The Venice of The Orient
Marco Polo was said to have called Suzhou the "Venice of the Orient" because its canals are so reminiscent of Venice, Italy. The poet, Yang Chaoying, who lived during the Yuan Dynasty, said in one of his poems:"In heaven above there is a paradise, on earth there are Suzhou and Hangzhou".
The 2500 year old city old Suzhou is the cradle of "Wu" culture. The name "Wu", oftentimes used to refer to Suzhou, is derived from the local tribes, who called themselves "Gou Wu" during the 11th century BC reign of the Shang Dynasty.
For a few years around 403-221 BC Suzhou was the capital of the state of Wu. In the early sixth century the city flourished as a trading and silk center. To this day, there are numerous silk factories in the area.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Suzhou had its most prosperous period. Government officials, scholars, artists, and tradesman became wealthy and some of this wealth was used to create the now famous gardens of Suzhou.
Although traditionally not one of the major stops on most tours by foreigners, it is considered one of the most charming cities in China. Today, it is fast becoming one of the "must see" cities in China.
Suzhou is located almost directly west of Shanghai and can be reached from Shanghai by air or by water by means of the "Da Yunhe" or the "Grand Canal".
Houses Along The "Da Yunhe" Or Grand Canal
When this picture was taken in the middle of April, all the Spring flowers were bursting into bloom everywhere, emphasizing the beauty of Suzhou's Zhou Village.
How To Best Enjoy This Site!
"Your Own Chinese Mood Music"
How would you like to feel you are actually living the experience described in this site as you go through it? If you really want to enjoy the site as it was intended, follow the instructions below. Read the instructions before clicking the link that follows this sentence.
*****Open up a new window with this link *****.
When the link opens, there will be a beautiful picture of one of Suzhou's gardens and you will begin to hear a Chinese musical composition playing. You now have your own "mood music". Another musical selection will start as soon as the previous one stops. The music will continue as long as you do not close the window for that link.
Next, go back to this site; listen, read, and enjoy! The music will continue to play as you move from section to section, or even from window to window. You will feel as if you are physically in Suzhou. When you are finished, simply close your "mood music" window
The "Da Yunhe" or "Grand Canal"
The Da Yunhe, like the Great Wall of China, was built a section at a time over centuries. The first segment goes back to the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770-256 BC).By 495 BC, the king of the state of Wu had finished the canal from Zuzhou to the Yangzi River. This process continued until all the major cities in the region were connected. There was even a link that went to Beijing in the North.
Eventually, the canal system connected the South of China to the North with over 1,100 miles of Canal, thus the name, the "Grand Canal". This made Suzhou easily accessible from many of the major cities of the region.
Canal In Suzhou's Zhou Village
The Geography of Suzhou and City Facts
Suzhou is divided roughly between the ancient city areas and the more modern or new areas.
Suzhou has been a metropolis of industry and commerce in the region for well over a thousand years. The silk industry and embroidering still are major sources of income and tourist attractions.
Suzhou's population is approximately 6 million, with 2.2 million of these being urban dwellers.
The total municipal area includes 8,488 square kilometers, with 1,650 of these in the urban area.
Administratively, Suzhou City, is composed of 5 county-level cities and seven districts.
The cities are:
Zhangjiagang
Changshu
Taicang
Kunshan
Wujiang
The districts are:
Wuzhong
Xiangheng
Pingjiang
Canglang
Jinchang
Suzhou Industrial Park
Suzhou Hitech Zone Hiqui Park
Suzhou Is A City of Canals and Gardens
The first thing most tourists are impressed with are the canals. Stone based buildings edge the canals and house the people and businesses.I first went there with a tour group, but decided that while they went to other nearby areas, I would relax and take photographs as I casually walked through the narrow alleys which ran in between the dwellings.
Taking time to have an unhurried meal while seated by an open window directly on the canal is an unforgettable experience. Watching the small boats (no motors) plying the canals added to the uniqueness of the experience.
Simultaneous to the building of the canals was the construction of more than 150 gardens in the Suzhou area. They were based on the Chinese principal of attempting to create an illusion of the universe in a small area. In many of these, you find islands connected by small bridges, fountains strategically placed among petite rock gardens, miniature waterfalls, and winding paths that connect the different areas of the garden.
Many of the gardens are quite small, yet they appear more grandiose than their actual physical size. The more famous one in the Suzhou area have now been given the protected status of national cultural monuments.
Several Photos From One Of These Gardens Follow Below.
Suzhou Government Travel Site
"When you want to know everything about travel in Suzhou!"
The Suzhou Government Travel Site is probably the most comprehensive one-stop information site on Suzhou.It has sections of links to other pages on the site that include "Suzhou Gardens", "Famous Temples", "Hotels and Restaurants", "Hotels", and "Famous Hills". One other entitled "Relic Sidelight" has pictures and descriptions of four major townships. My favorite, and one of the ones I visited was "The Water Township of Zhou Zhuang". The photo with this section is from there.
This is a good source to be searching through and reading as you listen to your "mood music" from the site linked to above.
Some of My Personal Photos From Suzhou
"There's Nothing Like Being There!"
Suzhou, China Photos. Click On The Picture In The Frame And Follow The Instructions To See A Slide Show Of All the Photos If The Slide Show Does Not Start Right Away.
Zhouzhuang Water Town,Suzhou,China
Zhouzhuang Water Town,Suzhou,China
With a history of more than 900 years,Zhouzhuang is one of the most famous water townships in China. It is only 30 kilometers southeast of Suzhou. It is noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs.
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In the early sixth century the city flourished as a trading and silk center. To this day, there are numerous silk factories in the area.
The West Garden Temple,Suzhou,China
The West Garden Temple,Suzhou,China
The West Garden Temple in Suzhou was constructed in the Yuan Dynasty and features sacred temples and classical gardens. West Garden Temple is the largest temple in Suzhou City. The hall with five hundred arhats and The Pond for Freeing Captive Animals in the temple are most interesting.
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Like all tourist areas, there is no lack of shops and stalls offering needed and unneeded goods to everyone who passes by. There are more Chinese tourists than foreigners on most days, as Suzhou is unique to those from other regions of China also.
More Informational Sources On Suzhou
"You Can Never Know Enough"
08 Suzhou: Shaping an Ancient City for the New China (Landmarks)
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 12/04/2008) 
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Used Price: $11.29
Between Heaven and Modernity: Reconstructing Suzhou, 1895-1937
Amazon Price: $63.00 (as of 12/04/2008)
List Price: $63.00
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The Chinese City in Space and Time: The Development of Urban Form in Suzhou
Amazon Price: $47.00 (as of 12/04/2008)
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Used Price: $39.00
Suzhou (Chinese/English edition: FLP China Travel and Tourism)
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 12/04/2008)
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Suzhou China to you
Dear Mr. Odd Todd, it is my home place Suzhou China now to you! China is so good everyone want to know of it. -Mr. Deng
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More Information On Suzhou
Suzhou (; ancient name: Category: wikt - :?|?) is a city on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Lake Taihu in the province of Jiangsu, China. The city is renowned for its beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens which have contributed to its status as a great tourist attraction. Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Suzhou has also been an important centre for China's silk industry and continues to hold that prominent position today. The city is part of the Yangtze River Delta region. The GDP per capita was ¥79,406 (ca. US$10,087) in 2006, ranked no. 5 among 659 Chinese cities.
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Mark_Amy wrote...
Great lens about Suzhou! That's somewhere I haven't visited yet either, but it's on my list too. Thanks also for adding my lens to the Anything and Everything Travel Group.
Mark
Posted November 17, 2008
thesolowriter wrote...
I'm so glad I found this! wonderful lens on a great place. I missed it on my backpacking trip through China (China's Wild West) so it's good to see it through your eyes. 5*
Posted November 04, 2008
SaraMu wrote...
I am currently in Shanghai and believe it or not I was approached by two young gentleman yesterday telling me about this lovely place (which happens to be where they are from). I can't make it this trip, but I've put it on the list for the next.
Posted October 26, 2008
Squidster wrote...
Welcome to the Squidoo.Asia Directory. Keep up the good work!
Posted September 07, 2008
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