Page 16 - The Islander - February '23

Page 16, The Islander

Travel

Wuxi, China And Life On The Grand Canal

Previously submitted by the late Don Kiselewski, MCC, D.S., Palm Beach Gardens Travel Leaders

Although not exactly a
household name or familiar
spot on the globe, Wuxi
is nonetheless one of the
important cities in China.
However, it is one of those
places that you must want
to visit, because it is rare
to find it on any of the
regular tours that visit
sites in China. The city,
pronounced “woo-she,” lies
on the Grand Canal – which stretches more than 1,000
miles from Beijing to Hangzhou – near the northeast Wuxi’s city center
corner of Lake Taihu.
Wuxi is one of the oldest cities in the Yangtze River Delta
area. It was originally known as a source of tin, however,
by the time the county was founded under the former Han A man fries seafood in a food market in
dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 8), the deposits were exhausted the center of Wuxi.
and so it was named Wuxi, meaning “without tin.”
Since early times, the area around the city has been more when the rail line was completed
extremely fertile, and after the completion of the Grand between Nanking to the northwest
Canal in A.D. 609, Wuxi became the transshipping center and Shanghai to the east, with Wuxi
of grain destined for the capital, Beijing. It thus became becoming the central collection point
one of the greatest grain markets in China, handling vast for grain in the line. Having ridden on
quantities of rice annually, and was the seat of a complex the passenger service on this section
commercial organization made up of extremely wealthy of China’s railway, I can attest to its
merchants and middlemen. cleanliness as well as lack of concern
When the Grand Canal fell into decay after 1850, Wuxi for punctuality.
retained its importance as a rice market, exporting grain to Wuxi is also one of the centers of
Shanghai for reshipment. The grain trade increased even the traditional (hand-operated) textile
industries, being engaged in both cotton Traditional houses near the Grand Canal in the center of Wuxi
textiles and silk reeling. The cotton
yarn produced is woven not only in the
city itself but also in Zhangzhou and
Suzhou (or Soochow). Silk reeled in
Wuxi is most often woven into cloth in
Suzhou and Shanghai. The production
of silk was developed by a group of
Shanghai merchants, all of whom were
former residents of the Wuxi area. Since
1970, Wuxi has been the center of silk
reeling in China. Because of the close
line of the two cities, Wuxi was known
colloquially before WWII as “Little
Shanghai.”
Modern fabrics and manufacturing
processes have changed the character
of the manufactured goods that emanate Sunset on Lake Taihu near the shores of Wuxi
from the city. Today, food processing,
machine tools, engineered products and the like are that work began to restore the canal to its full prominence.
the backbone of Wuxi’s industry. However, silk is still The aim of the reconstruction was to restore the canal
the jewel of the city, and no trip to the city is complete to a state that could handle 2,000-ton ships. Between
without experiencing its silk industry, from the worm to 1958 and 1965 the canal was straightened, widened
Knights on horseback fight out an ancient war in an outdoor the thread. The maze of smaller lakes and canals fill the and dredged. In addition, a new section some 40 miles
theater in Wuxi. The scene portrays typical warfare during area and produce still another crop for the area: fish. Fish long was constructed. By the mid-1970s the canal could
the Three Kingdoms Period (A.D. 220 to 280) farming of carp, catfish and other freshwater fish in these accept medium-sized barge traffic throughout its length.
waters provides a major portion of the necessary food. Today, the majority of traffic on the canal is located in
Fish and rice are the two main staples of the Chinese diet. the southern sections, below Suzhou.
No story about Wuxi would be complete without Sailing on the Grand Canal, one can appreciate the
further details of the Grand Canal, from which it gained importance of this waterway, not only with respect to
its geographic prominence. The canal was started in fourth the movement of goods, but also to the way of life. The
century B.C., and was extensively rebuilt in A.D. 607. It stories of its importance can be felt in the structures and,
was originally named the Shanyang Canal, and was cut more importantly, the people who live, work and utilize
between the Yangtze and Huang Ho (Yellow) rivers. In the canal. I am sure that much has changed in the living
recent times this portion of the canal has been called the standards of the people who live along the banks of
Southern Grand Canal. the canal, however, to outsiders the customs still being
Another major portion of the canal was completed practiced seem primitive.
during the Sui dynasty, at the same time the original canal Wuxi will probably never be sold as a travel destination
was being rebuilt. The New Pein Canal was an east-west through the exciting photographs of a travel brochure, but
An old vessel docks along the Grand Canal in Wuxi. link between the Huang Ho and Huai Ho rivers. This for those whose need for knowledge exceeds the pleasures of
served the needs of the Chinese until the 13th century, life in tourist areas, Wuxi offers the experience of a lifetime.
when during the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty, the need to bring The late Don Kiselewski wrote from his personal
the waterway to Beijing was fulfilled. At the time, the experiences, having traveled in 122 countries and cruised
capital was Beijing, but several centuries later during the the oceans, seas and rivers of the world. Palm Beach
Captain’s was established in 1980 servicing Ming dynasty, it was moved to Nanjing, which launched Gardens Travel Leaders, his family owned and operated
Palm Beach County and is a privately the building of the various interconnecting canals until agency, is located at Mirasol Town Square, 11360 North
owned and managed company. the 19th century. Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach Gardens.
Captain’s is committed to providing In the 19th century a series of disastrous floods broke The agency has been serving the travel needs of the South
dependable, reliable and professional the dikes of the Huang Ho, causing great problems in the
ground transportation to and from all Florida area for over a quarter of a century. Contact them
South Florida Airports and Seaports. PBCVH212 northern sections of the system. These acts of nature, at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
To reserve your vehicle: coupled with the Taiping and Nien Rebellions, caused the Photos by Don Kiselewski
561-798-2180 or 800-634-7890 www.captainsairport.com canal to Beijing to be abandoned; it fell into disrepair and
became unusable. It wasn’t until Communist rule in 1958