GPC in Nanjing: Week 2: This past weekend, we took a weekend-long tour to one of the southernmost cities in Jiangsu province--Suzhou.

Situated on the Grand Canal that connects Shanghai all the way to Beijing, Suzhou prospered early and by the time of the Yuan and Ming had a well-deserved reputation as a city of the arts, riches, and romance. Especially charming was the area called Zhou Zhuang, a "watertown" with houses and shops built along many little canals--like a little Bangkok--but in a very charming yet understated Chinese style. In the photo to the left, a young performer of Kun Qu (a forerunner of Beijing Opera, or "Jing Ju") prepares for his performance which was lively and which we enjoyed very much.