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With the Yangtze on its northern fringe, Lake Taihu
in the west ,Lake Yangcheng and Lake Cheng in the east
,the region of Suzhou is studded with numerous lakes,
while the city proper is crisscrossed by three horizontal and
three vertical waterways which run along streets and alleys,
forming a double-line chess board. Suzhou is indeed a city
on water.
Just as the water is an indispensable factor in the
development of human history,the city of Suzhou first took
shape along with the construction of canals,land and water
gates under the command of Wu Zixu, who made the
design after surveying the water and soil conditions. The
scene of water network within the city has existed ever
since the founding of the city. It is the water that has
fostered the whole region and become the keynote of the
Wu Culture.
The waves of green waters are seen in the expansive Lake
Taihu, the Grand Canal, the downtown waterways,and the ponds
of classical gardens. The folks live by the water,and their customs
are branded with the influence of the water. Their houses are
facing the waterways across the alleys,or leaning on the edge of the
water, or hanging above the water. The attractive scenes of
waters,when matched with the mist or drizzle under the grey
sky,bring out a beauty that is found in traditional ink paintings: a
simple tone of colour,remote, hazy,but intoxicating.
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