Wuxi · History & Resistance

I. The Source of Civilization: Dawn of the Taihu Lake Region from Majiabang to Liangzhu

The history of civilization in Wuxi is far more ancient than most people imagine. During the Majiabang culture period, approximately 7,000 years ago, early inhabitants of the Taihu Lake basin had already settled and thrived on the land of Wuxi. The Pengzudun site, located on Northeast Tang Street in Xishan District, Wuxi, is one of the important Neolithic sites in the Taihu Lake basin. A large number of pottery, stone tools, and jade artifacts have been unearthed there, and its cultural features are directly linked to the Majiabang and Songze cultures. Archaeologists have discovered rice remains and carbonized grains at the site, proving that the early inhabitants of Wuxi had already mastered rice cultivation techniques — one of the earliest pieces of evidence of rice-based agriculture in the Jiangnan region.

During the Liangzhu culture period (approximately 3300–2300 BC), civilization in the Wuxi area reached a new height. At the Gaochengdun Liangzhu culture site in Jiangyin, archaeologists excavated several high-ranking aristocratic tombs, unearthing exquisite ritual objects such as jade cong tubes, jade bi discs, and jade yue axes, whose forms closely resemble those found at the Liangzhu site complex in Yuhang, Zhejiang. This indicates that four to five thousand years ago, Wuxi was already deeply integrated into the jade ritual system of the circum-Taihu Lake region, with clear social stratification and the early emergence of a proto-state. The Liangzhu ancient city site was inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List in 2019, and Wuxi, as an important member of the Liangzhu cultural sphere, also carries key clues for the exploration of the origins of Chinese civilization.

During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the Wuxi area was part of the "Jingman" (southern barbarian) region. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, "The Hereditary House of Wu Taibo," Taibo, the eldest son of King Tai of Zhou, and his second son Zhongyong, in order to yield the throne to their younger brother Jili, traveled a thousand miles from Qishan in Shaanxi to the Jiangnan region. They built a city and established a state at Meili in Wuxi (near present-day Meicun, Wuxi), calling themselves "Gouwu." Taibo brought advanced Central Plains agricultural techniques and ritual-music culture, which merged with the local indigenous inhabitants, heralding the dawn of Wu culture. To this day, Meili still preserves relics such as the Taibo Temple and Taibo Tomb. The Taibo Temple Fair, held annually on the ninth day of the first lunar month, is one of the largest sacrificial events in the Jiangnan region, continuing unbroken for over three thousand years.

II. Administrative Evolution: A Thousand-Year Transformation from Wu Capital to Wuxi County

Wuxi's administrative establishment underwent a long and complex process of evolution. After Taibo's arrival in Wu, Meili became the early capital of the Gouwu state. During the reign of King Helü of Wu (514 BC), the Wu state moved its capital to Gusu (present-day Suzhou), but Wuxi, as the heartland of Wu, remained an important economic and cultural region. In 473 BC, King Goujian of Yue destroyed the state of Wu, and Wuxi came under the rule of the Yue state. In 334 BC, King Wei of Chu destroyed Yue, and Wuxi then fell under Chu's domain. After the Qin dynasty unified the six states, the system of prefectures and counties was implemented, and in 222 BC, Wuxi County was established, under the jurisdiction of Kuaiji Commandery. Regarding the name "Wuxi," one theory holds that because Mount Xi in the territory produced tin, and by the early Han dynasty the tin mines were exhausted, it was called "Wuxi" (meaning "no tin"). Another theory suggests that in ancient Yue language, "wu" was a prefix, and "xi" referred to Mount Xi, meaning "the land of Mount Xi." Both theories coexist, but the name Mount Xi still exists to this day.

During the Western Han dynasty, Wuxi County was under the jurisdiction of Kuaiji Commandery. During Wang Mang's Xin dynasty, it was renamed "Youxi County," but was restored to Wuxi in the early Eastern Han. During the Three Kingdoms period under Sun Wu, Wuxi belonged to Wu Commandery. In the second year of Taikang in the Western Jin dynasty (281 AD), Jiyang (present-day Jiangyin) and Piling (present-day Changzhou) were separated from Wuxi County, and the county seat of Wuxi was moved to the present-day urban area of Wuxi. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Wuxi County belonged to Changzhou Prefecture. With the opening of the Grand Canal, Wuxi, leveraging its advantageous location of "built by water, thriving because of water," gradually became an important node for grain transport in the Jiangnan region. In the Song dynasty, Wuxi was elevated to a "wang county" (a county of high importance), with comprehensive development in agriculture, handicrafts, and commerce, earning the reputation that "when Suzhou and Changzhou are prosperous, the whole world is well-fed." In the Yuan dynasty, it was elevated to Wuxi Prefecture, and in the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was restored to Wuxi County, under the jurisdiction of Changzhou Prefecture. In the second year of Yongzheng's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1724), Wuxi County was divided into two counties, Wuxi and Jinkui, which governed the same city until they were merged back into Wuxi County in the first year of the Republic of China (1912). This history of repeated division and reunification is a microcosm of Wuxi's ever-evolving administrative status.

III. The Canal and Grain Transport: The Golden Waterway of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal Passing Through the City

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is Wuxi's mother river and the soul of its urban layout. The Wuxi section of the Grand Canal stretches about 40 kilometers, entering from Luoshe Town in the northwest, passing through the city, and flowing southeast via Wangting into Suzhou. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Han Canal dug by King Fuchai of Wu was the prototype of the canal, but it was the Grand Canal connection project during Emperor Yang of Sui's reign that truly integrated Wuxi into the national grain transport system. After the Tang Dynasty, Wuxi became a distribution center for grain, silk, tea, and other goods in the Taihu Lake basin, with merchants gathering and docks lining both banks of the canal.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Wuxi's canal economy reached its peak. The area around Huangbu Dun, Qingming Bridge, and Nanshan Temple was the most prosperous commercial district at the time, with four major specialized markets—rice, cloth, silk, and money—famous nationwide. Wuxi's rice market, along with Changsha, Jiujiang, and Wuhu, was known as one of "China's Four Great Rice Markets," with an annual throughput of up to several million dan (a traditional unit of grain measurement). Boats shuttle back and forth on the canal, while granaries, warehouses, and guild halls line the banks in close succession. The Qingming Bridge Historical and Cultural District still preserves the "one river, two streets" layout, with white-walled, dark-tiled waterside residences on both banks and the leisurely canal waters flowing beneath the bridge. It is hailed as the "Water Alley of Jiangnan, the Ultimate Canal Heritage Site." In 2014, the Grand Canal was inscribed on the World Heritage List, and heritage sites in the Wuxi section, including Qingming Bridge and Huangbu Dun, became a shared treasure for all humanity.

The canal not only brought commercial prosperity but also shaped the open, inclusive, and business-savvy character of the Wuxi people. Relying on the canal network, Wuxi merchants transported local homespun cloth and silk to markets across the country, while shipping northern cotton and soybeans back to Jiangnan for processing, forming a "both ends outside" processing trade model. This commercial DNA laid the groundwork for the rise of modern Wuxi's national industry and commerce.

4. Huishan Ancient Town: A Dual Gem of Jiangnan Gardens and Ancestral Hall Culture

Huishan Ancient Town, located in the western suburbs of Wuxi, backs onto Huishan Mountain and faces the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It is a historic district that integrates ancestral hall culture, garden art, and ancient temples and architecture. The core area of the ancient town covers about 1 square kilometer, yet it houses 118 ancestral hall structures dating from the Tang Dynasty to the Republic of China period—a number and density unmatched anywhere in the country. These ancestral halls belong to over 80 surnames, honoring both renowned historical officials such as Fan Zhongyan, Sima Guang, and Li Gang, as well as literary figures like Qin Guan and You Mao. It is truly an "open-air museum of Wuxi's historical figures."

Jichang Garden is the soul of Huishan Ancient Town and one of the four most famous gardens in Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River). The garden was first built during the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty (1506-1521) by Qin Jin, a descendant of Qin Guan, a renowned poet of the Northern Song Dynasty. Its original name was "Fenggu Xingwo" (Phoenix Valley Retreat). Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty both visited this garden multiple times during their southern inspection tours. Emperor Qianlong was particularly fond of Jichang Garden. He ordered painters to copy its design and had a replica called "Huishan Garden" built in the Qingyi Garden (now the Summer Palace) in Beijing, which later became known as the Garden of Harmonious Interest. Jichang Garden is renowned for its "borrowed scenery" technique, incorporating the distant view of Huishan Pagoda into the garden landscape. The central pond, "Jinhuiyi," reflects the surrounding hills, creating a unique artistic conception of "mountains within the garden, and the garden within the mountains." The garden's structures, including the Dashishan Room, Zhiyu Pavilion, and Yupan Pavilion, all embody the aesthetic pursuit advocated by Ming Dynasty garden designer Ji Cheng in his treatise "Yuan Ye" (The Craft of Gardens): "Though created by man, it appears as if nature itself had made it."

Huishan Temple was first built during the Datong reign of the Southern Liang Dynasty, with a history of over 1,500 years. In front of the temple lies the "Second Spring Under Heaven" — Huishan Spring. Lu Yu, the Tang Dynasty sage of tea, ranked it as the second finest spring in the world in his "Classic of Tea," earning it fame across the nation. When the Song Dynasty poet Su Shi visited this place, he wrote the celebrated lines: "Alone I bring a small moon-cake from the sky, to taste the second spring of the mortal world." The water of the Second Spring is clear, cool, and sweet. When used to brew tea, it produces a perfect balance of color, aroma, and flavor. Inside Huishan Temple stands a ginkgo tree over 600 years old; when its leaves fall in autumn, they carpet the ground like a golden blanket, making it one of the most enchanting sights in the ancient town. The Huishan clay figurines of the ancient town originated in the Ming Dynasty, with the "Da Afu" figure being the most renowned. In 2006, they were inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list.

V. Ming and Qing Dynasty Weisuo and Ancient Fortresses: The Defense System Along Lake Taihu

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Wuxi, situated in the prosperous Jiangnan region, was not only a major tax hub but also a target coveted by Japanese pirates (wokou) and sea raiders. To safeguard local security, the Ming and Qing dynasties established a rigorous military defense system in Wuxi and its surrounding areas. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court established Jiangyin Wei (a garrison command) in Jiangyin, under the jurisdiction of the Zhongjun Dudu Fu of the Southern Zhili, responsible for river defense along the Yangtze River. Although Wuxi did not have a Wei garrison, complete city walls and a moat were built around the county seat. During the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, to resist Japanese pirate incursions, Wuxi County Magistrate Wang Qiqin led efforts to reinforce the city walls, adding bastions and watchtowers, making Wuxi's city "tall walls and deep moats, as solid as iron."

The "ancient fortresses" in the Wuxi area were not stone castles like those in the north, but rather a system of "water stockades" and "polder fortresses" built upon the region's waterway network. On Mashan Island and Yuantouzhu in Lake Taihu, lookout towers and beacon mounds were established; upon spotting enemy activity, smoke signals were lit to relay warnings along the canal route. Located in the southwest of Wuxi, the Helü City Ruins are a military fortress from the Spring and Autumn Period of the Wu State, with a history of over 2,500 years. The city is nestled between mountains and water, with walls built from rammed earth. Two earthen city walls, east and west, remain today, with a circumference of about 1.5 kilometers. Archaeologists have discovered a large number of bronze weapons, stamped hard pottery, and primitive porcelain within the city, confirming that this was once an important military stronghold of the Wu State.

During the Qing Dynasty, Wuxi's defense system was further upgraded. During the Kangxi reign, a gunpowder bureau was added at the east gate of Wuxi county town to store firearms and ammunition. During the Qianlong reign, a naval camp was established along the shores of Taihu Lake to patrol the waters. Although most of these military installations have been lost to history, the remnants of city walls, bricks, and place names still evoke the atmosphere of clashing weapons and armored horses of that era. Place names in Wuxi's old town, such as "Yingqiao Lane" and "Jiandao Street," are traces of the garrisons and military training grounds of that time.

6. Ancient Cities, Ancient Pagodas, and Ancient Pavilions: An Architectural Epic Frozen in Time

Despite enduring wars and urban transformation, Wuxi's ancient city has preserved a rich legacy of ancient architectural remains. The city wall of Wuxi was first built in the early Western Han Dynasty and underwent numerous repairs over successive dynasties, remaining largely intact with its gates well into the Republican era. In the 1950s, the wall was gradually demolished to widen roads, and today only marker plaques remain along the Jiefang Ring Road area. Yet the ancient pagodas, pavilions, and bridges within the old city still speak of its former glory.

The Longguang Pagoda on Xishan Hill is a landmark of Wuxi. First built during the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty, it is a seven-story, octagonal brick pagoda in the pavilion style, standing about 32 meters tall. Legend has it that the pagoda was erected to "suppress feng shui imbalances and promote literary fortune," with its name derived from the allusion "dragon light shines upon the ruins of the Bull and Di constellations." Climbing to the top, one can take in the entire city of Wuxi, with the vast misty expanse of Taihu Lake and the canal threading through the city like a ribbon. Echoing the Longguang Pagoda from afar is the Miaoguang Pagoda in the heart of Wuxi. Located within Nanshan Temple, the Miaoguang Pagoda was first built during the Yongxi reign of the Northern Song Dynasty (984–987 AD). It is a seven-tiered, octagonal brick pagoda in the pavilion style, standing about 43 meters tall. Having undergone multiple reconstructions, the current structure reflects Ming Dynasty architectural style, featuring exquisite carvings and bronze bells hanging from the eaves that ring crisply and melodiously in the breeze.

As for ancient pavilions, Wuxi's most famous is the "Wanqing Hall," located on the shores of Lake Tai. Wanqing Hall was first built in the Ming Dynasty. It is a three-bay building with a hard mountain-style roof, facing Lake Tai with an expansive view. Wang Shizhen, a Ming Dynasty literatus, once inscribed the plaque "Wanqing Yanbo" (Vast Misty Waves) here, and Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty also ascended this hall during his southern tours to overlook the scenic beauty of Lake Tai. Additionally, within Wuxi city stands the "Wuyun Pavilion," also built in the Ming Dynasty, which served as a gathering place for scholars and literati. The pavilion once housed a large collection of precious calligraphy and paintings. These ancient pagodas and pavilions are not only treasures of architectural art but also witnesses to Wuxi's history and culture.

VII. Hometown of Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Living Legacy of Huishan Clay Figurines, Wuxi Opera, and Wu Folk Songs

Wuxi is a rich hub of intangible cultural heritage, boasting 3 national-level intangible cultural heritage projects and over 20 provincial-level ones. Among them, Huishan clay figurines, Wuxi Opera, Wuxi Liujing bamboo carving, and Yixing purple clay teapot making are cultural treasures renowned both at home and abroad.

Huishan clay figurines originated in the Ming Dynasty and flourished in the Qing Dynasty, with a history of over 400 years. At the foot of Huishan Mountain, a dark brown clay is produced that is fine in texture and highly malleable, making it an excellent material for crafting clay figurines. Huishan clay figurines are divided into two categories: "coarse goods" and "fine goods." Coarse goods are mold-made, mass-produced toys, such as Da Afu, Little Garden, and Silk Cat, featuring exaggerated shapes and bright colors. Fine goods, on the other hand, are hand-sculpted figures of opera characters, ladies, and Buddhist statues, crafted with exquisite detail and lifelike charm. Da Afu is the most iconic image among Huishan clay figurines—a chubby, smiling child holding a golden-haired beast, symbolizing "warding off evil and bringing good fortune." In 2006, Huishan clay figurines were included in the first batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Today, at the clay figurine museum and workshops in Huishan Ancient Town, visitors can still witness inheritors of this intangible cultural heritage creating figurines on-site from start to finish.

Xi Opera is one of the major local opera genres in Jiangsu Province, originating from the "Tanhuang" folk tunes of the Wuxi and Changzhou area during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, later absorbing elements of Kunqu Opera and Hui Opera to gradually develop into a complete theatrical form. Xi Opera features a gentle, delicate, and melodious singing style, earning it the reputation of "a plum blossom by Lake Tai." Representative repertoire includes "Twin Pearl Phoenix," "Pearl Pagoda," and "Meng Lijun." In the 1950s, Xi Opera reached its golden age, producing a number of renowned performing artists such as Yao Cheng, Wang Binbin, and Mei Lanzhen. Today, the Wuxi Xi Opera Theatre still performs regularly in urban and rural areas, and Xi Opera has been listed in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

Wu songs are folk ballads circulating in the Taihu Lake basin, and Wuxi is one of the important birthplaces of Wu songs. Wu songs are sung in the Wu dialect, with content mostly about love between men and women, labor and production, and local customs. The melodies are gentle and moving, and the language is vivid and humorous. Long narrative Wu songs such as "Shen Qige" and "Xiao Qingqing" are hailed by academia as "the Homeric epics of Jiangnan." Yixing purple clay teapot craftsmanship is equally renowned worldwide. Its history can be traced back to the Northern Song Dynasty, flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is famous for its unique "five-colored clay" and exquisite handcrafting techniques. Purple clay teapots, "no two squares are alike, no two rounds are the same," are both practical vessels and artistic treasures.

8. The Code of Ancient Castle Architecture: Defensive Wisdom at the Confluence of Water and Land

The ancient castle architecture in the Wuxi area is completely different from the rammed-earth fortresses of the northern frontier, reflecting the unique defensive wisdom of the Jiangnan water town. As Wuxi is located in the Yangtze River Delta with dense waterways, natural rivers and lakes form natural defensive barriers. Therefore, the ancient castles in Wuxi are not isolated high walls and deep moats, but rather comprehensive defense systems closely integrated with water systems, bridges, and sluice gates.

Taking the Ming Dynasty Wuxi county town as an example, its city wall was about 6 kilometers in circumference and about 8 meters high, with four city gates: Jinghai Gate in the east, Wanghu Gate in the south, Shiquan Gate in the west, and Kongjiang Gate in the north. All four gates have drawbridges spanning the moat, which connects to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, ensuring water supply and cargo transport within the city while also making it harder for attackers to breach. Along the city wall, a watchtower is placed every 100 meters, allowing archery from three sides. On the inner side of the wall, horse ramps are built to facilitate rapid troop movement. This "city-moat-bridge-sluice" four-in-one design is a typical paradigm of water-town fortifications in Jiangnan.

Mashan Island in Lake Taihu embodies another form of ancient fortress. Surrounded by water and strategically perilous, Mashan Island housed the "Majishan Patrol Office" during the Ming Dynasty, tasked with inspecting passing vessels and capturing bandits. The earthen city ruins on the island are built along the mountain, with walls rammed from a mix of stone and earth, making them easy to defend and hard to attack. In the Qing Dynasty, artillery platforms were added to the island, equipped with red-coat cannons to guard the waterways of Lake Taihu. Though these military installations are now in ruins, standing at the site, one can still imagine the majesty of this "key stronghold of lake defense" in its heyday.

Notably, the construction techniques of Wuxi's ancient fortresses are also highly distinctive. The Jiangnan region is rainy and humid, so city wall foundations were typically reinforced with dense wooden piles, while the walls used a "rammed earth with brick cladding" technique—rammed earth on the inside and brick on the outside, making them both sturdy and durable. The city gates adopted an arched structure using bluestone voussoirs, which not only looked elegant but also could withstand greater pressure. These architectural wisdoms are still referenced by modern architectural engineers today.

9. Living Heritage: From Historic Districts to Cultural Creativity

Wuxi's historical and cultural heritage is not "dead relics" lying in museums, but rather a "living heritage" integrated into modern life. The Qingming Bridge Historical and Cultural District is a model of Wuxi's ancient city preservation. Built along the ancient Grand Canal, this district stretches about 1.6 kilometers and preserves a large number of residential houses, shops, docks, and bridges from the Ming and Qing dynasties. In recent years, the Wuxi municipal government has carried out overall restoration and functional renewal of the district, introducing new business formats such as teahouses, bookstores, cultural and creative shops, and guesthouses, giving the ancient district renewed vitality. Visitors can take a boat tour of the canal scenery during the day, and stroll along the dimly lit stone-paved streets at night, experiencing the poetic charm of "small bridges, flowing water, and households."

Huishan Ancient Town has also made active explorations in revitalization and adaptive reuse. The ancestral halls within the ancient town have been transformed into cultural exhibition spaces, intangible cultural heritage workshops, and distinctive guesthouses. For example, the Fan Wenzheng Ancestral Hall houses the Fan Zhongyan Integrity Culture Education Base, while the You Mao Ancestral Hall has become the Wuxi Celebrity Culture Exhibition Hall. The former site of the Huishan Clay Figurine Factory has been converted into a Clay Figurine Cultural Creative Park, where visitors can personally experience clay sculpting and take a piece of intangible cultural heritage home. The annual Huishan Folk Culture Temple Fair in spring attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, featuring traditional folk activities such as stilt walking, dragon lantern dances, and Wuxi opera performances, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Empowered by digital technology, Wuxi's historical culture has also gained a brand-new mode of expression. Wuxi Museum uses 3D scanning and virtual reality technology to provide digital displays of its collection artifacts. Qingming Bridge District has launched the "Four Seasons of the Canal" immersive light and shadow show, using technology to tell the story of the canal. Lingshan Scenic Area perfectly integrates Buddhist culture with modern technology through the large-scale musical dynamic sculpture group "Nine Dragons Bathing the Infant" and multimedia performances inside the Brahma Palace. These innovative practices allow young people to engage with and understand traditional culture in a more intuitive and interactive way, injecting new vitality into the enduring inheritance of historical heritage.

X. Echoes of History: The Industrial and Commercial Gene and the City Spirit

The history of Wuxi has ultimately crystallized into a unique urban spirit—pragmatism, openness, innovation, and responsibility. This spirit found its fullest expression in the rise of modern national industry and commerce. In 1895, brothers Yang Zonglian and Yang Zonghan founded Yeqin Cotton Mill outside Wuxi's East Gate, the city's first modern factory and one of China's earliest national-capital cotton textile enterprises. Subsequently, the Shenxin No. 3 Textile Mill and Maoxin Flour Mill founded by brothers Rong Zongjing and Rong Desheng, as well as the Qingfeng Textile Mill founded by Tang Xiangting and Cheng Jingtang, went into operation one after another, rapidly elevating Wuxi into a major base of China's national industry and commerce.

The Rong family stands as a representative figure of Wuxi's industrial and commercial spirit. Mr. Rong Desheng, upholding the philosophy of "revitalizing the nation through industry," not only built a vast flour and textile empire but also actively engaged in local public welfare initiatives. He funded the construction of Wuxi's first modern bridge—Baojie Bridge—and established Dagong Library and the predecessor of Jiangnan University, making tremendous contributions to Wuxi's education and cultural endeavors. Plum Garden was originally the Rong family's private estate; today it is open to the public free of charge. Within the garden, the "Jingyu Hall" and "Lenong Villa" preserve the Rong family's motto: "Aim high, accept ordinary connections, and enjoy a simple life."

Wuxi's industrial and commercial tradition has shaped the city's distinctive cultural character. Here, the gentle refinement of a Jiangnan water town coexists with the rational pragmatism of modern industry. While valuing the inheritance of traditional culture, it also boldly embraces new technologies and new ideas. From Taibo's pioneering spirit in founding Wu, to the commercial DNA of Ming-Qing canal shipping, and to the patriotic industrial endeavors of modern national industry, Wuxi's historical trajectory has been consistent, forging a city character of "daring to lead, unyielding perseverance, and inclusive openness." This spirit is precisely the inner driving force that enabled Wuxi to grow from a small county town into a modern metropolis with a GDP exceeding one trillion yuan.

I. The Spark of Revolution: The May Fourth Movement and the Birth of the CPC Wuxi Branch

Wuxi's history of red revolution began with the waves of the May Fourth Movement. In May 1919, news of the patriotic student movement in Beijing reached Wuxi, and students from the Third Provincial Normal School (predecessor of today's Wuxi Normal School) and the County Junior High School immediately responded, taking to the streets for demonstrations. On May 9, people from all walks of life in Wuxi held a national assembly in the City Central Park to denounce the Beiyang government's traitorous actions, followed by a massive demonstration. This movement greatly ignited the patriotic fervor of Wuxi's citizens and also created conditions for the spread of Marxism in Wuxi.

In 1923, Zhang Wentian, an early member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who taught at Jiangsu Provincial Education College and later served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, came to Wuxi to conduct social surveys and spread revolutionary ideas. In January 1925, Dong Yixiang, a CPC member, was dispatched by the Party organization to Wuxi, where he taught at the Third Provincial Normal School, using his teaching position as a cover to carry out revolutionary activities. In May of the same year, with the approval of the Shanghai Regional Committee of the CPC, the Wuxi Branch of the CPC was officially established, with Dong Yixiang serving as its secretary. This was the first Party organization in Wuxi's history, marking a new stage in the revolutionary struggle of the people of Wuxi.

After the April 12 Counter-Revolutionary Coup in 1927, the Party organization in Wuxi suffered severe damage, with large numbers of Communist Party members and revolutionary masses arrested and killed. However, the flame of revolution was not extinguished. In November 1927, the Wuxi County Committee of the CPC organized and led the famous "Wuxi Uprising," in which peasant armed forces attacked landlord militias and reactionary police and troops in the Anzhen and Chaqiao areas. Although the uprising ultimately failed, it sowed the seeds of armed struggle across the land of Wuxi. Thereafter, the Wuxi Party organization persisted in underground struggle under extremely difficult conditions, continuously recruiting Party members and establishing grassroots organizations, accumulating strength for the anti-Japanese national salvation movement during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

II. Anti-Japanese National Salvation: Wuxi's Response from the "January 28" to the "August 13" Incidents

After the January 28 Incident (the Battle of Shanghai) broke out in 1932, all sectors of Wuxi society quickly mobilized. Organizations such as the Wuxi Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Trade Unions launched fundraising campaigns, collecting substantial funds and supplies to support the 19th Route Army. Medical staff from Wuxi formed field rescue teams and rushed to the front lines in Shanghai to treat the wounded. Young students took to the streets, promoting resistance against Japan and national salvation, urging the public to boycott Japanese goods. This fervor of nationwide resistance reached its peak after the outbreak of the Battle of Shanghai on August 13, 1937.

During the Battle of Shanghai, Wuxi became a crucial rear base and transit hub. Large numbers of wounded soldiers were transported from the front lines to Wuxi for treatment, and hospitals, schools, and temples in Wuxi were temporarily requisitioned as military hospitals. Wuxi residents spontaneously organized comfort teams, delivering water and food to the wounded and sick, changing their dressings, and washing their clothes. Meanwhile, factories in Wuxi worked overtime to produce military supplies, with workers championing the slogan, "Every extra spindle of yarn spun and every extra bolt of cloth woven is one more bullet," fully supporting the front lines. According to statistics, during the Battle of Shanghai, all sectors of Wuxi collectively raised over 1 million yuan in consolation funds and donated hundreds of thousands of cotton-padded clothes and quilts, making significant contributions to the war of resistance.

However, with the setback in the Battle of Shanghai, Wuxi soon faced the crisis of falling to the enemy. In November 1937, Japanese troops advanced on Nanjing in three columns, one of which pushed westward along the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, directly threatening Wuxi. On November 25, Japanese forces occupied Wuxi county town. On the eve of the fall, Wuxi's patriotic industrialists demonstrated admirable national integrity. Rong Desheng refused the Japanese military's demand for "cooperation" and dismantled the machinery and equipment of the Shenxin No. 3 Textile Factory, relocating them westward to Chongqing. Tang Xiangting, Cheng Jingtang, and others also moved their factories inland. These relocated factories became a vital force in the wartime economy of the rear area.

III. Anti-Japanese Democratic Regime: The New Fourth Army's Advance into Wuxi and the Establishment of the Eastern and Northern Wuxi Base Areas

After Wuxi fell, Japanese troops looted, burned, and killed in the city, committing every conceivable atrocity. According to postwar statistics, during the Japanese occupation of Wuxi, over 14,000 residents were killed, tens of thousands of houses were burned down, and property losses were incalculable. Facing the brutality of the Japanese military, the people of Wuxi did not yield, and various anti-Japanese armed forces sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain. Among them, the "Taihu Guerrilla Force" and the "Xidong Standing Defense Team" were the most renowned.

In the spring of 1938, the First Detachment of the New Fourth Army, led by Chen Yi and Su Yu, advanced into southern Jiangsu and established an anti-Japanese base centered on Maoshan. In May 1939, a unit of the Sixth Division of the New Fourth Army (later reorganized as the First Division), led by Tan Zhenlin, advanced eastward into the Wuxi, Suzhou, and Changshu areas, joining forces with local anti-Japanese armed groups and establishing the Xidong and Xibei anti-Japanese guerrilla base areas. In 1940, the Wuxi County Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was re-established, and district- and township-level anti-Japanese democratic governments were set up in the Xidong area. Although these governments operated in a guerrilla state, they actively carried out rent and interest reduction, organized production, and mobilized young people to join the army, winning broad support from the masses.

After the "Southern Anhui Incident" in 1941, the New Fourth Army rebuilt its military headquarters, and the forces in southern Jiangsu were reorganized into the Sixth Division, with Tan Zhenlin serving as both division commander and political commissar. The Sixteenth Brigade of the Sixth Division persisted in struggle in the Wuxi, Yixing, and Liyang areas, engaging in arduous guerrilla warfare against the Japanese and puppet forces. In July of the same year, Japanese and puppet forces launched a large-scale "mopping-up" campaign in southern Jiangsu, attempting to eliminate the main forces of the New Fourth Army. Under extremely difficult conditions, the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians in Wuxi broke into small groups, dispersed their activities, and used the reed marshes and mulberry groves of the waterway network to maneuver against the enemy, ultimately thwarting the enemy's "mopping-up" plan. In 1943, as the international anti-fascist war situation improved, the New Fourth Army began a partial counteroffensive in southern Jiangsu, gradually expanding the anti-Japanese base areas.

IV. Famous Battles: The Huangtutang Battle and the Anti-"Qingxiang" Struggle in Southern Wuxi

In the history of Wuxi's War of Resistance, the Battle of Huangtutang stands out as a significant chapter. Huangtutang, located in the northeast of Wuxi, was an important passage connecting eastern Wuxi and southern Jiangyin. In May 1940, the Second Route of the New Fourth Army's Jiangnan Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army (abbreviated as "Jiangkang"), led by Wu Kun, encountered Japanese and puppet troops near Huangtutang. During the battle, the New Fourth Army commanders and soldiers fought bravely and tenaciously, using favorable terrain such as riverbanks and grave mounds to engage the enemy in fierce combat for half a day, killing over 30 Japanese soldiers including a major and over 40 puppet troops, achieving an important victory since their eastward advance. Although the battle was not large in scale, it greatly inspired the anti-Japanese morale of the Wuxi people and proved that the New Fourth Army could effectively strike the enemy even in the plains and waterway regions.

The anti-"Qingxiang" (rural pacification) struggle in the southern Wuxi area (along the Taihu Lake) was equally thrilling. From July 1941 to the end of 1942, Japanese and puppet troops implemented "Qingxiang" in southern Jiangsu, building a bamboo fence blockade line stretching dozens of kilometers along the Taihu Lake in southern Wuxi, with pillboxes and lookout posts along the route, attempting to cut off the New Fourth Army's connection with the lake. Facing the enemy's blockade, the military and civilians in southern Wuxi launched a tit-for-tat struggle. During the day, the Japanese army forced civilians to build fences. At night, the guerrillas organized the masses to dismantle bamboo fences and burn bamboo poles. In the famous "Burning the Bamboo Fence" operation, dozens of kilometers of blockade lines were reduced to ashes overnight. The Japanese and puppet troops repaired by day while they were burned at night, in a repeated tug-of-war, until the bamboo fence blockade became virtually useless. The military and civilians in southern Wuxi also used the reed marshes of Lake Taihu as a natural barrier, establishing multiple secret communication stations that ensured smooth contact between the New Fourth Army and the base areas in northern Jiangsu.

5. Coordinating with Major Battles: The Lake Taihu Guerrilla Detachment's Support for the Songhu and Northern Jiangsu Fronts

The anti-Japanese armed forces in the Wuxi area not only persisted in struggle on home turf but also actively coordinated with major battlefields across the country. The Lake Taihu Guerrilla Detachment was a legendary force active on the waters of Lake Taihu. This unit made its home on fishing boats and its camp in the reed marshes, sometimes dispersing into small groups for covert activities, and at other times concentrating its strength to ambush Japanese transport convoys. Between 1942 and 1943, the Lake Taihu Guerrilla Detachment repeatedly attacked Japanese supply lines on Lake Taihu, sinking several Japanese motorboats and seizing large quantities of weapons, ammunition, and military supplies. Their actions effectively pinned down the Japanese and puppet forces, preventing them from fully supporting the Songhu and Northern Jiangsu battlefields.

In 1944, as the global war against fascism entered the stage of strategic counteroffensive, the New Fourth Army also launched local counterattacks. The anti-Japanese armed forces in the Wuxi area actively coordinated with the main forces to attack enemy strongholds of the Japanese and puppet troops. In March of the same year, a unit of the Sixth Division of the New Fourth Army launched an offensive at the junction of Wuxi and Jiangyin, capturing over ten enemy strongholds and annihilating more than 500 Japanese and puppet troops. On August 9, 1945, after Mao Zedong issued the statement "The Final Battle Against the Japanese Invaders," the anti-Japanese armed forces in the Wuxi area swiftly launched a full-scale counteroffensive against Japanese and puppet troops in both urban and rural areas. On August 15, Japan announced its unconditional surrender, and the people of Wuxi finally welcomed the victory of the War of Resistance. According to statistics, during the eight-year War of Resistance, over 3,000 young people from the Wuxi area joined the New Fourth Army and anti-Japanese guerrilla forces, and more than 1,000 martyrs sacrificed their lives for the country.

VI. Supporting the Front and Liberation: Wuxi's Role in the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign

After the victory of the War of Resistance, the people of Wuxi had hoped to live in peace, but the reactionary Kuomintang government recklessly launched a civil war. In early 1949, a million-strong People's Liberation Army gathered on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, preparing to launch the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign. Wuxi, located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, was one of the key targets for the PLA after crossing the river. The underground Party organization of the Chinese Communist Party in Wuxi actively carried out intelligence gathering, factory and school protection, and defection work, making full preparations to welcome liberation.

On April 21, 1949, Mao Zedong and Zhu De issued the "Order to Advance on the Whole Country," officially launching the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign. On April 23, a unit of the 10th Corps of the Third Field Army of the People's Liberation Army crossed the Yangtze at Jiangyin, advanced south along the Xicheng Highway, and pressed directly toward Wuxi. Wuxi's worker factory protection teams, student patrols, and underground Party members sprang into action to safeguard factories, banks, warehouses, and public facilities, preventing destruction by retreating Kuomintang troops. Late on the night of April 23, the vanguard of the People's Liberation Army entered Wuxi county town, and Wuxi was peacefully liberated. The next morning, Wuxi residents flooded the streets, singing and dancing to celebrate liberation.

After liberation, Wuxi immediately threw itself into supporting the front lines. Wuxi's factories quickly resumed production, rushing to make military shoes, uniforms, food, and other supplies for the People's Liberation Army. Railway workers rushed to repair damaged railway bridges to ensure smooth transportation. Young students enthusiastically enlisted in the army, heading south with the troops to take part in the battles to liberate Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Fujian. According to statistics, during the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign and the Shanghai Campaign, the people of Wuxi collectively raised millions of jin of grain and thousands of tons of firewood and grass, and organized a support team of several thousand people, making significant contributions to the victory of the War of Liberation.

7. Base Area Construction: Comprehensive Exploration of Economy, Education, and Culture

Amid the flames of the Anti-Japanese War, Wuxi's anti-Japanese democratic regime not only led military struggles but also carried out exploratory construction in economic, educational, and cultural fields. Economically, the base area implemented the "rent reduction and interest reduction" policy, lowering landlords' land rent from over 50% to 37.5%, while ensuring farmers' rent payment obligations, which both alleviated the burden on farmers and united enlightened landlords in the common fight against Japan. The base area also organized farmers to form mutual aid groups and cooperatives, launched the Great Production Movement, and developed handicrafts and sideline production, basically achieving self-sufficiency in grain and daily necessities.

In education, the anti-Japanese democratic regime restored and established a number of primary and secondary schools under extremely difficult conditions. Schools adopted a "guerrilla teaching" approach, dispersing to farmers' homes for classes when enemy situations were tense, and gathering in ancestral halls and temples for teaching when the situation eased. Teaching materials were closely tied to the realities of the war, covering both cultural knowledge and the principles of resisting Japan and saving the nation. The base area also established night schools and literacy classes to help farmers eliminate illiteracy and raise political awareness.

In culture, the anti-Japanese democratic regime organized art troupes such as the "Anti-Enemy Drama Troupe" and "Mobile Propaganda Teams," using popular forms like Wuxi opera, folk tunes, and clapper talk to promote resistance against Japan. The famous "Song of the Taihu Guerrillas" was created during this period. With its stirring melody and moving lyrics, it is still sung in Wuxi today: "The waves of Taihu roll on and on, the guerrillas are many and brave, from the reed marshes they launch surprise attacks, leaving the Japanese invaders no place to hide..." These cultural activities greatly enriched the spiritual lives of the soldiers and civilians in the base areas, and strengthened their confidence in winning the War of Resistance.

VIII. A Gallery of Figures: The Patriotic Commitment of Figures from Qin Bangxian to Rong Desheng

The history of Wuxi's War of Resistance was jointly written by countless heroic figures. Among them were revolutionary martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice, steadfast patriotic democrats, and ordinary people who contributed quietly. Qin Bangxian (Bo Gu) was one of the early leaders of the Chinese Communist Party from Wuxi. Born in the city center of Wuxi in 1907, he joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1925 and served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Although he made "leftist" errors during the Long March, in the early days of the War of Resistance, he participated in the Kuomintang-Communist negotiations as one of the CPC representatives, contributing to the formation of the anti-Japanese national united front. In 1946, Qin Bangxian died in a plane crash on his way back to Yan'an after the Chongqing negotiations, at the young age of 39.

Rong Desheng was an outstanding representative of Wuxi's patriotic industrialists. During the War of Resistance, he resolutely refused to cooperate with the Japanese forces, relocating his enterprises inland to Chongqing, Baoji, and other places, making significant contributions to the economic development of the rear areas. After the victory of the War of Resistance, he actively supported the democratic movement and opposed civil war. In 1949, he explicitly expressed support for the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and remained in Wuxi to welcome liberation. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Rong Desheng served as a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a member of the East China Military and Political Committee, continuing to contribute to the construction of the new China.

Another memorable figure is Ye Fei, the leader of the "Jiangkang" (Jiangnan Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army). In 1939, Ye Fei led the Sixth Regiment of the New Fourth Army eastward into the Wuxi area under the name of the "Jiangnan Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army," opening up the anti-Japanese situation in the eastern part of southern Jiangsu. The battles he commanded, including the Battle of Huangtutang and the night raid on Xushuguan Railway Station, dealt a heavy blow to the arrogance of the Japanese and puppet troops. Although Ye Fei fought in the Wuxi area for only a little over half a year, the "Jiangkang" troops and the seeds of anti-Japanese resistance he left behind laid the foundation for the establishment of the Xidong and Xibei base areas. In addition, there were countless unnamed heroes—ordinary people who delivered messages and supplies to guerrilla forces and sheltered the wounded. They were the most solid cornerstone of the victory in the War of Resistance.

IX. Memory and Commemoration: From Martyrs' Cemeteries to "Red Beautiful Villages"

Today's Wuxi is dotted with numerous anti-Japanese war memorial facilities and sites, which carry the city's eternal memory of those fiery years of conflict. Wuxi Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery, located at the northern foot of Huishan Mountain, is the final resting place of over 1,000 revolutionary martyrs, including those who fell in the anti-Japanese war. Within the cemetery stands an exhibition hall dedicated to the deeds of revolutionary martyrs, which showcases the glorious journey of the Wuxi people from the May Fourth Movement to the War of Liberation through photographs, artifacts, and sculptures. Every year during Qingming Festival and Martyrs' Memorial Day, people from all walks of life in Wuxi come to pay their respects and honor the fallen heroes.

The Memorial Hall of the Sixth Division Headquarters of the New Fourth Army in Xibei Town, Xishan District, is an important patriotic education base in Jiangsu Province. In 1941, the headquarters of the Sixth Division of the New Fourth Army was stationed here, where Division Commander Tan Zhenlin directed the anti-Japanese struggle in southern Jiangsu. The memorial hall preserves the original war room, meeting room, and commanders' bedrooms, and displays a large collection of precious historical photographs and cultural relics. Chen Yi's Yangtze River Crossing Memorial Site in Jiangyin City and the Taihua Mountain New Fourth Army and Southern Jiangsu Anti-Japanese Base Memorial Hall in Yixing City also record important chapters of the anti-Japanese war history in the Wuxi region.

In recent years, Wuxi has also integrated red tourism resources with rural revitalization, creating a number of "Red Beautiful Villages." Huangtutang Village in Donggang Town, Xishan District, is the site of the Battle of Huangtutang, where the village has built a battle memorial square and a village history museum, weaving red culture into the daily lives of its residents. Pushi Village, Changjing Town, Jiangyin City, is the site of the former headquarters of the New Fourth Army's Jiangnan Command. The village has leveraged its red tourism resources to develop rural tourism, boosting villagers' incomes and prosperity. These practices demonstrate that red memories are not merely echoes of history, but also a spiritual driving force for contemporary development.

X. Historical Echoes: The Spirit of the War of Resistance and Wuxi's Contemporary Inheritance

More than eighty years have passed, and the smoke of war has long since dissipated, yet the spirit of the War of Resistance remains deeply etched into Wuxi's urban DNA. It is a patriotic sentiment of "every individual is responsible for the rise or fall of the nation," a national integrity of facing death without flinching and preferring death over surrender, a heroic spirit of defying brutality and fighting to the bitter end, and an unyielding conviction of perseverance and resilience. This spirit has been endowed with new meaning in Wuxi's modernization drive.

Today's Wuxi is one of China's most economically developed cities, with per capita GDP ranking among the top large and medium-sized cities nationwide for many consecutive years. Wuxi's strategic emerging industries, including the Internet of Things, integrated circuits, and biomedicine, are thriving, making it a major hub for China's technological innovation. The people of Wuxi have not forgotten history; instead, they have transformed the spirit of the War of Resistance into a powerful force for entrepreneurship and development. In the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, Wuxi's medical workers donned their white protective suits and marched bravely to the front lines. In the battle for industrial transformation and upgrading, Wuxi's entrepreneurs dare to venture and strive for the summit. In the construction of ecological civilization, the people of Wuxi have safeguarded the clear waters of Taihu Lake and built a beautiful homeland. These are vivid manifestations of the spirit of the War of Resistance in the new era.

Standing at a new historical starting point, Wuxi will continue to inherit and carry forward the spirit of the War of Resistance, remain true to its original aspiration and keep its mission firmly in mind, and forge ahead on the new journey with an even more spirited attitude, making new contributions in the new era. This ancient yet young city by the shores of Taihu Lake is destined to write an even more glorious chapter in the journey of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.