History and geography

Belonging to one of the eight primitive cultural districts in China, Wuxi is a famous cultural city with a history of over 3,000 years. The establishment of the city can be traced back to the end of the Shang Dynasty. Taibo, the eldest son of emperor Zhouwu in the West Zhou Dynasty came here to introduce the inland culture to the south and created the Wu culture. The place used to be rich in tin deposit during the Zhou and Qin dynasties. As the tin was depleted by the end of the Qin Dynasty, the place was called Wuxi, meaning “a place without tin”.

Wuxi is a city on the Yangtse River between Suzhou and Nanjing, which is located in the south of Jiangsu Province, half way between the cities of Shanghai and Nanjing, with Shanghai 128km to its east and Nanjing 183km to its west. In its south is Lake Taihu and to its north is Yangtse River. Because of its recent development, Wuxi has been dubbed the "little Shanghai".

Wuxi city logo “Yufeifeng” is a cultural symbol .Yu Feifeng is a precious cultural heritage of Wuxi. The shape and the background of it stand for the Wuxi’s inspiring intelligence and beautiful scenery.

Delicacies

1 White Shrimp in Taihu Lake 

It is known as one of the“Three Whites”. With thin shell and tiny foot, white shrimp is one of “three treasures” of The Taihu Lake, whose size is smaller than river and cocktail shrimp, its body shining as silver, having a taste of fatness and tenderness.

Gluten is a kind of vegetable protein consisting of wheat protein. After adding an appropriate amount of water and salt into flour, you should fully mix the ingredients to form dough. Then you need to repeatedly scrub the dough in the water to wash off the starch and other impurities, and the rest is gluten. Oil gluten is made by frying small ball-like gluten in hot oil. As one of the specialties of Wuxi, restaurants could make various dishes with it. For daily dishes, it can be cooked into dishes and soups. There is a custom in Wuxi that a bowl of meat stuffed oil gluten with a meaning of family reunion and happiness.

3 Wuxi Spareribs with Sugar and Vinegar

It is not only popular in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, known as its origin place, but is welcomed around eastern China. The name implies that short rib of pig is the main ingredient. When being prepared, the rib should be cleaned and sliced into small pieces, added Chinese cinnamon, aniseeds, garlic, ginger and sugar, and then gilled for a while until fully cooked. The snack dish is sweet, sour and crispy, and the bones can be easily separated from the meat.

  
4 Wuxi Honey Peach

Wuxi honey peach is one of wuxi’s famous indigenous products, with a cultivation history of nearly 70 years, renowned at home and abroad for such characteristics as beautiful shape, delightful color, good taste, tender flesh, intense flavor, being easily peeled, juicy, fragrant and melt in the mouth.

5 White Fish

White fish in Taihu Lake: it is known as one of the “Three Whites” . The white fish of about 1 kg is freshest, tenderest and the most delicious. After cooking, it is the best meal at dining tables in hotels, restaurants and houses.

Xiaolongbao is more often known in Shanghai and its surrounding areas as “xiaolong manto” (pinyin). "Mantou" describes both filled and unfilled “baozi” in southern China, but only describes unfilled “baozi” in northern China. To avoid confusion, the name xiaolongbao is usually used in other areas. It is traditionally steamed in bamboo steamers, hence the name is awarded. Xiaolongbao in Wuxi tend to be sweeter and have a thinner dough skin, and are juicier than the Shanghai variety.

Dafu waxberry is produced in Dafu and Maji mountains of suburban areas in Wuxi, with 1000-year cultivation history. Waxberry is native to southern Yangtze River and was named “Proper Fruit of the Southern Yangtze River” in ancient times. With thick flesh and small core, Dafu waxberry tastes sweet and sour. Its fruits have the effects of quenching thirst and promoting salivation. Wuxi people also like eating “waxberry soaked in liquor”. Once soaked in liquor and added with a few brown sugar, waxberry wine may help remove wet and check diarrhea as well as relieve heat and stand the cold.

 Crafts

1 Wuxi Clay Figurines

One piece particularly representative of Huishan clay figurines is Da A Fu, meaning "great good fortune." It features two lovely, plump children, a boy and a girl, each holding a tiny lion. The figurine is considered a symbol of happiness and auspiciousness.

2 Yixing Ceramic

Yixing has a long history of ceramic production and is regarded as “Chinese capital of ceramic”. She have been more than 5,000 years of history of ceramic production. Yixing Ceramic is Well-known around the world.