Suzhou, Prefecture-level city in Jiangsu, China
Suzhou is a large city in Jiangsu province in eastern China, located roughly 60 miles (100 kilometers) west of Shanghai. Districts spread across both banks of rivers and lakes, with modern quarters standing beside residential areas of low-rise houses and narrow lanes.
The settlement arose more than 2,500 years ago as the capital of a local kingdom and received its current name during the Sui Dynasty. Trade in silk and rice made it an important economic center in southern China from medieval times onward.
Silk embroidery from the region combines traditional techniques with modern motifs and appears in workshops around the old town. Local opera preserves melodies and dialects that visitors can experience during performances in small theaters.
Spring and autumn offer comfortable temperatures for walking along waterways and through garden areas. Many parts of the old town can be explored on foot, while metro and buses connect the modern districts.
Some of the old water channels run directly beneath residential buildings, allowing boats to pass through entrance halls. Several families still use small wooden boats today for daily transport of goods and groceries through the narrow waterways.
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