Suzhou Culture and history
		Suzhou is a famous historical and cultural city. Its history goes back 2500 years. During the Spring and Autumn Period (722-481BC), Suzhou was the capital of the state of Wu. Suzhou is a picturesque city with many canals crisscrossing it and many beautiful gardens. These gardens are considered to be the best in the south of China. Among the gardens are the Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuo Zheng Yuan), the Blue Wave Pavilion (Cang Lang Ting), the Garden for Lingering In (Liu Yuan), and the Lion Grove (Shi Zi Lin), which are the four most famous gardens in Suzhou. The Blue Wave Pavilion is the oldest one in existence. The Lion Grove was constructed in the Yuan Dynasty. The Garden for Lingering In dates from the Ming Dynasty. There used to be many outstanding people in Suzhou, including writers, poets, calligraphers, painters, craftspeople, and national heroes, who played very important roles in the development of Chinese culture. By the 14th century Suzhou had established itself as the leading silk producer in the nation. Well-known products are silk embroidery of the Suzhou style (Suxiu) and the Song silk fabrics (Songjin). Suzhou has many local performances and operas, including Kun opera, Pingtan, Su opera, and Wuge opera. Local specialties include Biluochun tea, Baisha loquats, Dongting oranges, and Lake Tai fish. Suzhou traditional food is very famous.