Markets in the Provinces | Page 1 of 2 |
Suzhou's Lackluster Markets
Suzhou, a city world renowned for its classical Chinese gardens, is not a market town. The produce markets are far and few between. Suzhou residents must walk or bicycle a long distance to reach a neighborhood market. Moreover, Suzhou has made a complete transition to indoor markets for both farmers and resellers. The little alleyways between apartment buildings, where you would expect to find morning markets, or even a few itinerant vendors hanging out to catch a quick sale, are totally devoid of any market activity. On Sunday, a few vendors gather on a bridge over one of Suzhou's many canals. These ad-hoc Sunday markets seem to be the only street activity permitted in the city.
One large indoor market I visited called the South Gate Market ( ) has 150 produce stalls, but does not have separate sections for farmers and resellers. The market is open from 5:00 am - 6:30 pm and is located 1/2 block from Zhu Hui Road ().
Resellers predominate in South Gate Market. |
One of the few farmers at this Market. |