Pingwang Ancient Town

Pingwang Ancient Town

Pingwang is situated at the center of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Shanghai, in Wujiang District, Suzhou City. It is connected by National Highway 318, Provincial Highway 227, the Suzhou–Jiaxing–Hangzhou Expressway, the Shanghai–Suzhou–Zhejiang Expressway, and the North–South Expressway. The Grand Canal, the Changhushen Waterway, and the Taipu River meet near the town. Historical records such as the Qianlong-era Wujiang County Annals and the Daoguang-era Pingwang Annals indicate that the name “Pingwang” originated during the Jianping period of the Western Han Dynasty (6 BC – 3 BC). A post station was established here during the Tang Dynasty, and the town was officially founded in 1368, the first year of the Hongwu era in the Ming Dynasty. The renowned Little Jiuhua Temple is where the modern Buddhist leader Master Taixu became a monk, and the beautiful Yingbin Lake is said to be one of the Five Lakes once traveled by Fan Li during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Wu and Yue states. It serves not only as a vital land and water transportation hub in East China but also as a pearl along the “Suzhou–Hangzhou Paradise Corridor.”

Since ancient times, Pingwang has thrived in agriculture and silk production, with bustling streets and alleys. With over 5,000 years of historical accumulation, its natural resources and cultural heritage blend seamlessly, embodying the unique charm of the Jiangnan water towns. It has been honored as a National Environmentally Friendly Town, an Advanced Town in Provincial Civilization Construction, a Provincial Advanced Unit in Legal Awareness Campaigns, as well as an Advanced Unit in Rural Reform in Suzhou, a Safe Town in Suzhou’s Public Security, an Advanced Collective in Suzhou’s Safe Construction, and a Suzhou Town Famous for Specialty Flowers.

Currently, Pingwang Town has built the New Century Cultural Square, a nationally recognized characteristic cultural plaza for towns. It features modern facilities such as the four-star New Century International Hotel, the three-star Jiuhua Hotel, and the branded chain hotel Motel 168. The Changyang Fisheries Science and Technology Park, the [Flower] Garden, Zhonglu Water Town Homes, and the Nansi Ecological Culture Park are actively striving to become National Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Sites. The town has essentially established a modern consumption-quality city centered around commercial blocks, cultural streets, ecological parks, and specialty shops.