The traditional dresses of Suzhou

Parade of traditional Chinese clothes during the Venice Carnival 2023

Suzhou, the ‘Venice of the East’ described by Marco Polo, is a Chinese city famous throughout the world for the quality of its silk and its special weaving technology. Suzhou and Venice, which lie at the two ends of the ancient Silk Road, have been officially twinned since 1980, and have therefore been carrying on relations and initiatives of mutual historical and cultural exchange for years.

On the occasion of the Venice Carnival 2023, on Friday 17 February at 2 p.m. and on Shrove Tuesday at 3 p.m., in St. Mark’s Square an evocative parade will present fifteen traditional Chinese dresses, made with silk from Suzhou – Hanfu, revealing to the world the aesthetics of Chinese clothing and the weaving technology with which they are made.

The initiative, part of a broader exchange activity in the sphere of twin cities, is promoted by the City of Venice and the City of Suzhou and organised by the Confucius Institute at Ca’ Foscari University Venice in collaboration with Vela, Ca’ Sagredo Hotel and Wavents.