Suzhou is a historic and cultural ancient city as well as a scenic tourist city famous in China and worldwide. The city dotted with beautiful classical gardens full of poetic sceneries, has been reputed as the "garden city" over the centuries.

The history of Suzhou's gardens can be traced as far back as the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC). Distinctive gardens continued to appear throughout the subsequent dynasties, but it was during the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) that the garden art of Suzhou was at its zenith. The unique garden construction art reached to such a height as described that the gardens are natural but elegant, meandering but exquisite, and like a big world hidden in a nut.

The prospering city and its outskirts were dotted with exquisite private gardens. Dozens of them, such as Zhuozheng (Humble Administrator's) Garden, Liuyuan (Lingering) Garden, Wangshi (Master of Nets) Garden and Huanxiu (Embracing Beauty) Mountain Villa, are still well preserved today.