Lake Tai

Lore & Background

Lake Tai is linked to the Grand Canal and is the origin of several rivers, including Suzhou Creek. Major cities around the lake include Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, and Huzhou, which form the core of its cultural and economic region. The lake contains about 90 islands and features 48 islands and 72 surrounding peaks, creating a landscape of 'mountains beyond mountains, lakes within lakes.' Scenic locales include Yuantouzhu, Sanshan, Dongshan, Xishan, and Majishan. The Taihu Scenic Area encompasses Wuxi, the Classical Gardens of Suzhou, ancient Wu culture sites, and the grottoes of Yixing.

Reader's Guide

Lake Tai's significance stems from its role as a major freshwater resource, supporting fishing, ceramics, and tourism. Its productive fishing industry has been invaluable to local economies since the late 1970s, and the lake is home to the Yixing pottery factory, known for Yixing clay teapots. However, pollution has been a persistent issue: in the 1980s and 1990s, industrial growth led to massive waste dumping, and a major algae bloom in May 2007 caused a water crisis for 30 million residents. The government shut down over 1,300 factories in response. The lake's formation is debated, with some studies suggesting a meteor impact or air burst, while others find no impact crater evidence. Flood control is managed by the Taihu Basin Authority, with historical records of 29 major floods from 1194 to 1954. The lake is also a national key scenic area under China's Major National Historical and Cultural Sites programme.

Did You Know?

• Lake Tai is the third-largest freshwater lake entirely in China, after Poyang and Dongting.
• The lake contains about 90 islands, ranging from a few square meters to several square kilometers.
• In May 2007, a major algae bloom with cyanobacteria led to a water crisis, causing bottled water prices to rise to six times the normal rate.
• The 'Star of Lake Tai' is a 115-meter ferris wheel on the shore, completed in 2009.