1. History Suzhou is an ancient city south of the Changjiang (Yangzi River) in Jiangsu Province. It has an ancient history of 2,500 years. The city proper and its outskirts are crisscrossed by numerous rivers spanned by many arch bridges. The City of Suzhou (Old spelling of Soochow) has been called the "Venice of the East."

Suzhou is famous for its gardens in the classical Chinese style. Each Garden has its own unique layout. In the construction of some gardens, water is emphasized, with artificial hills around it, connected with elegant corridors and pavilions.

Others have subtle and exquisite. In some gardens, bizarre rockeries dominate the scene, with creeks and ponds encircled. buildings, displaying a diversity of architectural styles. There are inner gardens inside a garden, offering ever-changing scenes that are full of a strong oriental color, showing the characteristics of the Chinese art of building gardens. The City of Suzhou and the City of Portland, Oregon have collaborated in constructing a Suzhou style garden in downtown Portland. Many container loads of Chinese rocks and material along with Chinese craftsmen have built this beautiful garden in Portland and it is now open to the public for tours.