Traditional Chinese 肅州區 Literal meaning Suzhou district Wade–Giles Su-chou Ch‘ü Area 3,349 km² | Simplified Chinese 肃州区 Hanyu Pinyin Chinese 酒泉 Province Gansu | |
Suzhou District is a district in Jiuquan Prefecture in Gansu Province in the People's Republic of China. It was formerly an important city in its own right. Today, as the seat of Jiuquan's administration, it is usually marked Jiuquan on maps.
Contents
Map of Suzhou, Jiuquan, Gansu, China
Name
Suzhou is named for the former Su Prefecture of imperial China.
History
Su Prefecture was established under the Sui and renamed Jiuquan Commandery under the Tang. Its seat was established just within the extreme northwest angle of the Great Wall near the Jade Gate. It sometimes served as the capital of the province of Gansu. Along with its role protecting trade along the Silk Road, Suzhou was the great center of the rhubarb trade. The old town was completely destroyed in the First Dungan Revolt but was recovered by the Qing in 1873 and was swiftly rebuilt.