Suzhou, also Su-chou or Suchow, formerly Wu-hsien, city, eastern China, in Jiangsu Province, near Shanghai. It is noted for scenic canals, arched bridges, and historic gardens. Manufactures include silks, cotton textiles, embroidery, electronic equipment, and chemicals. Tai Hu (Lake T'ai) and the Grand Canal are nearby; other landmarks include a 5th-century BC royal tomb and a pagoda from the 10th century AD.
The city became capital (518 BC) of the short-lived Wu state. It took the name Suzhou in AD589 and was at a peak of prosperity as a silk center, renowned for its beauty, in the 14th to 17th centuries. Taiping rebels destroyed (1860-63) much of the old city. It was soon rebuilt and was opened as a treaty port in 1896. The city was occupied by Japan in 1937-45. Modern industrial development was expanded and diversified after 1949. Population (1991) 897,757.
