Nanjing, together with other four cities in the province --

Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou and Yangzhou -- will be the venues for

various festival activities.

Following is a brief introduction of the five cities:

Nanjing, situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, is

the capital and the political, economic, cultural and

communications hub of Jiangsu. Built in 472 B.C, Nanjing has been the capital of the Wu, Eastern Jin, Song, Qi, Liang, Chen,

Southern Tang and Ming dynasties.

During the art festival, Nanjing will host shows on Chinese

calligraphy and paintings. A wide variety of shows ranging from

western opera to Chinese folk music will be held in the city's 15 theaters and stadiums.

Suzhou, in southeast Jiangsu, is one of China's oldest cities

and one of the nation's most beautiful cities. Suzhou is China's

largest silk producer and boasts many other traditional

handicrafts. A city dotted with landscaped gardens with

traditional Chinese flavors, Suzhou has been listed as a World

Cultural Heritage Site.

Wuxi is a city by the Taihu Lake in southern Jiangsu. Thanks to

its advantageous geographical location as a communications hub,

many modern industries emerged in the early years of the century.

Wuxi is also home to many famous painters and musicians. A local

opera describing the life of a distinguished local Chinese

violinist will be presented during the festival.

To the northwest of Wuxi lies the industrial city of Changzhou.

The city is famous for its textiles, and electronics industry. A

singing contest will be held there during the festival.

Yangzhou, one of the 24 famous Chinese cities of historical and

scenic interest, is well-known for its tourist attractions like

Shouxihu Lake. Today, Yangzhou is an important port of the

province and the largest producer of chemical fiber and buses in

China. During the festival, Yangzhou will host a children's

singing competition.

(Xinhua 09/25/2000)