The Canals of Suzhou

Suzhou is sometimes called the "Venice of the East".  Mostly, it's called that by people in the tourist trade trying to tempt visitors to come spend money.   In fact, it is one of about 20 places that claim to be the "Venice of the East". 

Venice or not, it is definitely city of canals.  Before the canals, the area was probably a mosquito-infested marsh.  But long long ago it seems the people started digging the canals for drainage or for transportation or for defensive purposes.  The old city is encircled by canals and criss-crossed by canals and connected to the surrounding country side by canals.  Back in the day, these canals were the tributaries of a river of commerce that flowed from Suzhou up to the Yangtze river and into the interior of China.  The land around Suzhou was perfect for cultivating food and silk and tea.  The water was perfect for merchants to move these goods into the country for sale.  The big score came some 1500 years ago when the Grand Canal opened routes going further North, all the way up to Beijing.

Over time, politics and technology changed the world.  Now the real money is in the commerce flowing out of China instead of into China.   Shanghai is better positioned to play that game.  That's why, over the last 200 years, Shanghai has grown from nothing to the huge metropolis that it is today and left Suzhou behind as a quaint, old relic.   It's similar to the way Venice gradually lost it's mercantile leadership to Spain and England.

Like Venice, Suzhou may have lost its luster as a trading juggernaut....but it still has its canals.

Following are random canal photos.   Too many, I think.   I've gone overboard.   Ah well.  I wish that there were some better way to convey the unique personality of Suzhou and it's waterways.