蘇州是中國著名的歷史文化名城(historical and cultural city)。俗語有“上有天堂。下有蘇杭”來形容蘇州和杭州的美麗和繁榮。蘇州地處長江三角洲，地理位置優越，氣候濕潤。舊時許多官員退休后來到蘇州養老。
　　蘇州素以“園林城市”聞名于世。明清時期，蘇州出現了一批園林藝術家。最盛時期，蘇州的私家園林和庭院達到280余處，有很多至今保存完好并對外開放。如今，蘇州園林不斷推出特色旅游活動，每年吸引中外游客近千萬人次。
　　Suzhou is a famous historical and cultural city in China. The saying "Suzhou and Hangzhou are Paradise on the Earth" vividly describes the beauty and prosperity of Suzhou and 　Hangzhou. Located at the Yangtze River Delta, Suzhou has good geographical advantages with humid climate. In the past, many officials came to Suzhou for living after they retired. Suzhou is known as "City of Gardens" all the time. At the time of Ming and Qing dynasties, there were a number of artists on landscape architecture in Suzhou. At the peak time, there were more than 280 private gardens and courtyards in Suzhou, many of which are well preserved by now and opened to the public. Today, numerous tourism activities are launched on Suzhou gardens, which attract nearly ten million tourists from home and abroad each year.