Wuxi lies in the North Asian tropical humid temperate zone, with annual temperature averaging 16 degrees Centigrade. It is blessed with plentiful of sunshine and precipitation and a long frost-free period. With four distinct seasons, the city is typical of the area sough of the Yangtze River, featuring lushness, pleasant weather and an enchanting environment.

As the transport hub for the area, Wuxi has easy access to railway, highway, air and water transport facilities. It is bisected by the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, Nanjing-Shanghai Expressway, Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, National Highways No.312 and 104, and Jiangsu provincial roads. It takes up to two hours to reach Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, and Shanghai. Sea travel is also convenient via Jiangyin and Zhangjiagang harbors, both close to the city. Six flights link the city of Wuxi with major parts of the country. Posts and telecommunications are well developed, and people can make direct calls to friends in 156 countries and regions. The city also has express mail business tics with 27 countries. As one of the major information centers in China, Wuxi reaches the world at palm size in terms of developed access to the Internet and telecommunication facilities.

Location: located between north latitude 3107' - 3200', east longitude 11931' - 12036'; situated in the middle of the Yangtze Delta, Taihu Plain southeast of Jiangsu province; the Yangtze River to the north and Taihu Lake south;183 kilometers away from Nanjing, 128 kilomenters from Shanghai
Neighboring Areas: Zhejiang, Anhui, Shandong provinces and Shanghai Municipality
Physical Features: mainly plain terrain, dotted with low mountain and hills
Population: 4.32 million
Urban Population: 1.73 million
Nationalities: Han, Hui and Manchu
Area: 4,650 sq km
Climatic Features: subtropical monsoon maritime climate; mild and humid with 4 distinct seasons; long frost-free period of 230 days, enough sunshine of 2000 hours annually
Average Temperature: annual average of 15.5C
Rainfall: average annual of 1000 mm
Mountains: Mt. Xishan, Mt. Huisha, Mt. Junzhang, Mt. Maji
Rivers: the Yangtze River; Taihu Lake; Jinghang Canal

The early 20th century saw Wuxi emerge as a cradle for national industry, with two brothers from the Rong family and some others running cotton mills, flour mills or silkworm cocoon filature factories. By 1937, Wuxi ranked third in China in terms of industrial output value, and was the largest of the four rice markets in the country. Because of this, Wuxi was affectionately mentioned as ?°Shanghai Jr.?± Wuxi made rapid progress after the founding of New China in 1949. During the ongoing reform and opening period that began in late 1978, farmers in the suburban areas were the first in China to start what we today call ?°township enterprises?±. Foreign investment has also been a powerful tool for progress. As the number one city in Jiangsu Province in terms of comprehensive strength, Wuxi is today one of the Top 15 key economic centres in China.

Natural Resources Exploiting its developed irrigation system, Wuxi grows rice much coveted throughout the country. It is also famous for its aquatic products, with fishing boats plying the waters of Taihu Lake and fish ponds dotting the suburban areas. It leads the nation in per-unit output of freshwater fish, including Whitebait, Whitefish and white shrimps (unique to Taihu Lake), as well as Hilsa Herring, Mullet and Huiyu fish (unique to the Yangtze River). Wuxi?ˉs native produce known far and wide include Sijaoling water chestnuts, crisp water shield, jade-like wild rice stems, lily known as ginseng from Taihu Lake, tasty chestnuts, fragrant Xuelang Gongcha tea, Wuxi Haocha tea, Yangxiancha tea, and Shuimitao juicy peach. Moreover, Wuxi is famous for its rich and tasty spareribs, fried round fermented dough hollow inside, which is called Youmianjin in Chinese, Xiaoxing beancurd and Mullet noodles. Throughout the ages, master chefs in Wuxi have developed representative dishes known as ?°Taihu Boat Dishes?±. The best known are Liangxi crisp eels and pork cooled in fermented bean curd.

Handicrafts Huishan clay figurines, red pottery teapots and embroidered pieces are representative of handicrafts unique to Wuxi. With a history of 500 years, Huishan clay figurines are known for their sophistication, bright colors and lifelike shapes. The making of red pottery began during the Northern Son. Dynasty (960-1127). Its shaping and carving art displays the cream of sculpture, seal cutting and painting, and calligraphy. So, it is widely loved, Wuxi embroidery features closes and neat stitch work and fine patterns. It began to gain fame during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). During the ensuring dynastie of the Ming and Qing (1368-1911), it was used as tributes paid to the imperial court.

Silk Silkworm cocoons in Wuxi are of the best quality in the country. In 1884, Yeqin Yarn Factory was opened. After that, silkworm cocoon filature factories and textile mills sprang up one after another to the extent that, in 1937, Wuxi?ˉs silkworm cocoon filature factories made up alrnost 90 percent of the national total, and produced more than half of the country?ˉs raw silk exports. After the founding of New China in 1949, Wuxi?ˉs textile industry developed apace to cover textiles, printing and dyeing, garment making, and loom manufacturing sectors. As one of China?ˉs cotton, ramie and silk fabrics production and export centers, Wuxi?ˉs textile industry is reinforced by fast township textile enterprise groups including Yangguang and Haihan. Experts believe it will eventually become the world?ˉs largest cloth material producer and exporter.

Talents Wuxi has since the ancient time been home to celebrities. They include Li Shen, a famous poet during the Tang Dynasty (618-907); Li Gang, a Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty (960-1179), who distinguished himself by resisting the invasion of the Jin (1115-1234); Xu Xiake, who was a noted geologist and traveler of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644); Xue Fucheng, a noted thinker and diplomat of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the first in China to propose ?°going out of the country into the world?±; Xu Tao and Hau Henfang, who designed China?ˉs first steam engine and China?ˉs first ship; and Rong Zongjing and Rong Desheng, who made pioneering efforts to boost development of national industries. Contemporary men of letters include Qian Zongshu, a literary master, and Liu Bannong, an accomplished linguist. Of the Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 75, or 5.9 percent of the total, are native to Wuxi or have been working in the city for a long period of time.

Folk Music Wuxi is also famous for its folk music tinged with flowing elegance. Representatives include Hua Qiuping, who was compiled Pipa Music; Yang Yingliu, hailed as a pioneer in research into China?ˉs national music; Liu Tianhua, whose Birds Chirping at Kongshan, Groaning when Sick and other erhu (two stringed musical instrument) music are respected as 20th Century classics; Ah Bing (Hua Yanjun), whose erhu work. The Moon Mirrored in the Euquan Pool, is extremely popular in China and also known and enjoyed throughout the world; Zhou Shaomei, Chu Shizhu, Jiang Fengbai and Ming Huifeng, who arc either noted folk music composers or performers.

Paintings The fascinating beauty of the landscape in Wuxi gives inspiration to poets, calligraphers. Of the Top 10 Ancient Painters in China, three were natives to Wuxi-Gu Kaizhi, regarded as the master in the Chinese painting world, Ni Zan, whose works stunned the world with their beauty and power, and Wang Ba, whose ink bamboos earned him the fame as ?°number one painter in the Ming Dynasty?±. Modern masters include Xu Beihong, Wu Guandai, Hu Dingsu, Yang Linfu. He Tianjian, Zhu Jianqiu, Qian Songyan and Zhang Guanyu