A minsu (Chinese-style bed-and-breakfast) in the village of Shushan.
Curling smoke rises gently, imbuing the surroundings with warmth and vitality, a scene that has come to typify the contemporary pursuit of slow paced living and fueling the fervor for rural getaways. The village of Shushan, nestled in the town of Tong’an in Suzhou, boasts picturesque landscapes with pristine mountains and clear waters. In recent years tourism has been on the rise there, with countryside minsu (Chinese-style bed-and-breakfast) sprouting up like mushrooms after the rain.
However, the growth of minsu clusters has presented significant challenges for operators. The minsu in the village are exquisitely decorated and set amid beautiful surroundings, with nearly every establishment offering wonderful views of the mountainous countryside. How to stand out from the crowd of minsu, establish a unique identity and become a big attraction is a problem many minsu operators face.
Chen Jin runs a minsu in Shushan called Here·Shushan that has attracted numerous visitors because of its lively, welcoming decor and excellent mountain and garden views. It has become a popular minsu in the village, even gaining a national accolade. However, as more and more minsu spring up in the village, Chen feels the pressure mounting. “I’ve been thinking about how to surpass myself,” he says.
At the beginning of this year Here·Shushan set up a music class in which each student had a ukulele, and the wonderful music lingered in the countryside cottages, creating a relaxed and joyous atmosphere. This was Chen’s first step in breaking new ground. Building on this initiative, a variety of activities such as folk music gatherings, poetry readings, lectures, book clubs and African drum classes have been staged in the minsu, attracting artistic youth from all over the country.
The minsu operators in Shushan are becoming increasingly younger, and their business philosophies and an innovative spirit are injecting new vitality into the development of various businesses in the village. Recently a small wedding was held in a minsu called Daydreams. The European retro-style decor of the space gave the wedding a rich, romantic feel. The newlyweds stood under a flower wall, laughing heartily amid relatives and friends, joy flowed freely, and the Western touch added a fresh feel to the countryside.
These days more and more business people are feeling the need to break free of limitations and are looking at how they can in effect become more versatile, and rural tourism operators in Shushan are no exception.
Recently the Suzhou Academy of Fine Arts set up shop in Shushan, and the national exhibition Harmony of Pear Blossoms in Hemei Shushan featuring renowned Chinese paintings was held in the village. Thirty-six works by many well- known artists were showcased, depicting the magnificent pear blossoms in full bloom. In Shushan Concert Hall musicians from both home and abroad have been drawing on their rich talents, often accompanied by live performances by independent bands.
Art galleries, concert halls, libraries and bookstores have brought tourism to life in Shushan. By fully harnessing the resources that the mountains, waters, the agricultural setting and culture offer, there is no doubt that the tourism industry and the local community more broadly have been huge winners.
