"Suzhou is an ancient cultural city with a history of more than 2500 years. Situated in the Yangtze Delta and Lake Tai basin and nurtured by a salubrious climate, scenic hills and water there. Suzhou has produced a rich regional culture known as Wu culture. The classical gardens of Suzhou are generally considered to be brilliant pearls among Wu cultural legacies" --from the foreword by Yi Xueling.