Suzhou is celebrated as the "City of Gardens," with a horticultural history dating back to the 6th century BCE. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Suzhou became the epicenter of Jiangnan garden artistry, boasting over 60 extant classical gardens. The Humble Administrator's Garden and the Lingering Garden are counted among China's Four Great Gardens. In 1997, the Classical Gardens of Suzhou—represented by the Humble Administrator's Garden, Lingering Garden, Master of the Nets Garden, and Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty—were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Their technique of "recreating the universe within a square inch" represents the pinnacle of East Asian classical gardening. The Pingjiang Road Historic District preserves the ancient "double chessboard" layout of parallel waterways and streets, evoking the timeless charm of a water town.
