Gardens and pavilions revealing the biodiversity of Suzhou draw visitors during the Ninth Horticultural Exposition of Jiangsu province that runs throught May 10.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The setting unfolds like the scenes artists render of Jiangnan, the region south of the Yangtze River celebrated for being as well manicured botanically as what could be expected of China's Eden.

The settlement is also the ground from which Wu culture, a vital component of contemporary Chinese society, took root over 10,000 years ago.

That legacy lives on in the city's Wuzhong district as classical gardens and water towns flourish to the soundtrack of Kunqu Opera and pingtan (Suzhou ballads).

"We chose Wuzhong to organize this year's event due to its well-preserved ecology and enormous tourism resources, which match our goal to restore the Suzhou gardens' original conditions," says Li Zhen, deputy director of the expo's work bureau.

The site by Taihu Lake imbues ancient functionality with futuristic aesthetics.

Bridges that were made of stone in the days of yore are now built with stainless steel. Glass replaces celadon shingles.