Suzhou History & Culture

Suzhou boasts a history spanning over 4,000 years, dating back to the earliest recorded history. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Shoumeng of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty founded the Wu Kingdom. In 514 BC, King Helü of Wu began building Suzhou City. During the Qin Dynasty, Wu County was established. In 589 BC, the city was renamed Suzhou. In 1928, the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928), Suzhou City was established. Suzhou is the only city along the Grand Canal to be nominated for World Heritage status as an ancient city, a renowned Jiangnan water town. From the Spring and Autumn Period, when Wu Zixu founded Helü City, Suzhou has maintained its dual chessboard layout of "parallel water and land, adjacent rivers and streets." Its unique landscape of "small bridges, flowing water, whitewashed walls and black tiles, and historic gardens" has earned it the reputation of a "paradise on earth."