Is the urban area of ??Suzhou like an urban-rural fringe? Why is Suzhou, which ranks sixth in GDP in the country, not prosperous?

Suzhou tour guides often say: If you see old bricks and tiles and dilapidated buildings, it means you are in the urban area of ??Suzhou; if you see high-rise buildings and neon lights, it means you are in the suburbs of Suzhou!

Isn’t it interesting?

I saw someone in the group saying that day: "Suzhou's GDP ranks sixth in the country, isn't it very watery? I've been to Suzhou, and it's really similar to a fourth-tier city. It's shabby and old!" ”

As a Suzhou woman, let me talk to you, why does Suzhou give foreign tourists such a feeling?

Suzhou, with a history of more than 2,500 years, has the reputation of "Paradise on Earth". It was called Gusu in ancient times and has been a prosperous place since ancient times. Here is an important birthplace of Wu culture and one of the first batch of national historical and cultural cities.

When it comes to Suzhou, most people have images of Jiangnan water towns, green tiles and white walls, as well as Suzhou classical gardens, which are representatives of Chinese private gardens.

Although Suzhou is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province, its status in Jiangsu is higher than that of the provincial capital Nanjing. In 2020, Suzhou's GDP reached a new level of 2 trillion yuan, becoming the sixth two-trillion club city in the country, second only to Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chongqing, and Guangzhou.

However, big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chongqing give people the impression of high-rise buildings and concrete forests. If you go to the city center of Suzhou, it does look like an urban-rural fringe, without any sense of development in a big city.

In fact, Suzhou can have such a well-preserved old city, which is an absolute luxury in Chinese cities. This is a city that perfectly blends classicism and modernity.

In October 2020, according to the census, the total population of Suzhou was 14.03 million, and the permanent population of Suzhou urban area was approximately 6.65 million. However, compared with the bustling metropolis with uniform high-rise buildings, the ancient city of Suzhou does look like a fourth-tier city. , walking on the street, there are not many people.

"Other people's ancient buildings are only one or two streets, but Suzhou's is a city."

Suzhou's urban planning is very interesting. In order to protect the historical features of the ancient city, it has adopted A model of building new cities outside the city.

In the Gusu District of the ancient city, the building height limit is 24 meters. This is the area with the highest density of world cultural heritage in the country. It is the only one in the country that the ancient city can be so completely protected.

Whether it is exquisite classical gardens such as the Humble Administrator's Garden, The Lingering Garden, the Lion Grove, the Master of Nets Garden, and Huanxiu Villa, or representative buildings such as Tiger Hill and Suzhou Museum, or Canglang Pavilion, Niche attractions such as the Art Garden and the West Garden are scattered throughout the ancient city.

Even a KFC became like this when it arrived in Suzhou.

Suzhou’s total GDP ranks sixth in the country. This is actually because the following county-level cities are strong, not because the main urban area of ??Suzhou is strong.

Suzhou has 5 municipal districts: Gusu District, Huqiu District, Wuzhong District, Xiangcheng District, and Wujiang District; and 4 county-level cities: Changshu City, Zhangjiagang City, Kunshan City, and Taicang City; it also has jurisdiction over a county-level administrative area: Suzhou Industrial Park.

The four county-level cities support most of the total GDP. The industrial park is the economic leader of Suzhou, and Gusu District is the soul of Suzhou.

If you want to see the high-rise buildings in Suzhou, you can go to the Jinji Lake, which is equally spectacular and prosperous. Suzhou Center, a representative building in Suzhou and nicknamed "Big Pants" by locals, also has an urban feel.

There are many prosperous cities across the country, but the old town of Suzhou seems to have stopped in time and retains its original appearance.

Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street, which are frequented by tourists, or walking casually in any of the streets in the ancient city, are full of city-like fireworks.

Suzhou’s population is extremely evenly distributed and there are many commercial centers. There is really no particularly lively place, and the city center is not as bustling as other cities. The city center seems to be just one Guanqian Street, and the flow of people is pretty good.

This city has the flavor of a German city. It is the city with the smallest gap between urban and rural areas and the most balanced development. The population is evenly distributed among counties and districts, and each district, each county-level city, and even some towns are self-contained.

The charm of Suzhou is like a Tai Chi diagram. Here you can feel the epitome and achievements of the country's rapid economic development, and you can also enjoy the ancient charm and aura of the Jiangnan water town.

Let’s talk about the Suzhou in your memory!