Suzhou: History, Former Names & Timeline
Capital of the state of Wu in the Spring and Autumn period, and a city of silk and gardens on the Grand Canal.
SuzhouExplore Suzhou in the interactive map
Former names of Suzhou
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 514 BC | Gusu | capital of Wu |
| AD 589 | Suzhou |
Timeline of Suzhou
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 514 BC | Wu Zixu builds the city for King Helü of Wu |
| 473 BC | King Goujian of Yue conquers Wu |
| AD 610 | The Sui open the southern Grand Canal and Suzhou becomes a canal city |
| 1356 | Zhang Shicheng seizes Suzhou and declares himself king |
| 1863 | Li Hongzhang’s Huai Army retakes Suzhou from the Taiping |
| 1997 | The Classical Gardens of Suzhou become a World Heritage Site |
Who ruled Suzhou
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–201 BC | Zhou states |
| 200 BC–2 BC | Han Empire |
| 1 BC–299 | Han |
| 300–499 | Jin |
| 500–599 | Jin Empire |
| 600–699 | Sui Empire |
| 700–999 | Tang Empire |
| 1000–1299 | Song Empire |
| 1300–1399 | Great Khanate |
| 1400–1499 | Ming Empire |
| 1500–1649 | Ming Chinese Empire |
| 1650–1782 | Manchu Empire |
| 1783–1814 | Qing Empire |
| 1815–1919 | Manchu Empire |
| 1920–1937 | Chinese Warlords |
| 1938–1944 | Chinese warlords |
| 1945–today | China |
Nearby cities
Further reading
Questions about Suzhou
What was Suzhou called in the past?
Suzhou has been known as Gusu (from 514 BC, capital of Wu). Its present name dates from AD 589.
Which states have ruled Suzhou?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Suzhou lies within 16 different states: Zhou states, Han Empire, Han, Jin, Jin Empire, Sui Empire, Tang Empire, Song Empire, Great Khanate, Ming Empire and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Suzhou?
514 BC: Wu Zixu builds the city for King Helü of Wu. 473 BC: King Goujian of Yue conquers Wu. AD 610: The Sui open the southern Grand Canal and Suzhou becomes a canal city. 1356: Zhang Shicheng seizes Suzhou and declares himself king. 1863: Li Hongzhang’s Huai Army retakes Suzhou from the Taiping.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.