Suzhou

City in Jiangsu province, China, south of the Chang Jiang River delta and east of the Grand Canal; population (1999 est) 845,687. Dating from about 1000 BC, it is popularly known as the ‘Venice of the East’ because of its network of ancient bridges and canals. Traditional silk, embroidery, and other handicrafts have been augmented by papermaking and the production of iron and steel, chemicals, cotton textiles, electronic goods, and telecommunications equipment.

The city is built on a group of islands east of Lake Tai, and was named Suzhou from the 7th century AD. During the Middle Ages the city was renowned for its splendour; it was reputedly visited by the Venetian traveller Marco Polo. Much of the old city was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion (1860-63) but many of its stone bridges, canals, gardens, temples, and pagodas remain. Two of Suzhou's best known gardens are the Zhuozhengyuan (Humble Administrator's Garden) and Shizilin (Lion Grove).