Suzhou, China - March 2006; East of Shanghai lies Suzhou, a major city in southeastern Jiangsu Province of East China. Founded in 514 BCE, Suzhou has had a long and eventful history. It is one of China's most picturesque cities; packed with pagodas, canals, temples and ornate gardens, it is often referred to as the the Venice of the East. Having regard to the respective dates, though, it might be more appropriate to call Venice the Suzhou of the West!