City of Suzhou: inscription at monumental sculpture (statue) of Bai Juyi (772 - 846) at the square in front of railway station; Bai Juyi (also: Bo Juyi or Po Ch?i); courtesy name Letian; was a famous Chinese poet and government official of Tang dynasty. In 825; he became Governor (Prefect) of Suzhou. As poet; his vernacular style was popular throughout China; in Korea and Japan. Best known are the long poems "Chang hen ge" ("Song of Everlasting Sorrow"); and "Pipa xing" ("Song of the Pipa"). Suzhou is a big city in Jiangsu Province; East China; 100 km northwest of Shanghai; Suzhou is on the Lake Tai Plain south of the Yangtze River. Founded in 514 BC; Suzhou has many sites of historical interest.