Explore Wuzhen and Xitang Water Town from Wuxi

Wuxi is one of the older cities in the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) delta area. It was originally known as a source of tin, but, by the time the county was founded in 202 BCE, the deposits had been exhausted, and the county was named Wuxi (“Without Tin”). Wuxi has traditionally been a centre of the textile industry, being engaged in both cotton textiles and silk reeling. Present-day Wuxi is the one of the greatest silk-reeling centres in China. Cotton textile production is also important and is the city’s largest single industry. Other long-established industries include flour milling, rice polishing, and oil extraction. Industrial development has accelerated since the 1950s. Tourism has become increasingly important. Wuxi’s surroundings include many well-known scenic spots that have been carefully preserved, together with city parks and historic sites, and the national government has designated it as one of China’s historical and cultural cities.

Wuzhen Water Town, lying in the northern part of Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, is a typical ancient town in southern China. It is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from both Hangzhou and Suzhou, and 140 kilometers (87 miles) from Shanghai. As one of the top six ancient towns in the southern region of the Yangtze River, Wuzhen Water Town boasts more than six thousand years of history and has always been a fertile land with abundant rice, fish and silk. It preserves the ancient appearance well and oozes charm of the water town itself. The small town, with houses made of black bricks and gray tiles contrasting sharply with the white walls, making it appear like a Chinese ink wash drawing. Stone bridges are seen here and there. Small boats with black awnings are floating on the murmuring rivers. Whether wandering along the riverside or strolling in the lanes paved with blue flagstones, you will be deeply impressed by the picturesque scenery and slow lifestyle.

Xitang Water Town, lying in Jiashan County in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, is a famous town with thousands of years of history. It dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC) and the Warring States Period (476 BC-221 BC). The town was a place of strategic importance on the boundary of the Wu and Yue states. Its flat terrain is marked by a quiet, natural environment with rivers running through it. From a bird's-eye view of the whole town, one sees blue water sparkling almost in every point the eyes touch and reflections of the houses in the water. The quiet water, handsome bridges, and the reflections in the early morning and the rosy sunset, fishing boats and the glistening lights in the evening, form an amazing picture full of a sense of poetry which can only be seen in the south lower reaches of the Yangtze River. People there, whether local residents or visitors, feel that this is a fairyland. They even have no idea as to whether people are wandering in the picture or the picture is moving in their hearts. The super star Tom Cruise once filmed Mission Impossible III in Xitang, leading to the boom of Xitang's popularity among tourists.