Overview
Wuxi (literally means No More Tin) was built over 3,000 years ago.
According to the book, in 772 B.C., tin and lead were found in what is today
Wuxi. At that time, all weapons and farming tools were made of bronze, an alloy
of copper and tin. After 500 years, however, tin run out. Hence the name, Wuxi
(No More Tin), which signifies peace.
Wuxi is located north of Taihu Lake and south of the Yangtze River.
Consisting of the city proper and three suburban towns, the total area of Wuxi
is 4650 square kilometers. Climatically, Wuxi has distinct seasons, with the
temperature averaging 15.5 degrees Centigrade.
Wuxi is an important town in Jiangsu Province. It nevertheless is an
attractive place to visit with its network of canals and cobbled streets. The
major attraction for most visitors are Lake Taihu, the third largest fresh water
lake in China and two other fine gardens -- Mei Yuan, or Plum Garden, and Li
Garden. Each has its own charm.
Xihui Park, located on the western edge of Wuxi is a famous park. There are
the remains of the Hui Shan Temple built in 420 A.D. and the Huishan Spring that
was known as far back as the ninth century. The spring is the second oldest
spring in china.
Attractions
Li Garden
In the Qingqi Village in Wuxi City, is located the Li Garden which is one
of the major scenic spots in China. It lies by Li Lake and covers an area of 8.2
hectares (approx. 98,071 square yards). It is said that Fan Li who was a prime
minister of the Yue State in Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC) was very
meritorious in helping the king to conquer another state. However, he has
decided to live in privacy with Xi Shi (one of the Four Beauties in ancient
China) after the big success was achieved. They lived in this area and boated in
Li Lake. In order to commemorate Fan Li, the lake was named after his name.
However, the garden was named after the lake.
The garden is surrounded by water on three sides. You can see green hills
in the distance, and at close range the dike, long corridor, and rockery. The
scenery in the garden can be divided into three sections: Man-made hills in the
middle section, the scenic spots such as long dike and Four Seasons Pavilions in
the west section and abundant spots including Spring and Autumn Pavilion and
long corridor in the east section.
Plum Garden
Located five kilometers (3 miles) west of the city of Wuxi, the Plum Garden
in Jiangsu Province has long been known as one of the best places for viewing
plum blossoms. The garden backs onto Dragon Mountain in the north and faces
Taihu Lake in the south. The three elements-mountains, water, and plum
blossoms-are combined to create picturesque scenery that fully represents the
profound culture of Chinese plum blossom.
As early as 1912, Rong Desheng, one of the first national businessmen,
invested in the garden and began its construction. He planted various plum trees
on the original plot of 80 mu (13 acres), later expanding it. The garden now
occupies an area of more than 500 mu (82 acres). It integrates natural beauty,
history and architecture in a harmonious way.
Three sections featuring distinct themes are distributed in the garden. The
part that focuses on the plum blossom has a romantic and poetic atmosphere. As
you wander around through this ocean of fragrance, bear in mind famous poems
and paintings composed on the subject and you will appreciate the wonders of
plum blossoms more than ever. There are more than 4,000 planted plum trees and
2,000 plum bonsais including about 40 hybrids such as Cinnabar plum and Kermes
plum. Enjoying a 70-year-history of planting, the garden offers a great many
examples of members of the plum family including Straight Branch, Reclinate
Branch, Dragon Swim, hybrids of plum and apricot, and cherry plum, many of which
have been brought here from all around China.
Three Kingdoms City
Located in the southwest suburb of Wuxi City is the Three Kingdoms City,
which is one of the CCTV Television Bases, and a renowned tourist attraction.
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a historical TV series, was filmed there. The
title, Three Kingdoms, refer to Wei (220-265), Shu (221-263) and Wu (229-280)
which were the three rival powers during the period of Three Kingdoms.
Covering an area of about 35 hectares (86 acres), the Three Kingdoms City
is a Han Dynasty (206BC-220) style structure. In order to film the Romance of
the Three Kingdoms, a series of buildings were needed to be built there. These
include the King of Wus Palace, the Ganlu Temple, the Caocaos Army Camp on
Land and Waterside, the Seven Star Altar and the Stunt Performing Court for Big
Fire at Red Cliffs. These buildings have all become celebrated tourist
spots.