Travel headline:

As one of the hottest tourist destinations in China, Jiangsu boasts the most historical and cultural attractions, which range from centuries-old arts and crafts, tea plantations, and ancient cities to refined imperial cuisine and treasured Buddhist sites. Currently China has two UNESCO Intangible World Heritage listings, one of them being Jiangsu's incomparable Kun Opera. The Classical Gardens of Suzhou and the Ming Xiaoling Tombs in Nanjing are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Because of historic cities like Nanjing, Suzhou, and Wuxi, Jiangsu provides travelers with highly-developed tourism resources.

Jiangsu is blessed with fertile soil and a temperate climate, and is in fact known as the Land of Fish and Rice. With 900 meters of coastline, Tai Lake, Hongze Lake, the Yangtze River and the ancient Grand Canal, it is no wonder the history and culture of Jiangsu is inseparable from water. Ancient cities and classical gardens incorporate water into their architecture, and Jiangsu's water villages are some of the best in China. Fish and seafood from the surrounding rivers, lakes, and ocean are main ingredients in Jiangsu's famous imperial cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine.

Jiangsu Province is located on China's east coast. The provinces that border Jiangsu are Shandong Province to the north, Anhui Province to the west and Shanghai Municipality and Zhejiang Province to the south. Jiangsu's total land area is 102,600 square kilometers. With an annual average temperature that ranges from 13C to 16C, the climate in Jiangsu is semi-humid and subtropical. There are four distinct seasons with cold winters and hot summers. Annual average rainfall is 800 to 1,200 millimeters (31.5 to 47.2 inches), with high precipitation in the southeast and low in the northwest. Sixty percent of rainfall occurs during the summer. The best time for a visit is in spring and autumn.

In order to know China, a trip to Jiangsu province is a must. Yixing teapots, Nantong blue calico and whistling kites, Suzhou's fragrant Bi Luo Chun green tea, and ancient water towns can all be found in Jiangsu. Go on a day excursion from Shanghai, or take some time and explore Nanjing, Suzhou, and Wuxi. It is easy to keep busy discovering all the province has to offer!