Suzhou is among the first batch of Chinese cities officially titled "national historical and cultural city" and a key scenic touristic city. The history traces its beginning over 2500 years ago. The city is located on the same site as in the Spring and Autumn period, where He Lv, the king of Wu State had the city built in 514 BC. Streets and buildings were built alongside both sides of the rivers, the layout of the city looks like a double chessboard, which has been preserved till today. The river network of Suzhou has a "one ring circling three horizontal and vertical rivers" pattern. Bridges crossing rivers, buildings with white walls and black tiles, famous gardens full of historical traces, all of which together give Suzhou a unique, picturesque view.
9 Classical Gardens of Suzhou and the Suzhou section of the Grand Canal are listed into the Directory of World Cultural Heritage Sites. Seven Items including the Chinese Kunqu Opera, Chinese Guqin art, Song Brocade, Suzhou tapestry method, traditional architecture construction expertise as called Xiangshan School; and the Suzhou Dragon Boat Festival customs and Biluochun tea production techniques are included into the representative list of the UN Directory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
In history, Suzhou had many generations of gifted people and elites. The 51 civil and military Principal Scholars in history and 140 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering coming from or currently serving in Suzhou earned the city nickname of "Home to the Principal Scholars" and "Hometown of Academicians". Since 2020, July 10th has been designated as Suzhou Scientists Day.
