[5] Skillfully composed, Prosperous Suzhou combines Western linear perspective with traditional Chinese compositional devices.
[3][5] The scroll is invaluable from both a historical and an artistic point of view,[6] depicting in intricate detail the mid-18th century topography and customs of Suzhou, allowing modern viewers to visit a Chinese city of 250 years ago.
[3] The scroll vividly illustrates the visual appearance of the terrain, urban landscapes, and everyday life in an area covering several dozen miles.
[2] The Victoria and Albert Museum in London mounted an exhibition entitled Masterpieces of Chinese Painting that included Prosperous Suzhou from 26 October 2013 to 19 January 2014.
[8] In 2016, a booklet by Michael Nicoll-Griffith was published entitled "Prosperous Suzhou" which displays a painted copy of Xu Yang's original.