| Jiangsu
briefing |  Also
called Su for short, Jiangsu Province is situated in China's southeast coast,
on the lower reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River where the Changjiang River,
the Grand Canal, Taihu Lake, and Hongze Lake join forces to form the Changjiang
River Delta, a wellknown network of waterways in China. The province has an area
of more than 100,000 square kilometers, most of which being plains, and a population
of about 70 million. One of the densely populated provinces in China, it is inhabited
by the Han, Hui, Man, and other ethnic groups. Nanjing is the provincial capital.
Jiangsu has a long history. It was part of State Wu and State Yue during
the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States periods (770 -221 B. C.). It belonged
to Xuzhou and Yangzou at Han times (206 B. C.- A. D. 220) and to Henan and Zhejiang
provinces in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644),
it was under the jurisdiction of Nanjing. Jiangsu was made a province during the
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is divided into northern and southern Jiangsu by
the Changjiang. The province has a mild climate and a well developed economy,
and it is a "land of plenty," producing rice, wheat, cotton, silk, and
fish. There are many places of historic interest in Jiangsu, including
41 under State protection, and scenic attractions, including four national and
seven provincial scenic areas. Of the tourist cities, Nanjing is known for the
historical sites of six feudal dynasties; Suzhou, for the classical gardens; Wuxi,
for the landscape of Taihu Lake; Yangzhou, for the culture of the Han and Tang
dynasties; Zhenjiang for the mountains and temples; Changzhou, for the sites of
ancient towns; Yixing, for its pottery, caves, bamboo groves, and tea; Xuzhou,
for the culture of the Qin and Han regimes; Lianyungang, for the sight of the
Yellow Sea; Nantong, for its scenery of the rivers and sea; Changshu, for temples
in the famous mountains; and Huai'an, for the sites of noted personages. A
tour of Jiangsu can be made by dragon boat on the ancient Grand Canal to get some
idea of the Oriental culture or by bicycle to learn the customs and habits in
the rural areas. | | Nanjing |  Known
as Jinling in old days, Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu. Strategically situated
on the Yangtze, with a moist climate, its terrain rendered majesty by the mountains
in the background, it is also the province's political, economic, cultural and
transportation center. Nanjing today looks at once new and old-new due to the
ongoing modernization drive, and old because it is already 2,460 years old, and,
as one of the nation's seven ancient capitals, it was the capital city for 10
feudal dynasties or regimes.
| | Qinhuai
River Scenic Belt |  The
Qinhuai River is a trunk waterway as well as a famed scenic belt in Nanjing clustered
as it is on both banks with a host of places of historical and cultural interest.
One of them is the Confucian Temple, where the great thinker is worshipped. The
temple mingles congruously with the Ming and Qing buildings around it, turning
the place into a renowned tourist, cultural and commercial street. Night cruise
on the river and visiting the night fair at the Confucian Temple are unique tourist
programs available for visitors to Nanjing. | | Suzhou |  Suzhou,
located in the Taihu Lake Basin, which is the most prosperous part of the Yangtze
River Delta, and 199km east of Shanghai, is a famous cultural city with a history
of more than 2,500 years. Rising simultaneously with the city itself were a Venice-like
layout with tiny bridges sitting gracefully on rivulets and streams, which ran
parallel with the streets. Suzhou is celebrated for its many classical gardens,
and the UNESCO has endorsed some of them as world cultural heritage sites. The
suburbs of Suzhou are studded with ancient waterfront towns-Zhouzhuang, Tongli
and Luzhi are three of the most prestigious ones.
| | Zhouzhuang,
an Ancient Town |  Thirty
km from downtown Suzhou sits Zhouzhuang, extolled as No.1 water-bound town of
China for its labyrinth of waterways, Ming and Qing dwellings, and honest-to-goodness
folkways. Boat racing, lantern shows and old granny's tea are part and parcel
of local tradition. The folklore of this water bound town is celebrated at an
international tourist festival, which takes place on April 12.
| |
Yangzhou |  The
central Jiangsu city of Yangzhou, situated at the juncture of the angtze River
and the Grand Canal, has made a name for itself with a wealth of sites of historical
interest and elegant gardens. These include the Lean West Lake (actually a natural
waterway feeding mountain runoffs into the Grand Canal), Geyuan Garden (whose
forte is artificial rockwork), and Lesser Pangu Garden. During their repeated
visits to Yangzhou, emperors Kangxi and Qianlong left a succession of historical
sites on the land of Yangzhou. This has prompted local travel agencies to invent
the "Emperor Qianlong Cruise", which transports visitors to a string
of local attractions. Shugand Scenic Zone and Cruise on the Ancient Grand Canal
are yet another two popular tourist programs. Other places worth seeing: Tianning
Temple Museum, Daming Temple, Monk Jianzhen Memorial Hall, and Memorial Hall of
Eight Yangzhou Eccentrics.
| | Zhenjiang |  The
Yangtze River crosses the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal at Zhenjiang, a central
Jiangsu city known for its rich cultural legacy and picturesque landscape. Major
attractions: Jinshan Hill, Beigushan Hill, and Song-and-Yuan Ancient Street. The
Jinshan Monastery, dating back to the East Jin, is a famed ancient temple in China.
Longchang Temple, built more than 1,500 years ago in Baohuashan Scenic Zone, is
a famous Taoist domain.
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