Taicang

Taicang is a coastal city in Jiangsu Province on the east coast of the People's Republic of China. The total population in 2007 was 658,100, with the registered population at 463,800. In 2007 the total GDP reached RMB 44 billion , an increase of 18.5% from 2006. The GDP per capita reached RMB 70,590

Administration

Taicang is a county-level city under the juridiction of Suzhou prefecture-level city.

Towns unders the juridiction of Taicang include:

Fuqiao
Chengxiang
Shaxi
Huangjing
Shuangfeng
Ludu

History

Located along the Yangtze River, Taicang was the place where famous Chinese explorer Zheng He began his great voyages. Taicang became an important port early during the Three Kingdoms period , and its economy flourished in the Tang Dynasty . The city reached its peak in the Yuan Dynasty , being the "No. 1 Port in the World". The fine harbor, abundant storage of various materials as well as advanced shipbuilding also helped Zheng He's voyages.

Miscellaenous

Taicang's Liuhe Township is the female physicist Chien-Shiung Wu's hometown.

It is home to Mingde High School, an early Chinese school for girls which was established during the 1910s.