Natural Features
自然概况Suzhou is located beside Taihu Lake，and it is a fertile and scenic land with a subtropical monsoon climate，moderate with distinctive four seasons. Suzhou is a city of rivers and canals and also a city of gardens. Hence it is called the“Venice of the Orient" . Suzhou was first established in 514 BC and it was once the capital city of Kingdom cf Wu. King of Wu became the most powerful of the time because of the support of the mighty economy of the area. In Song， Yuan，Ming and Qing Dynasties，Suzhou boasted as the most abundant“land of grain and meat" of the nation and thus began from Song Dynasty the famous sayings that“Suzhou on earth matches paradise in Heaven" and“bumper harvests in Suzhou alone are enough for the whole nation"
苏州位于长江下游的太湖之滨，是个土地肥沃，风光秀丽的地方，属亚热带季风气候，四季分明，气候温和。苏州既是一个河网密布的城市，又是一个优美的园林城市，因此具有“东方威尼斯”之称。苏州建城始于公元前514年，历史上曾是吴国的首都。凭借这一地区强大的经济实力，吴国得以成为当时最强之国。到了宋、元、明、清时期，这里已经成为全国最富裕的“鱼米之乡”。宋代时期就有“天上天堂，地下苏杭”、“苏湖熟，天下足”的说法。
Suzhou is the site of the prosperous Wu culture，and it has bred up a great many of scholars and high officials in all dynasties. When these scholars and high officials returned to their birthplace because of either retirement after ambition fulfillment or for hermitage due to disappointment，they would spend a great amount of money on gardens for literary cultivation in their senior years. Besides，the beautiful topography，gentle customs，and peaceful ife of Suzhou's also helped to promot the construction and advance of so many landscape gardens in Suzhou.
苏州是吴文化的繁荣之地，历代都养育了许多科举及第的文人和达官贵人。他们衣锦还乡或失意归隐到故里后，纷纷筹集巨资建造园林，借以抒发其晚年的文人情怀。此外，苏州的山灵水秀、温雅的民风和安定的社会也促进了大量园林的建设和发展。 The Ming and Qing dynasties between the 14th and 20th century were its prime periods of garden building，when at onetime there were more than 200 private family gardens. A dozen of them are still in good condition today，including the top four classic gardens-the Fisherman's Net Garden，Lion Grove. Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden. 公元14一20世纪明清时期是园林建设的鼎盛时期，这里的私家园林一度有200余处，其中有十几座园林依然保持完好，包括网狮园、狮子林、拙政园、留园等四人名园。
The Humble Administrator`s Garden，the largest，occupies four hectares. It was built in 1522 during the Ming Qynasty. Water accounts for three-fifths of its total area. All the major buildings face the water. Centering on the pool，bridges and corridors harmoniously link up isles，rockeries，pavilions and towers. The garden shows a natural and flowing artistic style.
拙政园面积最大，占地4公顷，其中水域占了总面积的五分之三，建于明朝时期的1522年。其总体布局以水池为中心，所有仁要亭台楼榭皆临水而建，小桥和走廊与小岛、假、山、亭塔连接和谐。园林显示出自然流畅的艺术风格。 The Lingering Garden on the other hand , demonstrates a compact layout and a delicate decorative art.Built in the Ming,it was renovated and expanded in the early 19th century during the Qing Dynasty， to cover an area of 3 .3 hectares as we see it today. The garden is divided into four sections:artificial hills in the west，pastoral scenery in the north，hall and pavilion structures in the east and hills and waters at the center. A winding corridor of over 1 000 meters links them. 留园则展现了一种整体布局紧密和巧妙的装饰艺术。留园建于明朝，19世纪早期的清朝间得到修缮和扩建，建成了现在的占地3. 3公顷的留园。留园由4个部分组成:西区的假山、北区的田园景色、东区的曲廊辛阁和中区的山水。各区间由长约I 000多米的蜿蜒长廊相连。 The unique charm of these gardens has led to their entry into the list of world cultural heritage in 1997. 这些园林以其别具一格的魅力于1997年被列入《世界文化溃产名录》。