Suzhou is the birthplace of Chinese gardening art, and it is home to the most beautiful gardens in all of China. The gardens were primarily created during the flourishing period of the Ming Dynasty and are designed with elements such as ponds, hills, bizarrely shaped rocks, terraces, trees, and flowers. These gardens are further enhanced with decorative pavilions, halls, and bridges, offering ever-changing vistas.
Today, about a dozen gardens remain preserved. Since 1997, the gardens of Suzhou have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the listing expanded in 2000.
