Rugao, which is dose to the international metropolis shanghai and faces Zhangjiagang City in Suzhou across the river , is situated at the “t”-typed connection of the Changjiang River and the Huang Sea. It has a population of 1,450,000 and covers an area of 1,477 square kilometers. Rugao is an important developing area along the Changjiang River in Jiangsu, is a key hub of communications within the Shanghai Economic Circle, and is one of the coastal cities that were open to the outside world earliest in China. In the history, Rugao once won a good name “Golden Rugao” for its prosperous economy and trade. After reform and opening, Rugao become one of the China Star County, the 100 tops of Countryside Comprehensive Strength, and the 100 tops of Science and Technology. After entering the new century, Rugao vigorously carries out the strategy of economic internationalization, industrialization and urbanization, so its advancement paces are quicked coutinually.

　　Rugao is a famous historical and cultural city in Jiangsu. It was the earliest land that took spare in Jianghai Plain, the earliest country that went down in history at the Yangtze Delta, and the biggest country during the period of the Republic of China<1912-1949>. Rugao has a long- standing and profound humans accumulation and sediment. The strategist Lii Dai in the period of San Guo, the educator Hu Yuan in the North Song dynasty, the literati Mao Pijiang at the end of the Ming dynasty, the drama theoretician Li Yu at the beginning of the Qing dynasty and so on, all of them are like to dazzling constellations in the ancient Rugao Star Sky. The Rugao Teachers’ School, all of which have a history of more than 100 years, became the harbingers of the modern elementary education. At present, there lots of special and outstanding humane landscapes in Rugao. With winding water around it and a cluster of towers surrounding the Palace, the Dinghui Temple in the Sui dynasty, whose gate faces the north, is one of the matchless temples in China .The Dacheng Palace built in the Ming dynasty is a race structure all made of nanmu in China. The Shuihui Garden, which is the national historical and cultural site under the first-class state protection, is the only garden in the style of Hui sect throughout our county. In additional, there are lots of other historical and cultural remains and residences, such as Lingwei Taoist Temple, Fabao Temple, Jizhong Well, Jixian Neighbourhood and Shihe Mount, all of which are rich travel resources. With rivers that were first digged in the Ming dynasty both inside and outside, Rugao whose inner city is round at the outer city is square, shaped like an old Chinese coin. It has been said ever since the Qing dynasty that there are eleven strects and eighty-three lanes in Rugao. Rugao has been a profitable place for collecting and distributing commodities and for the merchants to gather ever since the ancient times.

　　Rugao is the city of miniature trees, flowers and rockeries in China. The potted landscape of Rugao sect is one of the seven sects in China. It is well-known both at home and abroad for its special model which is “windy head, rainy foot and the waist of a slender beauty”. Their figures can be found in Zhongnanhai, Diaoyutai, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall some other national central organizations. Ever since the 1980s, more than 600 potted landscapes have successively won prizes in the competitions at home and abroad. At the 2002 World Flower, Plants and Gardening Fair held in Holland, only Rugao won three of the nine gold medals. At present, Rugao is the biggest exporting base of flowers, plants and potted landscapes in the east of China, with a cultiration area of more than 10,000 mll. The Willow Research Institude in Guzhang village of Ruchang town and in the Xiaoyuan town, the Big World of Flowers and Trees in the Gaonan town, and the Chinese Artistic Potted Landscape Garden under construction etc, all of whose reputations are famous throughout China, are the bases for processing, producing and selling.

　　Rugao is the world blessing land for longevity and keeping in good health and is one of the six longevity hometowns in China. According to the latest census statistic data, among all the 1,450,000 people in Rugao, the number of people who are older than 100 is as high as 209. The ratio between the number of persons who are older than 100 and the total number of people in Rugao is 1.44 to 10,000, which doubles the index of “Longevity County” determined by the UN. Besides, the elderly in Rugao who are older than 90 are more than 4,000 and those who are older than 80 are more than 40,000. The world famous home of longevity is either in the cold regions at the high latitude or in the remote mountains districts, while Rugao, which is located on the Jianghai Plain, is the only home of longevity that is in the Chinese Costal areas, and is one in the relatively advanced industrial places. It is unique in the world and its research value is self-evident. The phenomenon of longevity in Rugao has gained wide attention from the media and the research organizations.

　　Industry is the principal part of economy in Rugao.In 2003, the total industrial output value broke 20,000 million yuan. 399 large-scaled enterprises, especially a group of more-than-scaled enterprises, especially a group of more than 100-million-yuan enterprises, their production, sales and profit have been in motion at high level continuously. Invested capital on technology reform has doubled. Projects under construction and of more than thousands of yuan are as many as 100. In addition, more than 200 enterprises will be established and reported to the government in a year. Rugao Economic Development Zone is the main industrial base, within which the infrastructure such as troad, water, electricity, post and telecommunications, gas and so on are becoming better and approaching perfection day by day, and there are 320 enterprises invested and started by the traveling merchants from America, Japan, Korea, Italy and HongKong etc. Textile, clothing, machinery and food are the four main traditional industries in Rugao, and new materials, electronic device, biological medicine, and fine chemical industry are the new industry are the new industries that are springing up. The leading production such as precise steel balls, glass fiber products, agricultural machinery, electric capacity film, metal fiber, electrical equipment of high tension, solid insulator, longevity food and so on are all at the leading level both at home and aboard. Architecture is one of the principal industries in Rugao. At present, there are 20 architectural enterprises of the first or second class, whose annual construction output value is 6,000 million yuan .100,000 architectural forces can be found in provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government or autonomous regions in China, and over 10 countries or districts out of China. Rugao was given the title of “Architectural Hometown” by the government of Jiangsu.