Yangzhou lies in the central region of Jiangsu province, between the Changjiang river and the Grand Canal.
The origins of Yangzhou go back some 2400 years, to the Spring and Autumn period, but it really came into prominence in the 6th C when the Sui Emperor
Yangdi ordered the Grand Canal to be dug. When this project was completed Yangzhou became a major port for foreign trade. Under the Tangs (618-907) the famous Arab missionary Behao Aldin came here to spread the Islamic gospel. During the Yuan period (1271-1368) Marco Polo stayed in the town for a while and even held quite a high position here. In the Ming and Qing periods (1368-1911) the town became prosperous as a result of the salt trade which also attracted considerable patronage. During later years, especially during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-96) Yangzhou grew to become China's second largest political, economic, commercial and cultural center.
During his tours of inspection through south China the Emperor stayed here five times. In order to gain favor with the ''Son of Heaven'', as he was known, the local authorities summoned the best cooks from the neighboring provinces to prepare dishes for him, and thereby established Yangzhou's reputation for high quality cuisine, placing it in the top four regions in China as far as the culinary arts are concerned. It was at that time, too, that the town's school of painting emerged, known for its ''Eccentric'' style. Yangzhou suffered severely in mid-1800s during Taiping Uprising.
Handicrafts have long had a fine reputation in Yangzhou. These include especially jade-carving and embroidery. Story-telling, too, has remained a traditional art-form right up to the present day.
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