Xihui Gongyuan
This park in the northwestern part of town is dominated by two hills that have become symbols of Wuxi:Xi Shanafter which the city was named, andHui Shanto the west. It's a bit of a climb up to the seven-story octagonal brick-and-woodLongguang Ta (Dragon Light Pagoda)atop Xi Shan, but there are some good views of the Grand Canal snaking through the city. From 8:30am to 5pm you can also ride a chairlift (¥15/$1.90 one-way, ¥22/$2.75 round-trip) from the bottom of Xi Shan to the peak on Hui Shan. The ride offers even more commanding views of the surrounding area.
At the foot of Hui Shan is the famous Ming dynasty garden,Jichang Yuan,laid out in classical southern style with walkways, rockeries, ponds, and pavilions. The garden is said to have so captivated the Qianlong emperor on one of his visits south that he commissioned a copy of it to be built in the Yihe Yuan (Summer Palace) in Beijing. Just southwest of the garden is theSecond Spring Under Heaven (Tianxia Di'er Quan),three wells containing the putative second-best water source in China for brewing tea, according to Lu Yu's Tang dynastyCha Jing (Tea Classic).From May to October, nightly traditional music performances are held in the garden.
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| Hours | Park: Apr-Oct 5am-6pm; Nov-Mar 5:30am-5:30pm. Jichang Garden: May-Oct 7am-10pm; Nov-Apr 7am-6pm | |
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| Location | Huihe Lu | |
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| Transportation | Bus: no. 2 | |
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| Prices | Admission to park ¥10 ($1.25); Jichang Garden ¥15 ($1.90) or ¥20 ($2.50) 6-10pm | |