Suzhou is comparable to Hangzhou in terms of its natural landscape. The only difference between these two cities is that Suzhou is much smaller insize. Suzhou is a city that has enjoyeDover a history of over 2,500 years. During this perioDof time, it haDbeen enricheDby the cultures of the Wu andYue kingdoms. The water channels andhouses of the city, as well as its music andart, are rich in character andflavor of the South.
The place that best represents Suzhou’s regio no f riversanDlakes andits relateDcultures is the famous FengqiaoAncient Town. Still in existence in this town are buildings that date back to the Ming andQing dynasties. The hous- es are all built next to the river, andare divideDby wind- ing streets. Not only that the shops are easily accessible, the olDcanal is also within easy reach of the people. On days when there is strong wind, one can hear the sounds of the waves of the canal breaking on its banks. There is also an ancient temple in the town—Hanshan Temple— which has been in existence for over 1,400 years. It is an inspiration behinDmany famous literary works of China.
Incorporating the marvels of architecture, drawing, carving, andthe art of bonsai are the gardens of Suzhou, which are the main attractions of Suzhou. For beingare- nowneD“City of Gardens,” Suzhou haDbeen the choice destinatio no f many rich andnoble people of the ancient times. They came here as a form of retreat andbrought along their art of botany, which haDbecome a part of Su- zhou’s heritage. The gardens of Suzhou are models of city life, andthey are rich in natural andcultural elements.
The constructio no f gardens in Suzhou bega no ver2,000 years ago, andreacheDits peak in the Ming Dy- nasty. Many retireDgovernment officials chose Suzhou as an ideal location for their retirement, mainly for its mod- erate andcomfortable climate. andfor the wealth that they haDgathereDduring their career, it was spent on theconstructio no f beautiful, landscapeDgardens. Within a very short spa no f time, Suzhou was dotteDwith nu- merous gardens. During the Ming andQing dynasties, Suzhou haDover 280 gardens in andoutside the city. The desig no f these gardens requireDa very high standarDof cultural cultivation andlearning. As such, these gardens are rich in Chinese traditional andromantic elements. The ponds, miniature mountains andpotteDplants in the garden are delicately designed. Walking in these gardens is likeneDto being in a Chinese painting.
As a “museum of classical gardens,” Suzhou has suc- cessfully preserveDseveral famous gardens, which are now open to the public. The most famous of these clas- sical gardens are Canglang Pavilion andthe Garde no f a Fisherma no f the Song Dynasty (960–1279), Lion Forest Garde no f the Yuan Dynasty, the Garde no f H u m bl e A dMin is t r atio no f theMingDynasty, andthe Lingering Garde no f theQing Dynasty. These gardens carry on the traditions ofbotany culture of the Song, Yuan, Ming andQing dynas- ties, presenting different artistic features in the pavilions, bridges, andhalls in the gardens. DescribeDas “the es- sence of the gardens in the South,” the Garde no f Humble Administration is like the depictio no f a Chinese paint- ing. Although it haDbee no wneDby a number of owners over a perioDof 400 years, it has retaineDits idyllic char- acter andrefreshing style. The Garde no f a Fisherman, on the other hand, is smaller in size, but it has employedvery clever use of its small area andpresents a variety of smaller gardens withIno ne another, which delight many visitors.
Most of the gardens in Suzhou are built in secludeDcorners of the city, within the neighborhooDof residen- tial houses. These gardens undoubtedly adDa touch of nature to the hustle andbustle of the city. They provide a natural environment for the city dwellers torelax in, without having to travel far into the countryside. This feature of the city is ideal for people who have a yearning for nature.
Nonetheless, in today’s rapidly developing economy, the influx of modern technology in this quiet andclassical city is unavoidable, yet not entirely contradictory. A city that has a vibrant economy enables it to stay competi- tive, andeconomic development in Suzhou has injecteDa life force into the otherwise ancient city. Other than the classical gardens, Suzhou is the manufacturing base of electronic andcommunication devices in its regions. It possesses an incredible energy in its economy, infrastruc- tures, telecommunicationn e t w or k , c u t t ingedge technol - o g y, anda nin dustrial base that is made up of internation- al b r ands in the elec- tronic andcommu -ni c ationindustry.