摘要：When visitors first come to Shanghai and hear about the Suzhou Creek, they may assume it is a creek in the city of Suzhou. In fact

荐文文稿原文

苏州河 上海的母亲河

The Suzhou Creek: Shanghai's Mother Creek

--《上海：兼收并蓄的活力之都》（英文版）P4

When visitors first come to Shanghai and hear about the Suzhou Creek, they may assume it is a creek in the city of Suzhou. In fact, it is a section of the Wusong River that flows through Shanghai. It is so called because after Shanghai became an open port, British gold diggers discovered that by sailing up the river from Shanghai they could reach Suzhou, China's textile center, hence over time the new name.

Before roads and railways were built, the Suzhou Creek was Shanghai's principal artery.The Tang- and Song-Era Qinglong town, as well as old Shanghai county established since the early Yuan Dynasty, all relied on the Suzhou Creek to grow and prosper. In modern times, public buildings appeared on the eastern end of the Suzhou Creek's lower reaches. Along the banks of its middle and west were built gasworks, flour mills, and other factories.

Compared to Shanghai's another important river, the Huangpu, the trickling, winding Suzhou Creek doesn't impress people with its size or currents, but brims with the warmth of human activity. To many Shanghainese, the Suzhou Creek is like a gentle, loving mother that nurtures them.

译文：

人们初到上海，听到苏州河，会下意识地以为这是一条苏州的河流。但实际上，它是吴淞江流经上海地区的一段。之所以叫苏州河，是因为自近代上海开埠以来，英国人发现从上海坐船逆江而上，就可以抵达中国当时的纺织业中心一苏州，日久天长，人们也就习惯称它为“苏州河”了。

唐宋时期的青龙镇、元明以来的上海老县城，都曾依托这条河流得以成长、繁荣。进入近代后，大量公共建筑在苏州河下游东段出现，下游的中段和西段沿岸则陆续开办了煤气、面粉等各类工厂。

相比上海的另一条重要河流--黄浦江，流水潺潺、蜿蜒曲折的苏州河虽然没有那么宽阔澎湃，但却显得更接地气。对于一代又一代的上海人而言，苏州河就像一位温柔慈爱的母亲，孕育了他们的人生。

来源：新航道哈尔滨学校