Suzhou is like a tightly enclosed island encircled by a wide canal, which used to be the main access route to Beijing. According to Zhou, water dominated 60 per cent of the city, leaving 10 per cent for farmland and 30 per cent mountainous areas.
With ancient streets and alleys extending alongside canals, the old town is reminiscent of Venice. White walls, dark grey roof tiles and small stone bridges add tranquil elegance to its beauty.
Yet today, boat traffic is scarcely seen on these local canals. The reconstruction of the city and the waste water pouring into the canals day and night has made canal tours unpleasant and dangerous.
The canals look pretty on film and TV screens, yet visitors are tempted to hold their noses while snapping pictures.
The only travelers on the canals now are the workers trying to clean them with pumps and long wooden hooks, picking plastic bags, paper and other debris out of the water.
Residents on the banks of the canals were considering migrating to other locations to avoid the filthy water. Many of the ancient houses have been pulled down and high buildings have been built on the banks of the canals. Poetic scenes have surrendered to factories and apartments to meet the appetite of a rapidly growing economy.
Canal tourism
Although promoting canal cruises now seems a "mission impossible," the local government is betting its future on the potential of the canals to attract more tourists.
The canals in the city's satellite towns, including Zhouzhuang, Tongli and Mudu, which luckily escaped the massive destruction of the 1990s, will host most of the water events during the 9th Suzhou International Tourism Festival.