crab lying in the blue and white porcelain plate, along with a glass of the yellow rice wine and a dish of homemade sauce, a middle-aged man sits in the yard, deeply absorbed in the delicacy.

There’s nothing special about the man, except for the way he eats the crab.

He separates the crab claws from the body, puts the body back on the plate, cracks the shell of the claws, reveals the tender crabmeat, soaks it into the sauce... step by step, like a ritual. With every mouthful of crabmeat, he sips some wine, as if to conclude the round.

There is no rush getting things finished. It is as good as creating art, and the man takes all the leisure and relaxation he wants.

It is believed that human beings are shaped by the environment around them, so here in Suzhou, the man is the best interpretation of the local lifestyle.

Suzhou natives love to set the table in the yard, in the open space, especially at summer nights, when the evening breeze brings coolness to the torrid air, tendering the tired bodies. Family members sit around the table, enjoying the hearty meal prepared by the mother while talking about their day. Relatives and family acquaintances pass by, extending greetings to each other. Sometimes they bring a cuisine or two. Sometimes they grab a chair and join the dinner. Bathed in the moonlight, relishing the fragrance of tea while sharing happiness and sorrow, that makes the perfect ending of the day.

Traditional residential buildings are constructed with whitewashed walls and black tiles, adjacent to canals or rivers, where residents can wash their clothes and vegetables. Back then, boats was a major transportation. The boatman would stand on the bow and paddle the boat forward, flowing through bridges and passing riverside houses. Occasionally, he sang some folk songs to entertain the passengers,who would either be audience or join him in a chorus.

The Wu dialect is another portrait of the humble and tranquil living style. The words are soft, the pronunciation is tender and the voice is mild. As is indicated in the famous saying that one would rather listen to Suzhou natives quarrel than to hear people from Henan talk, the melody-like dialect adds to the charm of the city.

Unlike Beijing, where the boulevards give off the royal smell, the alleys in Suzhou are the representation of modesty and humbleness.

The alleys are normally lined with high walls. Luxuriantivy and purple wisteria climb all over the walls, adding to the alleys’ deepness and serenity.

In autumn, the alleys are permeated with the fragrance of Osmanthus blossoms. The scent is sweet, mild and comforting, just like the tiny yellow pedals that hide in the leafy branches.

“The alleys in Suzhou are my dream land. I’ve spent a long time there, going through them over and over again. Youth seems to be flowing away from these alleys, leaving traces on the walls and unforgettable memories in my mind.” Lu Wenfu, Suzhou native writer wrote in Dream Land.

It is hard to tell whether the alleys make Suzhou, or Suzhou makes the alleys. All in all, everything in Suzhou is just so Suzhou.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is the leisurely and carefree lifestyle in Suzhou. With 2,500 years of rich history, the Suzhou Style is bred and cultivated.

The classic private gardens are the history in microcosm. The Humble Administrator's Garden, namely ZhuoZheng Yuan is the benchmark of all the gardens. In Chinese, ZhuoZheng means that someone is inept at politics, whichregarded as a modest and humble self-assessment.

Back in Ming Dynasty, at the beginning of the 16^th century, Wang Xiaocheng, an Imperial Envoy and poet created the garden. He had experienced a tumultuous official life punctuated by various demotions and promotions,and gave up his last official post. He retired to his native home of Suzhou and began to work on the garden. It is named after a verse by the famous scholar official of the Jin Dynasty, Pan Yue, it his prose, An Idle Life, "I enjoy a carefree life by planting trees and building my own house...I irrigate my garden and grow vegetables for me to eat...such a life suits a retired official like me well." This verse symbolized Wang's desire to retire from politics and adopt a hermit’s life in the manner of Tao Yuanming.

Throughout the history, officials who undergo ups and downs in their career eventually resort to nature and landscapes, to live a peaceful and detached life. With that value, Suzhou is the go-to spot.

“Suzhou is the only one that gives me real repose despite all the places I’ve been to,” wrote Yu Qiuyu, a well-established writer in his article White-Hair Suzhou. “Soft and mild language, refined looks of ladies, elegant gardens, deep and silent alleys… Everywhere gives me a sensual serenity and solace.”

Tourists come from all over the world come to see the city in person, but the thing is, sometimes travelers are no more than travelers. They pack up their belongings, stay in the hotels, plan their agenda in advance, checking online where is worth going and join the crowd, taking photos amongst others, smiling their best-looking smiles. After a day or two, when they’ve visited all the attractions, sometimes complaining about the shortage of time and the throng, they move on, marking on the map as the place they’ve been to. They may catch a glimpse of the city, but they can’t possibly get the essence simply with several hours.

It takes time to feel the heart of the city.

From the distance comes a fair lady. Holding a light umbrella, she walks in the silent alley, the endlessly long alley, all alone, just as poet Dai Wangshu depicted in Rainy Alley:

As graceful as lilac,

As fragrant as lilac,

As sad as lilac:

Back and forth she walks,

Worried in the rain,

Sad in the rain.

The charm of a city lies in its history, its culture, its people, and more importantly, the lifestyle and pursuit of life it represents.