Suzhou () formerly romanized as Suchow is a
prefecture-level city
A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure.
During the Republican era, many of China' ...
in northern
Anhui
Anhui , (; formerly romanized as Anhwei) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the East China region. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze River ...
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
. It borders the prefectural cities of
Huaibei
Huaibei () is a prefecture-level city in northern Anhui Province, China. It borders Suzhou (Anhui) to the east, Bengbu to the south, Bozhou to the west, and the provinces of Henan to the northwest and Jiangsu to the northeast. The population wa ...
and
Bengbu
Bengbu () is a city in northern Anhui Province, China. Its population was 3,296,408 registered residents at the 2020 census. 1,968,027 lived in the built-up area made of four Bengbu urban districts and Fengyang County in Chuzhou Prefecture, large ...
to the southwest and south respectively, the provinces of
Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...
to the east,
Shandong
Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region.
Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...
to the north, and
Henan
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
to the northwest.
Its population was 5,324,476 inhabitants at the 2020 census whom 1,766,285 lived in the built-up area (''or metro'') made of Yongqiao urban district, even though it remains largely rural.
History
Suzhou was formerly Su County ().
Administration
Suzhou administers five
county-level divisions, including one
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
and four
counties
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
.
*
Yongqiao District
Yongqiao District () is a district of the city of Suzhou, Anhui Province
Anhui , (; formerly romanized as Anhwei) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the East China region. Its provincial capital and largest c ...
()
*
Dangshan County
Dangshan County () is a county in the far north of Anhui, Anhui Province, China. It is under the administration of Suzhou, Anhui, Suzhou city. It is famous for fruits (pear, peach, plum and watermelon).
Administrative divisions
Dangshan County a ...
()
*
Xiao County
Xiao County or Xiaoxian () is a county in the north of Anhui Province, China, bordering the provinces of Jiangsu to the north and northeast and Henan to the west. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Suzhou. It was former ...
()
*
Lingbi County
Lingbi County () is a county in the north of Anhui Province, China, bordering Jiangsu province to the north and northeast. It is under the administration of Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately rom ...
()
*
Si County
Si County or Sixian () is a county in the northeast of Anhui Province, China, bordering Jiangsu province to the north and east. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹' ...
()
These are further divided into 118
township-level divisions
The administrative divisions of China have consisted of several levels since ancient times, due to China's large population and geographical area. The constitution of China provides for three levels of government. However in practice, there a ...
.
Climate
Suzhou has a
monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
-influenced,
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Cwa''), with four distinct seasons. Winters are cold and damp, with average low temperatures in January dipping just below freezing; the January 24-hour average temperature is . Summers are typically hot and humid, with a July average of . The annual mean is , while annual precipitation averages about , a majority of which occurs from May to August.
Festivals
Sacrifice to The Kitchen God ()
This festival is the traditional lunar festival of
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
, celebrated in Suzhou. People think this festival is to give presents to gods. In Suzhou, this festival is celebrated by offering food and burning incense on a table and
baijiu
''Baijiu'' (), also known as ''shaojiu'' (/), is a colorless Chinese liquor typically coming in between 35% and 60% alcohol by volume (ABV). Each type of baijiu uses its own type of '' qū'' for fermentation to create a distinct and chara ...
on the floor to worship the gods. This food is left untouched for, more or less, one day. Also, some food is shared with family and friends.
Pear Flower Festival ()
There are many pear trees in Suzhou and when their flowers bloom people get together to appreciate it and have a picnic. At night there is a festival program on
Anhui TV
Anhui Television (AHTV; ), is a television network in the Hefei and Anhui
Anhui , (; formerly romanized as Anhwei) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the East China region. Its provincial capital and largest c ...
to show how beautiful it is.
Sacred Stone Festival ()
Suzhou Lingbi Sacred Stone Festival aims to promote the charming and admirable Lingbi sculptures. This festival expands the economy, sets up an investment promotion platform, promotes Suzhou economic and social development, and enhances its visibility and reputation. People get together and show their unique and beautiful stones. They can be viewed at the Suzhou QiShi Museum. The city mayor chooses the best one to be sent to the
National Museum of China
The National Museum of China () flanks the eastern side of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. The museum's mission is to educate about the arts and history of China. It is directed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic ...
.
Tourist Attractions
Huangzangyu National Forest Park
Anhui Huangzangyu National Forest Park is located in the denuded low hills in the south of the Taoxu Mountain System. The mountain rocks are limestone bodies, and there are many natural caves, well springs, and rock landscapes. The highest peak is Pingdingshan, 389 meters above sea level, and the general peak height is between 100-300 meters.
Zhong Kui Wine Culture Museum
Zhongkui Wine Culture Museum is located in Lingbi County Economic Development Zone.
It is a typical Huizhou building, with white walls, black tiles and horse head walls, Zhongkui Hall in the courtyard and corridor, towering towers and pavilions, small bridges and flowing water houses, strange rocks, trees, and a total area of more than 3,000 square meters. , with a total construction area of more than 1,000 square meters, of which the main exhibition hall - "Zhong Kui Wine Culture Museum" has an exhibition area of more than 500 square meters, consisting of a gatehouse, curved corridors and the main exhibition hall. The decorative display in the main exhibition hall borrows the architectural elements of Huizhou style and coexists harmoniously with the external environment, complementing each other, the whole is smooth and smooth, and the ancient charm is vivid. The display content of the entire main exhibition hall consists of five parts.
Notes and references
External links
Government website of Suzhou(in Simplified Chinese)
{{Authority control
Cities in Anhui