From about 3,000 years ago, the area where Wuxi exists was called Mei.  It was settled by two fugitive princes from northern China.  The city was formally founded during the Han Dynasty, as the capital of a feudal state in the region.  The town's abundance of Tin deposits was why it was first called "Youxi", which translates literally to 'has tin'.  When the supply of tin ran out in 25AD, Wuxi (pronounced Woo-She), which means 'no tin' , became its present name.
 The construction of the Grand Canal which lead to the growth of the local industries.  In the 1890 Industrialization, began with an emphasis on silk and cotton textiles.  This expanded into the manufacture of precision instruments after 1949, and the continued progress has made the city an economic star in the region's coastal area.
 Although not considered a particularly attractive city, it is situated in a most convenient placeto use as a base to visit main Taihu scenic spots, and is on of the eight biggest tourism cities in China.  The modern Wuxi is an important center for foreign trade and investment.  One of is most notable attributes are is production of Huishan clay figurines of animals and opera characters.