Eastern provinces

Jiangsu is probably the most blessed province in eastern China, with lush wetlands and fertile land that supports abundant agriculture. It has been dubbed ‘the land of fish and rice’ ever since its ancient beginnings. This small area of China, only about 5 per cent of the land mass, provides about 40 per cent of China’s wealth. This wealth comes mainly from the waterways of the mighty Yangtze and the stupendous Grand Canal that slices its way from the north into the lower reaches of the lower delta region. Jiangsu is hot and humid in summer with cold, misty winters and plenty of rain — an ideal climate for growing rice.