Wuxi, abbreviated as “Xi,” was historically known as Liangxi and Jinkui, and is hailed as the “Pearl of Taihu Lake.” Below is a compiled Wuxi travel guide—take a look and hopefully it will be helpful to you.
Wuxi Travel Guide
Huaxi Village
Known as the “No. 1 Village in China,” Huaxi Village is located east of Jiangyin City and west of Huashi Town. It is a renowned rural village in the Jiangnan region and the center of rural countryside tourism in Jiangnan. The village boasts over 80 famous scenic spots, with its iconic structure, Huaxi Golden Tower, consisting of 17 stories and standing 98 meters tall.
Rural residences are uniformly multi-story villas adorned with mosaic decorations. Each household owns a three-bedroom, three-story villa equipped with water, electricity, and gas. These homes include a living room, bedrooms, dining room, bathroom, garage, and courtyard. Thirty percent of households own cars. The residential area is covered with lush green lawns and blooming flowers and trees. Visitors can follow guides to visit local homes. The South Garden Hotel resembles a traditional farmhouse, featuring white walls, gray tiles, small bridges, and greenery, all interconnected by corridors, exuding a strong rustic charm. The Peasant Park also features sculpted attractions such as “Magpie Bridge Meeting,” “Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage,” “Peach Garden Oath,” “Liu Bei Appointing Generals,” and the “Chinese Zodiac.”
Donglin Academy
Established in the first year of the Zhenghe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1111 AD), Donglin Academy was originally a place where Yang Shi, a distinguished scholar and direct disciple of the Northern Song Neo-Confucianists Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, gave lectures for many years. In the 32nd year of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1604 AD), scholars of the Donglin School, including Gu Xiancheng, restored the academy and resumed scholarly gatherings and lectures there. They advocated the spirit of “studying, teaching, and patriotism,” which resonated across the nation, rapidly gaining fame. Donglin Academy became a hub of intellectual activity and public discourse on national affairs in the Jiangnan region.
Lihu Garden
Lihu Garden is located on the picturesque shores of Li Lake in Wuxi City and is one of the major attractions of the Taihu Lake National Scenic Area. The garden is a renowned Jiangnan-style waterscape garden famous for its “artificial rockeries skillfully set against real waters.” It is also a place that celebrates the legendary love story of Fan Li and Xi Shi. Legend has it that Fan Li, a nobleman of the Yue Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn period, and the beauty Xi Shi once boated here. The lake is named after them, and the garden takes its name from the lake.
Yixing Bamboo Sea Scenic Area
The Yixing Bamboo Sea Scenic Area is located in Hufu Town, approximately 31 kilometers southwest of Xingzhou District. The scenic area spans parts of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces and encompasses hundreds of thousands of acres of bamboo, earning it the title of the “Sea of Bamboo.” Covering a total area of 10,000 acres, it is the largest bamboo resource scenic area in East China, thus known as the “No. 1 Bamboo Sea in East China.” Due to the proximity of the Hufu Mountain area in the Bamboo Sea Scenic Area to Taihu Lake, the water system here is most distinct, and the streams flowing down from the Bamboo Sea mountains are referred to as the “No. 1 Source of Taihu Lake.”
Located at the heart of the bamboo sea, the Bamboo Sea Scenic Area features attractions such as the “No. 1 Source of Taihu Lake,” “No. 1 Peak of Southern Jiangsu,” “Bamboo Announcing Peace,” “Mirror Lake Scenery,” “Cable Bridge Over Waves,” “Jizhao Zen Temple,” “Bamboo Forest Waterfall,” “Emerald Corridor,” and “Hanging Plank Walkway.” These sites vary in character—from majestic and grand to serene and profound, mysterious and winding—each unique and naturally fascinating.
Wuxi Sakura Hot Springs
Wuxi Sakura Hot Springs is situated next to the historic and picturesque Wuxi Culture Park, within the Plaza of the Ramada Hotel. It integrates hot springs, spa wellness centers, saunas, children’s play pools, swimming pools, and fitness facilities. Among its offerings, distinctive hot spring features such as the “Kissing Fish Pool,” salt bath pool, sand bath pool, geothermal corridor, and couple pools allow visitors to experience the health benefits of hot springs while enjoying diverse elements and styles of the hot spring experience.