Founded in 514 BC, Suzhou is one of the oldest towns in Yangtze Basin. Bordering Shanghai on the east, Wuxi City on the west and the Yangtze River on the north, Suzhou enjoys great geography and excellent land, water and air transportation. Suzhou achieved its fame 1,000 years later when the Grand Canal was constructed. And the city remains one of the most beautiful cities in China with its blue web of interlocking canals and classical gardens as well as famous silk industry. It is well-known as the capital of silk. The streets and lanes in its downtown area are of the Song-dynasty style.