Bond between American Stephen Lee Koss and Suzhou lingers

From 2001, American Stephen Lee Koss, a good hand at Suzhou, worked and lived in the city for almost 20 years. In collaboration with Suzhou Review, an English weekly by Suzhou Daily, he initiated the "Walking with Steve" cultural event to explore Suzhou, helping him become famous in the city.

Stephen died of a sudden illness in New York recently. Though he has passed away, the bond between him and Suzhou will linger on. Before the decease, Stephen had completed the manuscript of an unpublished new guide book to traveling in Suzhou, a gift he left to his beloved city.
The lot that brought Stephen and Suzhou together occurred in 2001. He came to Suzhou with a tour group that year and fell in love with this charming city hailed as the Venice of the East. So he decided to settle down in the city. In 2003, he married a local woman, Ping Ping, and had his own home in Suzhou.
In his memoir about Suzhou China: Heart and Soul published in 2009, Stephen said, "The longer I stay in Suzhou, the more strongly I feel the need to describe the China I see around me - the country that I had deeply misunderstood."
Stephen began to systematically study the history of Suzhou in 2006. He left footprints in libraries in Suzhou and New York and found many academic papers on Suzhou on the Internet. After collecting materials for six years, writing for two years, and revising drafts many times, Stephen finished the book Beautiful Su: A Social and Cultural History of Suzhou, China. The book was published in the USA in 2015 and Stephen proactively promoted his book and Suzhou there.

In 2017, Suzhou Daily reported the story between Stephen and Suzhou, making him known to more people in Suzhou.
From 2017 to 2019, he cooperated with Suzhou Review and launched the "Walking with Steve" event, pioneering the cultural walk where he led expats in Suzhou to discover the history and story behind the tourist attractions, streets, and lanes. Beyond that, he also offered advice to the city's tourism departments, introduced Suzhou to North America and Europe, and held tourism courses for English-speaking tour guides in Suzhou.

Following the "Walking with Steve" event, he came up with the idea of writing another book. "The more I learn about Suzhou, the more I realize that meeting Suzhou is serendipity and fate. Suzhou is not like Beijing, Shanghai, or Hong Kong, which are usually the focus of writing about China." Stephen once told the reporter with Suzhou Daily, "Americans have never heard of Suzhou, whereas Suzhou is such a beautiful and interesting place. I hope more Americans can know about it."
Stephen came back from New York to Suzhou with his new unpublished manuscript last April. The 18 Suzhou hiking trails he elaborately compiled chart the city's history spanning over 2,500 years, covering Zhou lord Taibo who established the state of Wu, Wu Zixu who had the City of Suzhou built, and heroes and heroines in the Republic of China (1912-1949). Stephen said that this travel guide, unlike others, is not limited to popular attractions. It includes off-the-beaten-track destinations, opening a window for foreign readers to learn about Suzhou.
（Source: Yinlibo）
Source：iSzhou