Door Handles in Chinese Doors – Guardians of the House

These door handles in Chinese doors are the guardians of the house. Three weeks ago, I traveled to Suzhou. Every time I saw a door handle, I couldn’t help but take photos of them. They fascinate me. The locals and other tourists who had seen me looking at the details of these door handles must have thought that I was obsessed. Oh well, I am. 😀

Here are a few of the door handles I saw in Suzhou. 

Some people might call these as door knockers. Or doorknobs?

They are everywhere in China, but not much in the city.

Except in city areas where ancient houses are declared and protected by law.

You will see many of them in small cities, villages, temples and other tourist sites.

A Chinese friend of mine said that many people believe in the power of these handles.

They resemble that of the face of a lion, monkey, and dragon – at least that’s how I see them.

People believe that these door handles can protect them from evil.

Or bad luck from entering their house. . 

Well, from the look of these faces, who won’t be afraid? 

Imagine if these lions would roar when you’re a stranger visiting for the first time? 😉 

Would you not run? 😀 

I bet you’d run faster than a maglev train in China! 😀

However, these door handles also show a kind of culture that is still embraced by many.

In big cities around the world, especially in Chinatowns, these door handles are ubiquitous.

They may look scary, but they are there to remind evil strangers and bad spirits not to trespass.

Or else, these lions would roar – for real. 😉

Hostel / Hotel in Suzhou

Wherever you stay in Shanghai, you are certainly accessible to any public transport. So, it doesn’t really matter because the city’s public transport is one of the best in the world. This time, no hostel for me. I stayed at Penta Hotel by Zhongshan Park. I got a good deal during the holiday week – and I couldn’t be happier about my experience here. Zhongshan Park metro is just two minutes on foot and groceries, shops, and malls are just around the area.

However, if you wanna stay in a hostel close to the city center, the Phoenix, near People Square should be your choice. Captain Hostel, too, is a great choice for its patio restaurant/bar overlooking the Shanghai skyline. You can book these two hostels through HostelWorld, and Booking. For other hostels, check out this list of Top 10 hostels in Shanghai. For hotel accommodations, and Expedia have many choices, too.

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VPN in China

Remember that while most hotels in China have free access to wifi, it is recommended that you install your own VPN to access your social media accounts. And yes, Google is non-existent here. So, if you have Gmail accounts, they won’t work here without a VPN.

How to Buy a Train Ticket Online in China

Buying train tickets at the train station anywhere in China can be confusing for those who don’t speak the language. What I always do is book via TRIP because it’s the most convenient, and they don’t really charge that much for the service fee. The money you’d spend going to the train station might be the same for the service fee. And you wasted no time joining the long queue there. However, on the day of your trip, make sure to be at the station at least an hour and a half. Go directly to the window booth where they issue the real tickets. You have to show the reservation number/s. Train attendants usually allow passengers to check–in between 20-30 minutes before the scheduled departure.