Suzhou lies between Lake Tai and Yangzi River, not far from the East China Sea. Called by Marco Polo as "Venice of the East" when he visited the city in the 13th century, it is dotted with a web of canals. Many little canals that once lined the city streets have been filled in order to widen roads to meet the demand of heavy traffic, but even so, there are still enough waterways for the cityto deserve the name.
In China, it is often said women are made from water. The word "water" is used to describe the accepted gentle and soft disposition of a woman-and Suzhou women have the reputation of having just that nature.
Some people say it may be the gentle flow of water in the manmade waterways of the city that has endowed them with such a feature. This, however, does not prevent them from being firm in their opinions and choices and they are said to exert an edifying influence on their husbands!
