The Huangpu ( pronunciation ), formerly romanized as Whangpoo , is a 113 km-long (70 mi) river flowing north through Shanghai . The Bund and Lujiazui are located along the Huangpu River.
75-522: The Huangpu is the biggest river in central Shanghai, with the Suzhou Creek being its major tributary. It is on average 400 m (1,312 ft) wide and 9 m (30 ft) deep, and divides the city into two regions: Puxi ("west of Huangpu"), the traditional city center , and Pudong ("east of Huangpu"). The following roadways, highways, and railways also cross the Huangpu River via
150-711: A local dialect known as Suzhounese , a member of the Wu language family . In addition to American and European expatriates, there is a large Korean community in Suzhou. The Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) estimated that there were 15,000 Koreans in the municipality in 2014. That year 850 Korean companies operated in Suzhou, and the Koreans made up the largest number of students at the Suzhou Singapore International School . Suzhou's economy
225-558: A 1,000-bed hospital for adult and pediatric patients. Once the hospital is unveiled, Washington University doctors in St. Louis will be able to provide long-distance health-care services to patients in China through a telemedicine program. The population of Suzhou is predominantly Han Chinese . The official language of broadcast, instruction, etc. is Mandarin Chinese , although many speak
300-523: A bridge: A number lines of the Shanghai Metro cross underneath the river, including Line 12 , Line 4 , Line 2 , Line 9 , Line 4 (twice), Line 8 , Line 13 , and Line 11 (from north to south geographically). There are several roadways which cross the Huangpu river via a tunnel, including: There are currently several ferry lines operated by Shanghai Ferry . Numerous tour boats also ply
375-628: A circuit of about 10 miles (16 km) with four large suburbs lying outside. The Japanese invaded in 1937, and many gardens were again devastated by the end of the war. In the early 1950s, restoration was done on the Humble Administrator's Garden and the Lingering Garden . The Classical Gardens of Suzhou were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, for their metaphysical importance of natural beauty in Chinese culture. The urban core of Suzhou, Gusu District ,
450-476: A decrease of 2.9%. Grain supply was effectively guaranteed through the vigorous construction of commodity grain production bases, wholesale grain markets and reserve systems. Traditional handicrafts Suzhou has a long history of reeling silkworms and has always been an important base for silk production in China. Since the Song and Yuan dynasties, Suzhou has been one of the centres of silk weaving and dyeing in
525-577: A social and economic regeneration of the Suzhou River area. However, following initiatives of artists in the late 1990s, the riverside area has been designated as a protected heritage zone and many warehouses have been conserved, now providing quarters for Shanghai's flourishing art scene. In 2002, new plans for the redevelopment of the Suzhou Creek's riverfront were approved. These plans, based upon proposals by three international firms, call for
600-484: A white tiger appeared on the hill to guard it following the burial The hill has been a tourist destination for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, as is evident from the poetry and calligraphy carved into rocks on the hill. The Song dynasty poet, Su Shi said, "It is a lifelong pity if having visited Suzhou you did not visit Tiger Hill." Yunyan Pagoda (or Huqiu Tower), built in 961, is a Chinese pagoda built on Tiger Hill in Suzhou. It has several other names, including
675-513: Is a preferential tax policy for limited partnership venture capital enterprises in the Suzhou Industrial Park. Suzhou is a highly developed economic region in China and is the economic centre, industrial, commercial and logistical hub city of Jiangsu province, as well as an important financial, cultural, artistic, educational and transportation centre. Agriculture In 2013, total grain production reached 1,311,200 tonnes,
750-476: Is also a popular residential district for many foreigners who work and live in Suzhou, as well as 'new Suzhou' residents who migrate to the area in search of work opportunities. The Suzhou Industrial Park Export Processing Zone was approved to be established by the government in April 2000, with a planning area of 2.9 km (1.1 sq mi). It is in Suzhou Industrial Park set up by China and Singapore. Inside
825-401: Is also one of China's foremost destinations for foreign investment, based on its relative proximity to Shanghai and comparatively low operating costs. The municipal government has enacted various measures to encourage FDI in a number of manufacturing (e.g. pharmaceutical, electronic goods, automobile) and service (e.g. banking, logistics, research services) sectors. Included among these measures
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#1732765253985900-415: Is based primarily on its large manufacturing sector—China's first largest(from 2020)—including iron and steel, IT and electronic equipment, and textile products. The city's service sector is notably well-developed, primarily owing to tourism, which brought in a total of RMB 152 billion of revenue in 2013. Suzhou's overall GDP exceeded RMB 1.3 trillion in 2013 (up 9.6 percent from the year previous). The city
975-410: Is informally called the "Old Town." Suzhou Industrial Park is to the east of the old town, and Suzhou High & New Technology Development Zone is to the west. In 2000, the original Wu County was divided into two districts, Xiangcheng and Wuzhong . They now form the northern and southern parts of the city of Suzhou. In 2012, the original Wujiang City became Wujiang District of Suzhou City. Suzhou
1050-547: Is one of the most prosperous cities in China. Its development has a direct correlation with the growth of its satellite cities , including Kunshan , Taicang , Changshu , and Zhangjiagang , which together with the city of Suzhou form the Suzhou prefecture. The Suzhou prefecture is home to many high-tech enterprises. Suzhou is on the Lake Tai Plain south of the Yangtze River , about 100 km (60 mi) to
1125-442: Is the name used by upstream residents closer to Suzhou. Due to Shanghai's role as trade port, from the 1930s Suzhou Creek was an important shipping route, facilitating the transport of goods into the interior of China. Along the river banks, a multitude of warehouses and factories were built at this time, making the region close to the river a significant industrial area. In the course of urbanization, local industries withdrew from
1200-472: The Grand Canal . Suzhou Creek is crossed by a number of distinctive bridges, often European in style, the most famous one being Waibaidu Bridge (Garden Bridge) right at its confluence with Huangpu River . Facilitating north–south traffic in the ever-growing metropolis, a number of new bridges are currently being constructed. Gubei Road bridge, to be opened in late 2006, will be the longest bridge over
1275-575: The Nature Index 2022. The city is home to universities, including Soochow University , Suzhou University of Science and Technology , Xi'an Jiaotong–Liverpool University , and Changshu Institute of Technology . The city's tourist attractions include canals, stone bridges , pagodas , and gardens. The Classical Gardens of Suzhou were added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997 and 2000. During
1350-523: The Song and Yuan dynasties: even as late as 1277, sea-faring merchant ships could sail up the river to reach the gates of Suzhou . By the early 14th century, however, repeated major dredging works were again necessary to maintain the channel. By the late 14th century, during the early Ming dynasty , the lower reaches of the river had almost entirely become land. A major tributary, the Huangpu River ,
1425-643: The Sui dynasty . Su ( 蘇 or 苏 ) in its name is a contraction of the old name Gusu. It refers to "Satisfied place" in the Old Yue language. The zhou 州 originally meant something like a province or county (cf. Guizhou ), but often came to be used metonymously for the capital of such a region (cf. Guangzhou , Hangzhou , etc.). Suzhou is the Hanyu Pinyin spelling of the Putonghua pronunciation of
1500-499: The Suzhou Confucian Temple was founded by famed poet and writer Fan Zhongyan . It became a venue for the imperial civil examinations and then developed into the modern Suzhou High School in the 1910s. After February 1130, riots and unrest disrupted Suzhou. In 1356, Suzhou became the capital of Zhang Shicheng , King of Wu . In 1367, Zhang's rival Zhu Yuanzhang took the city after a 10-month siege. Zhu – who
1575-609: The Suzhou Museum (designed by I. M. Pei ), Suzhou Silk Museum , and the China Kunqu Museum . As a result of its recent rapid population increase, healthcare demand in Suzhou is increasing rapidly. In July 2019, Washington University School of Medicine announced a collaboration with Huici Health Management Co., and the Xiangcheng District , to open the new Huici Medical Center, which will include
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#17327652539851650-457: The Suzhou railway station , connecting it with Shanghai , opened on 16 July 1906. Just prior to World War I , there were 7000 silk looms in operation, as well as a cotton mill and a large trade in rice. As late as the early 20th century, much of the city consisted of islands connected by rivers, creeks, and canals to the surrounding countryside. Prior to their demolition, the city walls ran in
1725-480: The Tang dynasty and has 53 arches with a length of 317 meters. It was made out of stone from Jinshan Mountain and is the longest standing bridge of its kind in China. The bridge was included on the list of national monuments (resolution 5–285) in 2001. Tiger Hill is known for its natural environment and historical sites. The hill is so named because it is said to look like a crouching tiger. Another legend states that
1800-580: The Wusong (Woosung) River , is a river that passes through the Shanghai city center. It is named after the neighboring city of Suzhou (Soochow), Jiangsu , the predominant settlement in this area prior to the rise of Shanghai as a metropolis. One of the principal outlets of Lake Tai in Wujiang District of Suzhou , Suzhou Creek is 125 km (78 mi) long, of which 54 km are within
1875-523: The Zhou dynasty , a settlement known as Gusu after nearby Mount Gusu ( Chinese : 姑 苏 山 ; pinyin : Gūsūshān ) became the capital of the state of Wu . From this role, it also came to be called Wu as well. In 514 BC, King Helü of Wu established a new capital nearby at Helü City and this grew into the modern city. During the Warring States period , Helü City continued to serve as
1950-619: The film Empire of the Sun , Suzhou Creek has an internment camp/POW camp near an airfield. Suzhou Suzhou is a major prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province, China . As part of the Yangtze Delta megalopolis , it is a major economic center and focal point of trade and commerce. Founded in 514 BC, Suzhou rapidly grew in size by the Eastern Han dynasty , mostly due to emigration from northern China . From
2025-556: The "Leaning Tower of China" (as referred to by historian O.G. Ingles) and the Yunyan Temple Tower. The tower rises to a height of 47 m (154 ft). It is a seven-story octagonal building built with blue bricks. In more than a thousand years the tower has gradually slanted due to forces of nature. Now the top and bottom of the tower vary by 2.32 meters. The entire structure weighs some 7,000,000 kilograms (15,000,000 lb), supported by internal brick columns. However,
2100-414: The 10th century onwards, it has been an important economic, cultural, and commercial center, as well as the largest non- capital city in the world, until it was overtaken by Shanghai. Since economic reforms began in 1978 , Suzhou attained GDP growth rates of about 14% in 35 years. In 2023, Suzhou had 5 million registered residents. Suzhou is listed as the 48th cities by scientific output according to
2175-679: The British concession (Southern bank) and the American settlement (Northern bank) until both concessions were merged into the International Settlement in 1863. When the Japanese invaded Shanghai in 1937 , the river formed the boundary between the International Settlement (South) and the Japanese concession (North). The Wusong River acquired its modern name in the mid-19th century: because it connected Shanghai with Suzhou, it
2250-516: The Bund Tunnel. Due to its location in the former International Settlement, a number of landmarks from that period can be found along or close to Suzhou Creek. Following the river westward from its confluence, important or famous places include: In the Suzhou area, where the same river is rather called Wusong River, it passes by Suzhou Industrial Park and Suzhou Dushu Lake Higher Education Town , and connects via Huodi Pond and Dushu Lake to
2325-524: The Export Processing Zone, all the infrastructures are of high standard. The Suzhou New District was established in 1990. In November 1992, the zone was approved to be the national-level hi-tech industrial zone. By the end of 2007, foreign-invested companies had a registered capital worth of US$ 13 billion, of which US$ 6.8 billion was paid in. SND hosts now more than 1,500 foreign companies. Some 40 Fortune 500 companies set up 67 projects in
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2400-526: The Jiangnan Canal, Grand Canal (China) , includes ten city gates and over 20 stone bridges of traditional design and historic areas that have been well preserved, as well as temples and pavilions. There are a full 24 waterways in Suzhou near the Grand Canal. In 2015, both 800-year-old Pingjiang Road Historical Block ( 平江路 ) and 1,200-year-old Shantang Street Scenic Area ( 山塘街 ) were added to
2475-675: The Main Canal or encircling canal of Suzhou. Originally built during the Warring States period in the state of Wu, historians estimate it to be around 2,500 years old. It is now part of the Pan Gate Scenic Area . It is known for the "three landmarks of Pan Gate". They are the Ruiguang Pagoda , the earliest pagoda in Suzhou built in 247 BC, the Wu Gate Bridge , the entrance to the gate at that time over
2550-678: The Ming dynasty established the Huangpu as the main conduit, and by 1569, after dredging works directed by Hai Rui , the relative arrangement of the two channels became established: the Wusong River flowed into the Huangpu near today's Waibaidu Bridge , and the combined channel flowed to the Mouth of the Wusong via the Fanjiabang channel. In the region of today's central Shanghai, Wusong River
2625-762: The Singapore Industrial Park). The project officially commenced on 12 May in the same year. SIP has a jurisdiction area of 288 km (111 sq mi), of which, the China-Singapore cooperation area covers 80 km (31 sq mi) with a planned residential population of 1.2 million. SIP is home to the Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District, an area of universities and higher education institutions, including Soochow University and Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University . Suzhou Industrial Park
2700-713: The Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Project, a 12-year-program to improve the water quality, mitigate flood impact, introduce wastewater and water resource management and push for urban revitalization and a higher living standard in the desolated areas along Suzhou River. In the meantime, Suzhou River is considered clean enough to host annual rowing competitions. Originally, most old factories and warehouses along Suzhou River were set be demolished to make way for construction of modern high-rise buildings in Shanghai's fast-developing city center, aiming at
2775-460: The Suzhou Creek. The construction of the tunnel was designed to relieve the heavy traffic through the Bund area. It rendered obsolete the late 20th century concrete Wusong Road Gate Bridge at the mouth of Suzhou Creek, which had impacted the streetscape and sightlines in the Bund area, allowing it to be removed. The tunnel replaced the road transport function of the bridge (and its water control function
2850-797: The World Heritage List include the Couple's Retreat Garden , the Garden of Cultivation , and the Retreat and Reflection Garden . Five Peaks Garden which dates to the Ming dynasty (1522–1566) is also located in the Suzhou. Ming painter Wen Boren established his home on the site. The original name was Qiayin Shanfang and the garden is located at Changmin West Street. The Suzhou section of
2925-474: The administrative region of Shanghai and 24 km within the city's highly urbanized parts. It flows into the Huangpu River at the northern end of the Bund in Huangpu District . The river was originally called "Song Jiang" ("Pine River"). When the former Huating Fu (Prefecture) was renamed Songjiang Fu in 1278, the river's name was changed to "Wusong River". The Wusong River formerly entered
3000-487: The ancient kingdom include pieces of its 2,500-year-old city wall and the gate through it at Pan Gate . The city was originally laid out according to a symbolic three-by-three grid of nine squares , with the royal palace occupying the central position. During the Warring States period, Suzhou was the seat of Wu County ( 吳縣 , Wú xiàn) and Commandery ( 吳 郡 , Wú jùn ). Following the Qin Empire 's conquest of
3075-568: The area in 222 BC, it was made the capital of Kuaiji Commandery , including lands stretching from the south bank of the Yangtze to the unconquered interior of Minyue in southern Zhejiang. Amid the collapse of the Qin , Kuaiji's governor Yin Tong attempted to organize his own rebellion only to be betrayed and executed by Xiang Liang and his nephew Xiang Yu , who launched their own rebellion from
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3150-489: The breeze, adding to the charm of the river bank". Boat tours are offered on the waterways of this city that was dubbed the "Venice of the East" by Marco Polo because of its criss-crossing canals and stone bridges. The Grand Canal (from Beijing to Zhejiang province) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Suzhou Taihu National Tourism and Vacation Zone ( 苏州太湖国家旅游度假区 ) is in the western part of Suzhou, 15 km (9 mi) from
3225-486: The city center, leaving the warehouses and factories abandoned. Up to this point, the river had been heavily polluted by industries as well as domestic waste water, making Suzhou Creek locally known as "the smelly river" , the most polluted river in Shanghai since the 1920s. Since 1992, the Shanghai Municipal Government has been pursuing a redevelopment of the area. In 1998, authorities launched
3300-421: The city center. Gate to the East is a 301.8 meter, 74-story skyscraper in Suzhou's central business district, built in 2015 at a cost of 700 million USD and is currently the tallest building in Suzhou. Suzhou IFS is a 450 meter tall building home to 95 floors near Gate to the East. You can see the tower from Huqiu which is a special tourist attraction in Suzhou. Pan Gate is on the southwest corner of
3375-461: The city, with its surroundings as an economic base, represented an extraordinary source of tax revenue. When the shipwrecked Korean official Choe Bu had a chance to see much of Eastern China from Zhejiang to Liaoning on his way home in 1488, he described Suzhou in his travel report as exceeding every other city. Under the Ming , Suzhou was a prosperous center of the Nanzhili area controlled by
3450-481: The city. When the Grand Canal was completed, Suzhou found itself strategically located on a major trade route. Suzhou served as the regional metropolis of industry and foreign commerce on the southeastern coast of China. During the Tang dynasty , the great poet Bai Juyi constructed the Shantang Canal (better known as " Shantang Street ") to connect the city with Tiger Hill for tourists. In AD 1035,
3525-411: The construction of entertainment facilities and 1 square kilometer (250 acres) of parks along the downtown section of Suzhou Creek between Zhongshan Park and its confluence with Huangpu River , aiming to raise the commercial attractiveness of this central part of the river. New structures include shops, bars and a total of 95 greenbelts at the banks of the river, which are supposed to be planted by 2010,
3600-628: The country, and in the Ming dynasty , Suzhou silk was praised as the "clothing of the world". The Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) is the largest cooperative project between the Chinese and the Singaporean government. It is beside Jinji Lake , which lies to the east of the Suzhou Old City. On 26 February 1994, Vice Premier Li Lanqing and Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew , representing China and Singapore respectively, signed an agreement to jointly develop Suzhou Industrial Park (originally called
3675-538: The district. The Suzhou Dongwu currently play in China League One , the second highest level of Chinese professional football competition. The 13,000 seat Suzhou Industrial Park Sports Arena was one of the venues for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup . Suzhou is on the Shanghai-Nanjing corridor which carries three parallel railways. Suzhou railway station , near the city center, is among
3750-578: The division of Jiangnan into the separate provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui at some point during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor . The Taipings captured the city in 1860. Many of its former buildings and gardens were "almost... a heap of ruins" by the time of their recovery by Charles Gordon 's Ever-Victorious Army in November 1863. Nonetheless, by 1880, its population was estimated to have recovered to about 500,000, which remained stable for
3825-582: The harbour in the Pudong area. In March 2013, some 16,000 pig carcasses were found floating in the Huangpu River in Shanghai. Some of the pigs carried ear tags saying they were from Jiaxing , so that city in Zhejiang may be the source; One news agency indicates that dead pigs are often dumped into rivers in China to avoid the disposal cost. However local farmers deny the dumping allegation. Suzhou Creek Suzhou Creek (or Soochow Creek ), also called
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#17327652539853900-533: The hills above the wetlands surrounding Lake Tai . Sima Qian 's Records of the Grand Historian records traditional accounts that the Zhou lord Taibo established the state of Wu at nearby Wuxi during the 11th century BC, civilizing the local people and improving their agriculture and mastery of irrigation. The Wu court later moved to Gusu within the area of modern Suzhou. In 514 BC, King Helü of Wu relocated his court nearby and called
3975-519: The list of China's "National Historic and Cultural Streets". Pingjiang Road runs parallel to the Pingjiang River for 1.5 kilometers and is lined with homes and some teahouses. Shantang Street, over twice as long at 3.8 km, is described by the BBC as retaining "the alluring qualities of an old canal-side street: whitewashed buildings are completed by red-tasseled lanterns that swing softly in
4050-551: The local seat of government. From the areas it administered, it became known as Wuxian ( lit . " Wu County ") and Wujun (" Wu Commandery "). Under the Qin , it was known as Kuaiji after its greatly enlarged commandery, which was named for the reputed resting place of Yu the Great near modern Shaoxing in Zhejiang . The name "Suzhou" was first officially used for the city in AD 589 during
4125-417: The most UNESCO-recognized gardens in the world. The Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden are among the four most famous classical gardens in China. The Canglang Pavilion , Lion Grove Garden , Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden, respectively representing the garden styles of traditional architecture are called the four most famous gardens in Suzhou. Other gardens inscribed on
4200-463: The mouth of the Yangtze at the same point where today the Huangpu River enters the Yangtze estuary; this point is even today called the "Wusongkou" or "Mouth of the Wusong" ( Chinese : 吳淞口 ; pinyin : Wúsōng kǒu ). The mouth of the river was known in the 4th-5th century CE ( Jin dynasty ) as 滬瀆 ( 沪渎 , Hù Dú , lit " Harpoon Ditch"), at which time it was the main conduit into
4275-623: The name. Prior to the adoption of pinyin, it was variously romanized as Soo-chow, Suchow, or Su-chow. Suzhou, the cradle of Wu culture , is one of the oldest towns in the Yangtze Basin. By the Spring and Autumn period of the Zhou, local Baiyue tribes named the Gou Wu are recorded living in the area which would become the modern city of Suzhou. These tribes formed villages on the edges of
4350-440: The next few decades. In the late 19th century, the town was particularly known for its wide range of silks and its Chinese-language publishing industry. The town was first opened to direct foreign trades by the Treaty of Shimonoseki ending the First Sino-Japanese War and by the most favored nation clauses of earlier unequal treaties with the Great Powers . The new expatriates opened a European-and-Chinese school in 1900 and
4425-409: The ocean; the contraction 沪 ( Hù ) is today the official abbreviation for Shanghai. The first recorded works on the river was the building of levees along part of the river bank in 810AD. In 1042, the entire course of the river from Lake Tai to the sea was embanked. The river gradually silted up, and a series of works were undertaken in the 11th century to eliminate bends in the course of
4500-409: The river, in an attempt to speed up water flow and prevent further silting. However, silting continued, necessitating constant dredging and the periodic cutting of new channels. In 1109, 12 sluice gates were completed in the lower reaches of the river in order to control the effect of silt from the nearby and much larger Yangtze River . These works allowed the river to remain a commercial artery during
4575-444: The secondary capital at Nanjing ; scholar-officials constructed the area's most famous private gardens during this period in a " Jiangnan style" copied at the time by Shanghai 's Yu Garden and later by parts of the empress dowager Cixi 's Summer Palace . After the Qing occupied the area in 1644 and 1645, it was reorganized as Jiangnan Province , whose "Right" Governor controlled its eastern prefectures from Suzhou until
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#17327652539854650-437: The settlement Helü City after himself. His minister Wu Zixu was closely involved with its planning and it was this site that grew into present-day Suzhou. The height of his tower on Gusu Hill ( Gusutai ) passed into Chinese legend. In 496 BC, King Helü was buried at Tiger Hill . In 473 BC, Wu was defeated and annexed by Yue , a kingdom to its southeast; Yue was annexed in turn by Chu in 306 BC. Remnants of
4725-415: The southeastern corner of the city proper of Suzhou. They are artistic and natural as they are close at hand. One of them is called "Clarity-Dispensing Pagoda," and the other, the "Beneficence Pagoda"; they are in the same form of architecture. There are many legends about this one-thousand-year-old pagodas. It is charming that the exquisite and straight Twin Pagoda look like two inserted writing brushes. There
4800-437: The summer can push temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F). The hottest temperature recorded since 1951 was at 41.0 °C (106 °F) on 7 August 2013, and the lowest at −9.8 °C (14 °F) on 16 January 1958, though an unofficial record low of −12 °C (10 °F) was recorded on 10 January 1933. Suzhou is famous for its over 60 Classical Gardens , collectively a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The city has
4875-402: The time the Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Project is completed. While some areas already leased to investors will have to be reclaimed and old residential and industrial facilities are supposed to be replaced, authorities assert that the protection of historical buildings, especially warehouses, will be respected. From 2007 to 2010, the Bund Tunnel was constructed under the Bund and the mouth of
4950-413: The tower leans roughly 3 degrees due to the cracking of two supporting columns. Beisi Pagoda or North Temple Pagoda is a Chinese pagoda at Bao'en Temple in Suzhou. It rises nine stories in a height of 76 m (249 ft). It is the tallest Chinese pagoda south of the Yangtze river. Twin Pagodas ( simplified Chinese : 苏州双塔 ; traditional Chinese : 蘇州雙塔 ) lie in the Dinghui Temple Lane in
5025-403: The water passage and the highest bridge in Suzhou at the time, and the Pan Gate . The Ruigang Pagoda is constructed of brick with wooden platforms and has Buddhist carvings at its base. Baodai Bridge stretches across the Tantai Lake in the suburbs of Suzhou. To raise money to finance the bridge, the magistrate donated his expensive belt, hence the name. The bridge was first built in 806 A.D. in
5100-416: The waterway. By 2007, there will be thirty bridges spanning Suzhou Creek in Shanghai. In the Suzhou area, another 18 bridges are crossing the river as of 2015. The Suzhou Creek plays a pivotal role in Lou Ye 's film Suzhou River , which shows the lives of ordinary people living in the old quarters of the northern bank of the river at the turn of the millennium, rather than showcasing modern Shanghai. In
5175-416: The west of Shanghai and just over 200 km (120 mi) east of Nanjing . Suzhou has a four-season humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and cool, cloudy, damp winters with occasional snowfall ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ). Northwesterly winds blowing from Siberia during winter can cause temperatures to fall below freezing at night, while southerly or southwesterly winds during
5250-412: Was by 1569 a narrow channel of about 50 meters (160 ft) wide on the surface, and half that width at the bottom. Suzhou Creek has played an important role for being the demarcation line between political spheres of influences throughout Shanghai's history. After the Treaty of Nanjing forced China to open up in 1842 and Shanghai became an international trade port, the river formed the boundary between
5325-467: Was called "Soochow Creek" in English, and the popular Chinese name was a back translation from the English. The first documented mention of "Soochow Creek" occurred in the 1848 version of the Shanghai Land Regulations , the rules which governed the foreign concessions of Shanghai. From there, the name entered popular parlance, and "Suzhou Creek" is now the predominant name used in Shanghai. However, "Wusong Creek" remains in use in some official contexts and
5400-491: Was originally a single-story house with three rooms just like a writing brush holder with the shadows of the two pagodas reclining on its roof at sunset. To the east of the pagoda is a square five-story bell building built in the Ming dynasty which appears exactly like a thick ink stick. So there is a saying that "the Twin Pagodas are as writing brushes while the bell building as ink stick". The city's major museums include
5475-494: Was replaced by the new Jinshan Road Gate). The concrete road bridge and flood gate, which was built to the west of Garden Bridge to relieve traffic from the historic bridge, was criticized by some for affecting the historic views between Garden Bridge and landmarks further up Suzhou Creek (such as the General Post Office Building ). Wusong Road Gate Bridge was demolished in 2009, prior to the completion of
5550-469: Was similarly affected by silt. In 1403, a major flood affected the area. In response, Xia Yuanji , the Vice Minister of Revenue, devised a plan for major works in what is now the Shanghai area. Water from Lake Tai was partially diverted via the Huangpu, and both the Huangpu and the Wusong were joined to the Fanjiabang canal as their channel to the mouth of the Yangtze and the sea. Further works during
5625-471: Was soon to proclaim himself the first emperor of the Ming dynasty – demolished the old city walls at the center of Suzhou's walled city and imposed crushing taxes on the city and prefecture's powerful families. Despite the heavy taxation and the forced exile of some prominent citizens' south, Suzhou was soon prosperous again. During the early Ming, Suzhou Prefecture supervised the Yangtze shoals which later became Shanghai 's Chongming Island . For centuries
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