Study On The Historical Form Of Waterway In Suzhou Ancient City

Based on the analysis of five historical maps of the city of Suzhou, this paper tries to restore the changing process of Suzhou’s waterway system. It extracts special features from these maps and make a careful examination and comprehensive interpretation of the information on these maps. Besides, this paper explores the evolution of Suzhou’s river system within a long period and addresses the evolution of Suzhou’s historical urban form by using Cozen methods. Taking Suzhou as a case study, it intends to research the role of the waterway in cities of Jiangnan region and explore how the city form was shaped by its waterway system. Then it could provide references for the preservation of historic landscape and cities.