Taicang, county-level city in Jiangsu, China
Taicang is a city on the southern shores of the Yangtze River near Suzhou, blending old architecture with modern life. It consists of several neighborhoods like Shaxi with well-kept old buildings and temples, Liuhe with its busy historic port, and Chengxiang as the modern center.
Taicang was founded over four thousand five hundred years ago and shows traces of people since the Neolithic period, benefiting from its fertile location for farming and trade. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, Liuhe Harbor became the starting point for Admiral Zheng He's famous sea voyages, making Taicang a major international trading center.
Taicang is known as the "Beautiful Golden City of the Southern Yangtze," a name reflecting its fertile lands and the blend of nature with human work. The city keeps traditions alive through events like the Rice Planting Festival in spring and the Dragon Boat Festival with boat races and local rice dumplings called zongzi.
The city is easily reached from Suzhou and nearby cities by bus and train, making a visit straightforward. Exploration is best done on foot, walking through small streets and talking with locals to experience the different neighborhoods at your own pace.
Since the early 2000s, many Germans have settled in Taicang and founded a German Center with restaurants, schools, and cultural events, making the city an unexpected place of German-Chinese cooperation. This international presence has shaped Taicang and creates an interesting mix of ancient Chinese traditions with European influences.
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