ABSTRACT
Little is known about the settlement of Suzhou until 514 B.C., when He Lu, the king of Wu, made it his capital. The inhab itants at that time already were well advanced in the skills of iron smelting. The king reportedly is buried on nearby Tiger Hill, a major landmark of the area today. The name Suzhou was not conferred on the site until A.D. 589, under the Sui Dynasty (581-618). The city experienced considerable devel opment under the subsequent dynasties of Tang (618-907) and Northern Song (960-1127). During the latter period, walls were built around the city and the earliest of its cele brated gardens were established. By this time, Suzhou had become renowned for its silk weaving.
