A bird’s-eye view of the Rongxiang Historic Block.

The other side of modern-style building in the block.

This area, also known as old Rongxiang town, is in the Binhu district, to the south of Dragon Mountain, north of the Liangxi River, and the west of Helie in the Lixi district. It has Huishan Mountains to the north and Wuxi’s river, the Liangxi, to the south, and connects the Xihui Scenic Spot with Liangxi Rd to the east and the Plum Garden to the west, and has a superior location and convenient transportation.

The Rongxiang Historic Block is 5 kilometers to the west of the old town, and dates back to the Rong family’s village during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 - 1911). From the late Qing to the Republic of China (1912 - 1949), industrial and commercial groups of Rong Zongjing and Rong Desheng grew rapidly and brought unprecedented prosperity to the village, which went from alleys to streets and large buildings.

These days, it’s a 380-meter street with a modern style and 152 well-preserved buildings and is one of Wuxi’s famous, historical sites, with its own unique features and the general character of the Jiangnan region (south of the Yangtze River).

Many things have influenced it, such as the Rong family, industry and commerce, the ecology, the area, agriculture, and modern civilization, so it represents diversity and a rich culture that is worth preserving. It is an important cultural heritage resource for building a cultural, landscaped, livable city and has great urban and rural modernization potential.