Wuxi (无锡) is a Jiangsu city on the northern shore of Lake Taihu, about 30-40 minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai. It is known for the Lingshan Grand Buddha, Yuantouzhu lake peninsula, the Grand Canal district at Qingming Bridge and sweet-leaning local cuisine.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Huishan clay figurines (惠山泥人)
Hand-moulded and painted clay figures, a Wuxi craft with a history of several centuries, from opera-style dolls to modern characters
Price: CNY 30-3,000 (approx USD 4.5-450)
Where: Huishan Ancient Town shops, Huishan Clay Figurine Museum shop
Wuxi sauce-braised spare ribs (vacuum packed)
Ribs sold by weight in vacuum packs for carrying home
Price: CNY 50-120 (approx USD 7.5-18)
Where: Sanfengqiao, 240 Zhongshan Road
Xiaolongbao gift boxes and pastries
Frozen or boxed dumplings, magnolia cakes and sweets
Price: CNY 30-100 (approx USD 4.5-15)
Where: Wang Xing Ji, Mu Guiying
Yixing zisha teapots
Purple-clay teapots from nearby Yixing sold in Wuxi tea shops
Price: CNY 100-5,000 (approx USD 15-750)
Where: Tea shops in Nanchang Street and Huishan Ancient Town
Taihu freshwater pearl jewellery
Pearls and pearl products sold around Taihu
Price: CNY 50-1,500 (approx USD 7.5-225)
Where: Souvenir shops at Yuantouzhu and Lingshan
Taihu dried whitebait and tea
Dried lake fish and green tea sold as souvenirs
Price: CNY 40-300 (approx USD 6-45)
Where: Souvenir shops at Yuantouzhu and Huishan Ancient Town
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Nanchang Street
Canalside street of cafes, craft shops and snack stalls beside Qingming Bridge.
Where: Grand Canal historic district
Hours: Daily 9AM-10PM
Huishan Ancient Town
Old lanes of ancestral halls with clay-figure shops, tea and snacks.
Where: Huishan
Hours: Daily 9AM-9PM
Chongan Temple Pedestrian Area
Old city-centre commercial streets with time-honoured brands and snack halls.
Where: City centre
Hours: Daily 9AM-9PM
Zhongshan Road
Wuxi's main shopping spine, lined with department stores and heritage brands.
Where: Central Wuxi
Hours: Daily 10AM-10PM
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Zhongshan Road and Chongan Temple
Main city-centre shopping area with malls and heritage brands
Nanchang Street
Canalside street of craft and tea shops
Huishan Ancient Town
Clay figurines and tea in historic lanes
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Wuxi Hang Lung Plaza
Upscale mall with international luxury and fashion brands.
Hours: Daily 10AM-10PM
Sanyang Plaza
Central shopping complex with fashion, dining and entertainment.
Hours: Daily 10AM-10PM
Wuxi Yaohan Department Store (Bobai)
Japanese-style department store in the city centre.
Hours: Daily 10AM-9:30PM
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Bargaining is possible at souvenir stalls in Huishan and Nanchang Street, but not in malls or museum shops
Start at about half the first price and settle around 60-70 percent
Compare prices of clay figurines at the museum shop before buying at stalls
Pay in Alipay or WeChat Pay; cash is accepted but many stalls prefer QR codes
Ask for a receipt for zisha teapots over CNY 500
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Shops open around 9-10AM and close around 9-10PM, Tax-free refunds are mostly limited to major malls; ask at the mall service desk, Prices are in CNY; 1 USD is about 6.7 CNY