Suzhou

A city of eastern China west-northwest of Shanghai. The capital (sixth-fifth century B.C.) of an ancient feudal kingdom, the city was almost destroyed (1853) in the Taiping Rebellion against the Manchu dynasty but was rebuilt. It became a treaty port in 1896, was occupied by the Japanese during World War II, and fell to Chinese Communists in 1949. Suzhou is famous for its beautiful bridges and pagodas and for its silk industry, which dates back to the Song dynasty (960-1279). Population: 1,170,000.