour ticket price is relatively high. From mid-March to mid-November, it is open every night from 18:45 to 22:20, and the ticket price is 120 yuan/person. ​

Purchase method: It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance on the official website or major regular travel platforms to avoid waiting in line for too long when purchasing tickets on site, especially during the peak tourist season, when purchasing tickets on site may consume a lot of time and energy. If you plan to visit at night, you must book in advance, because the number of night tour tickets is limited and they are often sold out in advance.​

Opening hours​

Day tour: The opening hours in the peak season are 7:30-17:30, and the park stops at 17:00; the opening hours in the off-season are 7:30-17:00, and the park stops at 16:30. Be sure to pay attention to the closing time of the park, so as not to be unable to enter the park due to the late schedule. Try to choose to enter the park as early as possible after the opening, when there are relatively fewer tourists, and you can enjoy the quiet beauty of the garden more comfortably, and avoid the scorching sun. ​

Night tour: The night tour time is from mid-March to mid-November, every night from 18:45 to 22:20. A night tour of the Master of Nets Garden is a unique experience. The garden has a unique charm under the background of lights. You can also enjoy wonderful performances such as Kunqu Opera, Pingtan, Guqin, and folk music, and feel the charm of Suzhou's traditional culture. But please note that the performance time and number of night tours are relatively fixed, so you need to plan your arrival time in advance to avoid missing the opening.

2. Transportation: Avoid congested roads

Address​

The Master of Nets Garden is located at No. 11, Kuojiatou Lane, Gusu District, Suzhou City. It is located in the southeast of Suzhou Ancient City. It is surrounded by streets in the old city and the traffic conditions are relatively complicated. ​

Public Transportation​

Bus: You can take buses 47, 204, 501, 529, etc. and get off at the Master of Nets Garden Station. After getting off, you can see the entrance sign of the Master of Nets Garden. It is very convenient to walk there. Bus travel is economical, but there may be congestion during peak hours in the morning and evening, so you need to reserve enough travel time. ​

Subway: If you take the subway, you can choose the following lines. Take Line 1 to Lindun Road Station, exit from Exit 1, turn right and walk 10 meters to Shuangta Station, transfer to Bus No. 202, 55, 529 or 811 to reach the Master of the Nets Garden; take Line 4 to Sanyuanfang Station, exit from Exit 1, walk 1 km east, or transfer to Bus No. 47, 9011, Tourist Line 2, or Bus No. 309 or 931; take Line 5 to Nanyuan North Road Station, exit from Exit 3, and walk 700 meters north. The subway is relatively punctual, but you may need to transfer to the bus. You need to know the transfer route and station information in advance. ​

Self-driving​

Since the Master of the Nets Garden is located in the ancient city area, the surrounding roads are narrow, parking spaces are limited, and some sections of the road are restricted during certain periods, it is not recommended to drive there. If you really need to drive yourself, you can check the surrounding parking information in advance, such as the parking lot of Wangshiyuan and Nanlin Hotel, but you need to pay attention to the high parking fees and the shortage of parking spaces during holidays, so it may take a long time to find a parking space.

3. Tour route: Don't miss the highlights

The Wangshi Garden adopts the pattern of east house and west garden. The residential area is developed along the central axis, including the main gate, sedan chair hall, large living room, Xiexiu Building, etc.; the garden area is centered on the pool, and is arranged with pavilions, towers, rockery and flowers, forming a rich and varied landscape. It is recommended to visit according to the following route, so as not to go back and miss the highlights of the garden: Residential area: After entering from the main gate, you will first come to the sedan chair hall, which is where the old owner parked the sedan chair to welcome guests. Then step into the Wanjuan Hall, which is named after the original name of the garden in the Southern Song Dynasty, "Wanjuan Hall". The hall is elegantly decorated and you can understand the historical changes of the Wangshi Garden. Then visit the Xiexiu Building, which is where the owner's family lives. The courtyard in front of the building is small and exquisite. Garden area: Pass through the residential area and enter the garden area. Come to Wufeng Book House. There is a small rockery in front of the book house, like five peaks. The environment is quiet and it is a good place to read. Then we came to Jixuzhai, which was named after the poem "Only the Tao gathers emptiness, and emptiness is the heart's fasting" in "Zhuangzi·The World of Man", and is full of cultural charm. Coming out of Jixuzhai, you can see Zhuwaiyizhixuan, in front of which there is a clump of green bamboos. The name of the pavilion is taken from Su Shi's "Thousands of trees at the river head are about to darken in spring, and a branch of bamboo outside is even better", where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery by the pond. ​

Continue forward and arrive at Kansong Duhuaxuan, where there are several ancient pines in front of the pavilion, with different postures, and some calligraphy and painting works on display next to them, which can make people feel the fusion of gardens and culture. Then enter Dianchun Pavilion, which is the garden in the garden of Wangshiyuan and was once the studio of the famous painter Zhang Daqian. Peony and other flowers are planted in the courtyard of Dianchun Pavilion, which is very beautiful in spring with colorful flowers. ​

Leaving Dianchun Pavilion, we came to Lengquan Pavilion, where there is a small rockery next to the pavilion. A clear spring flows down from the mountain and falls into the pool below, making a crisp and pleasant sound. Walking along the path beside the pond, you can see the Moon to the Wind Pavilion, which is located on the west bank of the pond and is a great place to enjoy the moon. In the pavilion, you can enjoy the reflection of the bright moon in the water and feel the beautiful artistic conception of "when the moon reaches the center of the sky and the wind comes to the water surface". ​

Then we came to the Zhuoying Water Pavilion, which is built by the water. Here you can watch the fish and lotus in the water up close. Coming out of the Zhuoying Water Pavilion, we passed by the Luhua Pavilion, which was named after Li Bai's "The clouds think of clothes and the flowers think of beauty, the spring breeze blows the threshold and the dew is thick". The pavilion displays some cultural relics and artworks related to the garden. Continue forward and arrive at the Taohe Pavilion, which is a place for the owner to relax and have fun. ​

Going further, you will see the piano room, where musical instruments such as the guqin are placed. If you are lucky, you can also hear the melodious sound of the piano. Leaving the piano room, we came to the Xiaoshan Conggui Pavilion, where plants such as osmanthus are planted in front of the pavilion. In autumn, the fragrance of osmanthus is intoxicating. There is a small Yinjing Bridge next to the pavilion. It is the smallest stone arch bridge in the world. It is reproduced and collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States. It is worth seeing. ​

Walk through the Yinjing Bridge and come to the Tiyun Room, which was once the study of the owner of the garden. Finally, visit the Porcelain Museum, which displays some exquisite porcelain and learns about the traditional crafts of Suzhou. After the visit, leave the Wangshi Garden from the exit.

4. Tour precautions: Tour in a civilized manner and avoid disturbing others

Do not touch cultural relics: There are many precious cultural relics and ancient buildings in the Wangshi Garden, such as inscriptions, couplets, and ancient furniture. These are witnesses of history and are of great value. During the tour, do not touch or climb cultural relics and buildings to avoid damaging them. Feeding animals is prohibited: There are many fish swimming in the pool in the garden, and some tourists may not be able to resist feeding them. However, random feeding may damage the water quality, affect the health of fish, and also damage the ecological environment of the garden. Please abide by the regulations and do not feed animals. Control the volume: Wangshi Garden is a quiet and elegant place. Visitors should try to control the volume during the tour and avoid loud noises to avoid disturbing other tourists from appreciating the quiet beauty of the garden, and to allow themselves to better feel the charm of the garden. Pay attention to safety: The roads and steps in the garden may be narrow and uneven, and some areas are close to water. Pay attention to the safety of your feet when walking, especially the elderly and children, who need to be accompanied by family members to prevent falling or falling into the water. When visiting the rockery, pay attention to safety and do not climb dangerous areas.​

Take care of flowers, plants and trees: There are many kinds of flowers, plants and trees in the Wangshi Garden, which are an important part of the garden landscape. Do not pick flowers, trample on the lawn, or break branches at will. Take care of every plant and tree in the garden and jointly maintain the beautiful environment of the garden.

5. Surrounding traps: Beware of consumer scams

Street vendors: There may be some street vendors around the Wangshi Garden selling so-called "Suzhou specialty souvenirs", such as inferior Suzhou embroidery, fake four treasures of the study, etc. The quality of these products varies, and the prices are often inflated. Be careful when buying to avoid being deceived. It is recommended to go to regular stores or cultural and creative stores in the scenic area to buy souvenirs, and the quality and after-sales service are more guaranteed. ​

Food traps: Some restaurants in the surrounding area may have opaque prices and poor quality of dishes. When choosing a restaurant, check the menu prices to avoid being "ripped off". You can refer to the reviews of other tourists on platforms such as Dianping, choose restaurants with good reputations, and taste authentic Suzhou cuisine, such as squirrel mandarin fish, fried eel paste, Suzhou-style pastries, etc.

Follow this guide to avoid pits, plan and prepare in advance, and I believe you will have a pleasant and unforgettable experience in the Wangshi Garden and fully appreciate the unique charm of Jiangnan gardens. However, please note that exhibitions, performances and other activities in the garden may be adjusted due to seasonality, maintenance and other reasons. Please pay attention to on-site instructions when visiting.