Wuxi
Encyclopedia
Wuxi is an old city in Jiangsu province
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...

, People's Republic of China. Split in half by Lake Tai, Wuxi borders Changzhou
Changzhou
Changzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling, Jinling, and Wujin. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Zhenjiang to the...

 to the west and Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...

 to the east. The northern half looks across to Taizhou
Taizhou, Jiangsu
Taizhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu province of eastern China. Situated on the north bank of the Yangtze River, it borders Nantong to the east, Yancheng to the north and Yangzhou to the west....

 across the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...

, while the southern half also borders the province of Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...

 to the south. Wuxi earned its nickname "Pearl of Lake Tai" because it's built on the shore of Lake Tai in a scenic setting. Wuxi was also dubbed "little Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

" because of its close proximity to the city, rapid urbanization and booming economy. Wuxi also has a history of business people involved in modern Shanghai commerce since the early 20th century.

Name

Although Wuxi means "No tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...

", scholars suggest the city name may come from "Wuxu" (吳墟), meaning ruins of the State of Wu
Wu (state)
The State of Wu , also known as Gou Wu or Gong Wu , was one of the vassal states during the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period. The State of Wu was located at the mouth of the Yangtze River east of the State of Chu. Considered a semi-barbarian state by ancient Chinese...

, or a Baiyue word which may mean "god bird".

Zhou Dynasty

Wuxi was founded 3,000 years ago by two fugitive princes, Taibo
Wu Taibo
Wu Taibo is the name of eldest son of King Tai of the Zhou dynasty and the ancestor of King Wu of Zhou. His birth and death dates are still unknown due to lack of historical records.-Biography:...

 and Zhongyong, of the Zhou
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...

 from Central China, who intended to give their brother Jili (季歷) the throne. The two princes settled down in Meili (梅里), which is believed to be today's Meicun, Wuxi. (some historic records indicate a location somewhere in today's Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...

). They helped developing local agriculture and waterways. The area soon flourished. After the death of Taibo,who had no heir, the emperor of Zhou enthroned a descendant of his family king of the State of Wu. The king named his kingdom "Gowu". Taibo's shrine was set up in today's Meicun and the original wood structure was destroyed during the wars over the course of history. However, it has been renovated several times and today's architecture dates mostly to the Qing dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

. A stone carved with sayings by Confucius
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....

 can still be seen in Taibo Shrine.

Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period

The State of Wu became one of the strongest kingdoms during the Spring and Autumn Period. Sunzi (Suntzu), who wrote the famous "the Art of War
The Art of War
The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise that is attributed to Sun Tzu , a high ranking military general and strategist during the late Spring and Autumn period...

" came to Wu and helped the king with his military affairs. Wu was considered one of the seven strongest kingdoms during this period. Some of Sunzi's descendants still live in Sunxiang in Wuxi near the Plum Garden
The Plum Garden
The Chinese Plum Garden is a botanical garden on Lake Tai in Jiangsu, China. It is most prominent in spring when 4000 fruit trees blossom in the park....

. However, Wu was later defeated by the State of Yue, today's Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...

 and Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...

, which in turn was overthrown by the State of Chu
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...

 and incorporated into Chu during the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...

.

Qin and Han Dynasty

The cultural and economic center of the "Wu" area shifted to Suzhou after the reign of the first Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...

 emperor, Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...

, who united China; Wuxi at that time belonged to Suzhou. During the Han dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

, Wuxi was set up as a county by emperor Han Wudi. Historic records show that tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...

 was discovered during the early Han era, leading to conflicts in the area. Soon, however, the tin was depleted. This is generally believed to be the origin of the name Wuxi, meaning "no tin." Recent scholarship has brought this explanation into doubt, however. It is claimed that "Wu" is one of the auxiliary suffixes common in the local dialect. This is similar to referring to Suzhou as "Gusu" and Wu as "Gowu". The name was changed to Youxi (有錫), meaning "having tin", during the Wang Mang
Wang Mang
Wang Mang , courtesy name Jujun , was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin Dynasty , ruling AD 9–23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow and his rule marks the separation between the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty...

 conflicts period because Wang wanted to change the name.

Six dynasties, Tang and Song Dynasties

Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 and silk industry flourished in Wuxi especially after the construction of the Grand Canal. Although Suzhou became a bigger center of the Wu area, Wuxi is still important in the county of Wu.

Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties and on

Agriculture, with rice and fish as major products, and industry continued to develop then in the early 20th century, Wuxi became a center of the textile industry in China and one of the four most important rice markets nationwide. During the period between 1900 and 1940, Wuxi was considered a most important county in China. In dramatist Cao Yu
Cao Yu
Cao Yu , born as Wan Jiabao , was a renowned Chinese playwright, often regarded as China's most important of the 20th century. His most well-known works are Thunderstorm , Sunrise and Peking Man...

's well-known drama "Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm (play)
Thunderstorm , is a play by the Chinese dramatist Cao Yu. It is one of the most popular dramatic Chinese works of the period prior to the Japanese invasion of China in 1937.-History:...

", Wuxi was mentioned several times with a comment "Wuxi is a good place". After the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

 was set up by communists
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...

 in 1949, Wuxi continued to grow in importance, with the establishment of more textile production and both light and heavy industry. This city was considered the second most important city in Jiangsu Province after the capital Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...

. However, its developmental model has been criticized for the environmental deterioration caused. New strategies are now under consideration to ensure its sustainable development.

Geography

The city plan, as is typical of many older Chinese cities, is of a central city with a roughly circular plan, crisscrossed with older canals, the main canal still seeing heavy barge traffic.

Wuxi itself is on an alluvial plain of deep sedimentary deposits cut between limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

 foothills, making it one of the sources for "scholar's rocks", the intricately weathered stones which were used as devices for contemplation
Contemplation
The word contemplation comes from the Latin word contemplatio. Its root is also that of the Latin word templum, a piece of ground consecrated for the taking of auspices, or a building for worship, derived either from Proto-Indo-European base *tem- "to cut", and so a "place reserved or cut out" or...

.

Climate

Wuxi is hot and humid in summer and chilly and damp in winter, with an average annual temperature of 18 °C and very occasional snow. Because of its proximity to the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...

, it has a monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...

 season and receives 100 cm of rain annually.

Demographics

According to the 2010 Census
Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
The Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China, also referred to as the 2010 Chinese Census, was conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China with a zero hour of November 1, 2010....

, the prefecture-level of Wuxi has a population of 6,372,624, 1,192,777 inhabitants more than in 2000 (the average annual population growth for the period 2000-2010 was of 2.09%).

Administration

The prefecture-level city
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...

 of Wuxi administers nine county-level divisions, including 7 districts and 2 county-level cities
County-level city
A county-level city is a county-level administrative division of mainland China. County-level cities are usually governed by prefecture-level divisions, but a few are governed directly by province-level divisions....

. The information here presented uses the metric system and data from 2010 Census.
English Name Simplified Traditional Pinyin Area Population Density
Chong'an District
Chong'an District
Chong'an District is a district in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province of China.It is located in the center of Wuxi City. It has a land area of 17.82 square kilometers, and a population of 186,800 in the end of 2007....

崇安区 崇安區 Chóng'ān Qū 18 228,854 12,714
Nanchang District
Nanchang District
Nanchang District is a county-level division of Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.Southeast of the city centre, the district includes more ancient infrastructure and historically important sites. The area is also densely industrial....

南长区 南長區 Náncháng Qū 22 378,490 17,204
Beitang District
Beitang District
Beitang District is a district of Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. It has an area of is and a population of 350,000 .-Administrative subdistricts:The district has jurisdiction over five subdistricts....

北塘区 北塘區 Běitáng Qū 32 336,844 10,526
Xishan District
Xishan District, Wuxi
Xishan District is an administrative district of Wuxi City in Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.With a total area of , the district's 2007 population was 400,000.-Administrative divisions:...

锡山区 錫山區 Xīshān Qū 396 681,300 1,720
Huishan District
Huishan District
Huishan District is a district of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province.The total area of the district is 327.12 km². In 2006 the population was 388,957....

惠山区 惠山區 Huìshān Qū 327 691,059 1,215
Binhu District
Binhu District
The Binhu District is an administrative sub-division of Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.Located in the delta hinterland of the Yangtze River to the southwest of Wuxi City, the district has an area of , of which is land, and a total population of 310,000.Bin'hu district is...

滨湖区 濱湖區 Bīnhú Qū 567 688,965 1,215
Wuxi New District
Wuxi New District
Wuxi New District is a district of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province. The district has an area of 220 km² and a population of around 275,000.In the 1992 the district was founded as an industrial zone in order to attract large foreign companies...

无锡新区 無錫新區 Wúxī Xīnqū 219 536,807 2,451
Jiangyin City
Jiangyin
Jiangyin is a city in China's Jiangsu province on the Yangtze River. It has population of 1.2 million . The total GDP reached RMB 171.3 billion yuan in 2009, an increase of 11.6% from 2008. The GDP per capita reached RMB 142,572 yuan...

江阴市 江陰市 Jiāngyīn Shì 987 1,594,829 1,616
Yixing City
Yixing
Yixing is a county-level city in Jiangsu province, in eastern China with a population of 1.3 million. It is well-known for its Yixing clay and the pottery -- especially the "zisha"-style teapots -- made from the clay...

宜兴市 宜興市 Yíxīng Shì 2,177 1,235,476 568


The Wuxi New District is part of the Binhu District but has its own administrative committee dealing with its affairs.
These districts are sub-divided into 73 township-level divisions, including 59 towns and 24 subdistrict
Subdistrict
Subdistrict is a low level administrative division of a country. In Thailand it may refer to the King Amphoe or to the Tambon. In England and Wales it was part of a Registration district....

s.

Economy

Currently Wuxi is designated as an investment
Investment
Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...

 grade city, and has two large industrial parks devoted to new industries. While being the current manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...

 centers on textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...

s, there are projects to move to electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...

 manufacturing and MRP software development
Software development
Software development is the development of a software product...

. Wuxi is the solar technology hub in China as two major photovoltaic companies are based in the city. They are Suntech Power
Suntech Power
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. is the world's largest producer of solar panels, with 1,800MW of annual production capacity by the end of 2010. With offices or production facilities in every major market, Suntech has delivered more than 13,000,000 solar panels to thousands of companies in more...

 and Jetion Holdings Ltd
Jetion Holdings Ltd
Jetion Holdings Limited is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of solar cells and modules. The holdings holds the factory Jiangyin Jetion Science and Technology Co Ltd which is located at Jiangyin , Jiangsu, China. During the year ended 2007, the company had a cell manufacturing capacity of 50...

 which are listed on overseas stock exchanges.

A major push has been made by the Wuxi government to become a leader in new energy industries. According to the most recent figures (2002) from local government, 24 percent of economic activity is textile trade, and another 25 percent is industrial based manufacturing, including motors, molds and casting
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...

, with another 8 percent being light industry.

In 2008 new energy industries were worth 37.8 Billion RMB, with the solar photovoltaic industry accounting for 30.2 Billion RMB of the total. The GDP
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....

 per capita was ¥81,151 (US$11,885) in 2009, ranked second in Jiangsu Province, less than Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...

 but more than the capital city Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...

.

Wuxi is one of the top business cities in China. According to Forbes ranking, Wuxi is in the third position for best business cities in Mainland China in 2008.

The center of the city is filled with modern high rise buildings and the market is being redeveloped in a postmodern style. Hynix completed a new chip plant in Wuxi.

Industry

  • Wuxi New District

Since it was established in 1992, Wuxi New District
Wuxi New District
Wuxi New District is a district of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province. The district has an area of 220 km² and a population of around 275,000.In the 1992 the district was founded as an industrial zone in order to attract large foreign companies...

 (WND) has evolved to be one of the major industrial parks in China. A wide variety of components, sub-systems and original equipments are made in WND. Approximately 1200 enterprises have been registered in WND by the end of 2008. Wuxi New District provides strong support for international manufacturing operations. The Zone focuses on formation of the five pillar industries of electronic information, precision machinery and mechanical and electrical integration, bio-pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and new materials.
  • Wuxi Export Processing Zone

Established in 1992, Wuxi Export Processing Zone is located in Wuxi New District with a planned area of 2.98 sqkm. The encouraged industries include electronic information, optical-mechanical-electronic-integration, precision machinery, and new materials. It is situated near to Wuxi Airport and Changzhou Port.

Culture

As an important city for the "Wu" area, its culture bears distinctive characteristics, which can be identified in its dialect, architecture, waterway transportation and various art types.

It was one of the art and cultural centers of "Jiangnan", with several famous Chinese authors claiming Wuxi as their home town. Among them, most recently, Qian Zhongshu
Qian Zhongshu
Qian Zhongshu was a Chinese literary scholar and writer, known for his wit and erudition.He is best known for his satiric novel Fortress Besieged . His works of non-fiction are characterised by their large amount of quotations in both Chinese and Western languages...

, author of Fortress Besieged
Fortress Besieged
Fortress Besieged was written by Qian Zhongshu, published in 1947, and is widely considered as one of the masterpieces of twentieth century Chinese literature. The novel is a humorous tale about middle-class Chinese society in the late 1930s...

, a comedy of manners set in China in the 1930s. Wuxi was the birthplace of the famous Chinese (later American) artist Chen Chi
Chen Chi
Chen Chi was a renowned Chinese painter who became a United States citizen, where he lived and worked for much of his career.Chi was born in Wuxi, Kiangsu, China in 1912. He taught painting at the Wu Pen and Huai Chiu high schools for girls from 1938 to 1944, and at the St. John's University...

 (1912—2005), in whose honor a museum has been erected in the city.

One of the handicraft specialties of Wuxi is the production of Huishan clay figurines
A'Fu
A Fu clay figurines are a speciality of Wuxi, Jiangnan, China, consisting of two figures, a boy with a red carp and a girl with a chicken ....

.

In modern times Wuxi has produced a number of cultural figures such as Hua Yanjun (1893–1950) also known as "Blind Abing
Abing
"Blind" Ābǐng was a blind Chinese musician specializing in the erhu and pipa.-Life:...

" (瞎子阿炳), famous for his erhu
Erhu
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles...

 and pipa
Pipa
The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments . Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12–26...

 music. Another famous musician is Liu Tianhua, who was the first to compile folk music using staff.

Cuisine

Wuxi is known for its Wuxi-style spare ribs, sweetened pork dumplings and fried gluten.

Railways

Wuxi is situated on the Nanjing-Shanghai Railway, linking it directly with the provincial capital of Nanjing (1.5 hours train-ride) and China's economic hub, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

 (45 minutes train-ride) and the fifth biggest economic hub and tourist destination Suzhou (24 minutes train-ride). K-series trains all stop at Wuxi.

Air transport

Wuxi Airport, which opened in 2004, is situated 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from the city centre and has direct flights to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

, Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...

, Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...

, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, and Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

.

Expressways and highways

Expressways:
  • Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway
    Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway
    The Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway is a fully enclosed, high grade and multifunctional modern highway. The highway has two-way four lanes. Each lane is 3.75m. And the main highway's roadbed is 26 meters. There sets a 3-meter-wide dividing strip in the center of the highway and a 2.5-meter-wide...

     (Hu Ning Gao Su 沪宁高速)
  • Wuxi-Yixing Expressway (Xi Yi Gao Su 锡宜高速)


National highways:
  • China National Highway 312
    China National Highway 312
    China National Highway 312 , also referred to as Route 312 or The Mother Road, is an important highway that runs east-west across the breadth of People's Republic of China. It begins at the port city Shanghai and ends at Khorgas in the Ili River valley, on the border with Kazakhstan. In total it...



Provincial roads:
  • S342

Folklore

The nine peaks of Huishan
Huishan District
Huishan District is a district of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province.The total area of the district is 327.12 km². In 2006 the population was 388,957....

, in Xihui Park
Xihui Park
Xihui Park is a park located west of Wuxi, Jiangsu, China, overlooking the city and Lake Tai. It was established in 1958 and includes the Jichang Yuan Garden. At the park entrance is a path leading to the Dragon Light Pagoda on top of Xi Shan...

 on the western outskirts of Wuxi, are said to be the sleeping sons of the legendary Dragon King
Dragon King
The four Dragon Kings are, in Chinese mythology, the divine rulers of the four seas . Although Dragon Kings appear in their true forms as dragons, they have the ability to shapeshift into human form...

.

The humor of Wuxi natives is well-known. A popular joke is that "they can sell you meat that is really bones and they sell you dumplings that are just air inside", i.e. Wuxi pork ribs and Wuxi fried tofu dumplings, which are hollow. Some consider this trait untrustworthy.

One of the most noted folklore stories is about Wuxi traditional pork ribs. It was said that the ribs were created by a peasant Lu Xiaosheng. His wife was ill but he was poor. One day she wanted to eat pork. Lu went to buy some ribs which he cooked by wrapping them in a "Po Gao Jian" (lit. damaged haulm cushion). The taste of the ribs was so good that his wife immediately recovered from her illness. People say that the cushion was used by a beggar who happened to be a god. Lu then began to sell the pork ribs, and became rich and famous for the brand "Old Lu's Gao Jian".

Tourism

Wuxi is a major tourist area of the Lower Yangtze Delta
Yangtze River Delta
The Yangtze River Delta, Yangtze Delta or YRD, also called Yangzi, or Chang Jiang Delta, Rive Chang Delta Tai Lake Region or the Golden Triangle of the Yangtze, generally comprises the triangular-shaped territory of Wu-speaking Shanghai, southern Jiangsu province and northern Zhejiang province of...

. It has both natural and man-made places of interest.

Lake Tai

The city was built on the shore of Lake Tai with the lake providing a rich tourism resource. Noted spots include Yuantouzhu
Yuantouzhu
Yuantouzhu is a peninsula which lies on the northwestern shore of Lake Tai, near Wuxi in China's Jiangsu province.Yuantouzhu, or "Turtle Head Isle" in English , is a popular scenic tourist region...

 (the Islet of Turtlehead) and Taihu Xiandao (Islands of the Deities).

Star of Lake Tai

Completed in 2008, this 115 metres (377.3 ft) tall Ferris wheel takes 18 minutes to complete one revolution. Passengers can enjoy the scenery of Lake Tai and the city center. At night, lighting effects are switched on around the wheel.

Mount Xi and Mount Hui

Literally "Tin Mountain" and "Kindhearted Mountain", Mount Xi and Mount Hui are two small hills located in the western part of the city. The classic royal Ji-chang-yuan Gardens are located at the foot of the hill as well as the Tianxia di er quan (天下第二泉), literally "the second spring under heaven"). Xi Shan is also a name for a tourist area located in Suzhou. Because two separate Chinese characters are both pronounced "Xi": one stands for "West", the other (in this case) is for the metal material tin.

The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal passes through the city. There are two canals: one is the old canal that has been there since it was excavated, the other is the new canal created after 1949.

Wuxi has many private gardens or parks built by learned scholars and rich people in the past. Among these, Li Yuan, Mei Yuan are good examples that have been well preserved. Xihui Gongyuan (Xihui Park
Xihui Park
Xihui Park is a park located west of Wuxi, Jiangsu, China, overlooking the city and Lake Tai. It was established in 1958 and includes the Jichang Yuan Garden. At the park entrance is a path leading to the Dragon Light Pagoda on top of Xi Shan...

), located at the foot of Xi Shan also houses historical relics, notably Jichang Garden
Jichang Garden
Jichang Yuan is located inside Xihui Park, east side of Hui Shan, east side of western suburban of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, China. It's close to Huishan Temple. Jichang Garden is a famed Chinese classical garden in South China, and it was claimed as a national protected location of historical and...

. It is about 1770 kilometres (5,807,086.6 ft) in length.

Grand Buddha at Ling Shan

Located south of the Longshan Mountain, near Wuxi's Mashan Town, the 88 metres (288.7 ft) tall Grand Buddha at Lingshan is one of the largest Buddha statues in China, and the ninth tallest statue worldwide.

Huishan Ancient Town

Built during 16th - 19th century A.D., the town is located in the north-west part of Wuxi on the west bank of the Grand Canal and at the foot of Mount Hui. The town's buildings are mainly family ancestral hall
Ancestral hall
An ancestral hall or lineage temple is a site of ancestor worship in Chinese culture. Ancestral halls are closely linked to Confucian culture and the emphasis that it places on filial piety....

s.

Film and television District

Located in the western part of Wuxi, the district consists of Wuxi Three State City Park, Tang City, and Shuihu City. Established in 1987, it was the first Movie and TV film studio in China.

Shan Juan Cave

Located in Yixing (part of Wuxi), Shan Juan Cave is a 4-star scenic zone. The Chinese Romeo and Juliet, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai
Butterfly Lovers
The Butterfly Lovers is a Chinese legend of a tragic love story of a pair of lovers, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai , whose names form the title of the story...

 were said to study behind the cave.

Chen Chi Museum

This museum honoring the famous 20th century painter Chen Chi
Chen Chi
Chen Chi was a renowned Chinese painter who became a United States citizen, where he lived and worked for much of his career.Chi was born in Wuxi, Kiangsu, China in 1912. He taught painting at the Wu Pen and Huai Chiu high schools for girls from 1938 to 1944, and at the St. John's University...

 includes a small collection of his works.

Other historical places

The former Residence of Xue Fucheng, Former Residence of A Bin, Former Residence of Xu Xiake, Site of Luotuo Dun, Taibo Temple and Tomb, and Donglin Shuyuan. These historical places are protected by the city government.

Sports and stadiums

Wuxi has two stadiums. The old stadium is in the southern part of the city and has yet to reopen. The other is Wuxi New Stadium, which consists of a swimming stadium, soccer stadium and other facilities. It is located in the south-west part of the city, near Lake Tai.

Universities and colleges


High schools

  • http://www.wxyzedu.net/ Wuxi No.1 High School
    Wuxi No.1 High School
    Wuxi No.1 High School is located in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China . The school was founded in 1911. It is one of the most selective high schools in Jiangsu Province, and it is consistently ranked among the country’s best....

     (无锡市第一中学)
  • http://www.daqiao.org.cn/ Wuxi Big Bridge Experimental School
    Wuxi Big Bridge Experimental School
    Wuxi Big Bridge Experimental High School was founded in 1993. The school is located in the downtown historical Xueqianjie neighborhood of Wuxi, Jiangsu Province....

     (无锡市大桥实验中学)
  • http://www.wxfr.net/ Wuxi Furen High School
    Wuxi Furen High School
    Wuxi Furen High School was founded in the fall of 1918. The original name was "Wuxi Private Furen Middle School", the preparatory school of Saint John's University in Shanghai. The name Furen is from The Analects of Confucius - Yanyuan :- "meeting friends with articles, helping charity with...

     (No.2 Senior High School)] (无锡市辅仁中学/无锡市第二中学)
  • http://www.wxsgz.com/ Wuxi No.3 Senior High School (无锡市第三高级中学)
  • http://qszx.wxjy.com.cn/ Wuxi Qingshan High School (无锡市青山高级中学)
  • http://www.tyzx.com.cn/ Jiangsu Tianyi High School (江苏省天一中学)
  • http://www.jxshs.cn/ Jiangsu Xishan Senior High School
    Jiangsu Xishan Senior High School
    Jiangsu Xishan Senior High School is a key high school in Xishan, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China. It was founded in 1907. The school emphasises science and technology education; in 2006, they invested over RMB30,000,000 in computing and network facilities....

     (江苏省锡山高级中学)
  • http://www.wxynz.com/ Wuxi NO.1 Girls High School (无锡市第一女子中学,原东林中学)

Notable people

  • Gu Kaizhi
    Gu Kaizhi
    Gu Kaizhi , is a celebrated painter of ancient China. His style name was 'Changkang' . He was born in Wuxi, Jiangsu province and first painted at Nanjing in 364. In 366, he became an officer . Later he was promoted to royal officer . He was also a talented poet and calligrapher...

     (later half of the fourth century), a painter.
  • Li Sheng (772-846), poet, who lived and was buried in Wuxi.
  • Gu Xiancheng (顧憲成, 1550–1612), scholar and politician, especially well-known in the "Dong Lin Movement".
  • Xu Xiake
    Xu Xiake
    Xu Xiake , born Xu Hongzu , courtesy name Zhenzhi , was a Chinese travel writer and geographer of the Ming Dynasty known best for his famous geographical treatise, and noted for his bravery and humility. He traveled throughout China for more than 30 years, documenting his travels extensively...

     (1587–1641), Ming Dynasty
    Ming Dynasty
    The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...

     traveller and writer.
  • Hua Hengfang (1833–1902), mathematics in late Qing Dynasty who did studies in various area of science and technology. He participated in designing the first streamer and the first steamboat in China.
  • Xue Fucheng (薛福成, 1838-1894), well-known ideologist, diplomat and one of leading exponents for national bourgeoisie reform in the late Qing Dynasty.
  • Rong Desheng (荣德生, 1875–1952), the largest national capitalist in the Republic of China
    Republic of China
    The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...

     era, most noted for his contribution to the Chinese textle industry.
  • Rong Yiren
    Rong Yiren
    Rong Yiren was the Vice-President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 1998 and was heavily involved with the opening of the Chinese economy to western investment. It is from this second accomplishment, that the western media called him "The Red Capitalist".-Biography:Rong was born in...

     (1916–2005), Rong Desheng's son, the powerful "Red Capitalist", the capitalism-communist, Vice-President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 1998.
  • Abing
    Abing
    "Blind" Ābǐng was a blind Chinese musician specializing in the erhu and pipa.-Life:...

     (1893–1950) folk musician, best known for his work "Er Quan Ying Yue" (moon reflected on Er stream) for the erhu
    Erhu
    The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles...

    .
  • Xu Beihong
    Xu Beihong
    Xu Beihong was born in Yixing, China. He was primarily known for his shuimohua of horses and birds and one of the first Chinese artists to articulate the need for artistic expressions that reflected a new modern China at the beginning of the 20th century...

     (1895–1953), painter, most noted for his paintings of horses.
  • Qian Zhongshu
    Qian Zhongshu
    Qian Zhongshu was a Chinese literary scholar and writer, known for his wit and erudition.He is best known for his satiric novel Fortress Besieged . His works of non-fiction are characterised by their large amount of quotations in both Chinese and Western languages...

     (1910–1998), writer, best known for his comedy of manners Fortress Besieged
    Fortress Besieged
    Fortress Besieged was written by Qian Zhongshu, published in 1947, and is widely considered as one of the masterpieces of twentieth century Chinese literature. The novel is a humorous tale about middle-class Chinese society in the late 1930s...

    .
  • Chen Chi
    Chen Chi
    Chen Chi was a renowned Chinese painter who became a United States citizen, where he lived and worked for much of his career.Chi was born in Wuxi, Kiangsu, China in 1912. He taught painting at the Wu Pen and Huai Chiu high schools for girls from 1938 to 1944, and at the St. John's University...

     (1912–2005), internationally famous painter
  • Lu Yaochen (吕尧臣, 1941-), Chinese art master, famous Zisha (purple clay teapot) master, born in Yi Xing.
  • Ding Junhui
    Ding Junhui
    Ding Junhui is a Chinese professional snooker player. Ding Junhui is China's most successful player ever, having become only the second teenager, after John Higgins, to win three ranking titles...

     (1987-), Snooker
    Snooker
    Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...

     player.
  • Zhou Yongkang
    Zhou Yongkang
    Zhou Yongkang is a senior leader of the Communist Party of China who is currently serving as the 9th ranked member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee, and the head of the Central Political and Legislative Committee, an organ directing central government legal policy and the legislative...

     (1942-), senior Communist Party of China
    Communist Party of China
    The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...

     leader
  • Jimmy Wang Yu
    Jimmy Wang Yu
    Jimmy Wang Yu is a Chinese actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. He shot to fame with the Shaw Brothers Studio's martial arts film, The One-Armed Swordsman, in 1967...

     (1943-), Chinese actor who appeared in the Shaw Brother's One Armed Swordsman. His movie, the Chinese Boxer (1969) is credited with being the first Hong Kong martial arts film that kick started the unarmed combat genre that took Asia by storm in the 197

Twin towns — sister cities

Wuxi is twinned
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 with: Cascais
Cascais
Cascais is a coastal town in Cascais Municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres west of Lisbon, with about 35,000 residents. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal...

, Portugal (September 14, 1993) Akashi, Hyōgo
Akashi, Hyogo
is a city located in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea west of Kobe.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 290,776, with 117,392 households, and a population density of 5,907.68 persons per km²...

, Japan (since August 29, 1981) Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...

, United States (October 12, 1982) Sagamihara, Japan (August 6, 1985) Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...

 (July 5, 1986) Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...

, Canada (April 10, 1996) Davis, California
Davis, California
Davis is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, California, United States (October, 2003) Alameda, California
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...

, United States (2004) Bocholt, Germany
Bocholt, Germany
Bocholt is a city in the north-west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, part of the district Borken. It is situated 4 km south of the border with the Netherlands.-Geography:...

 Gimhae
Gimhae
Gimhae, also commonly spelled Kimhae, is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Gimhae is known to locals as "The Paris of Gyeongsangnamdo." It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim clans in Korea...

, South Korea (December 14, 2005) Daejeon
Daejeon
Daejeon is South Korea's fifth largest metropolis and the provincial capital of Chungnam. Located in the center of the country, Daejeon had a population of over 1.5 million in 2010. It is at the crossroads of Gyeongbu railway, Honam railway, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Honam Expressway. Within the...

, South Korea (August 27, 2006) Ballerup
Ballerup
Ballerup Kommune is a municipality in Region Hovedstaden on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Approx. 15 km. From central Copenhagen. The municipality covers an area of 34 km², and has a total population of 47,116 . It is also the name of the municipal seat,...

, Egedal
Egedal municipality
Egedal Kommune is a municipality in Region Hovedstaden in Denmark. It covers an area of with a total population of 40,533...

 and Frederikssund
Frederikssund
Frederikssund Kommune is a municipality on the shores of Roskilde Fjord in the northern part of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. On 1 January 2007, the municipality was enlarged to include the old Jægerspris, Slangerup, and Skibby municipalities. It now covers an area of 260 km² and...

 municipalities, Denmark (2007) Kortrijk
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...

, Belgium (October 30, 2007) Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...

, Greece (2007) Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra is a city in Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland, with 117,557 inhabitants within the city limits and 294,000 inhabitants within the metropolitan area, including three neighbouring counties ....

, Poland (2008) Tiberias, Israel (2008) Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...

, United States (August 17, 2010)

External links

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