Suzhou Gardens/Canals

Why the Suzhou Gardens and Canals are special
For thousands of years the city of Suzhou has been celebrated throughout China for its exquisite classical gardens and picturesque urban canals.

Suzhou Gardens tips and insights
How to pronounce
Suzhou: sue-zh'o

Creation
Most were built by wealthy merchants and government officials as private in-town escapes from the bustling, high pressure city life. They were usually extensions of their residences, for easy access.

Garden design
A classical garden in southern China is typically a harmonious blend of distinctive plants, golden carp filled ponds, eye-catching rockeries, graceful pathways, arched bridges and poetic pavilions in a small, walled setting. The garden is designed so that your view changes every dozen or so steps down the walkway. And, each should take on different guises as the seasons change.

Suzhou's top 4 gardens
If you have time to visit only a few of Suzhou's scores of ancient gardens, let them be these four:

• Garden of the Master of Nets
  
• Humble Administrator's
  
• Lingering Garden
  
• Surging Wave Garden

Water city
Suzhou is very much a water city and the canals play an integral part. The city lies on the vast Yangtze River delta. Suzhou is surrounded by lakes and waterways - and is crisscrossed by an urban canal network, which is connected with China's Grand Canal and, therefore, the ocean.

Some portions of the narrow canals are still lined with traditional dwellings and plied by photogenic small cargo boats (see canal photo).

Best way to view the canals
You can view the Suzhou canals from bridges, but the only way to fully appreciate them is on a boat.

Location
Suzhou is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Shanghai, making it a convenient daytrip.