Silk is a commodity that has connected China with far-reaching parts of the world through hands of traders and diplomats over the past 3,000 years. As the home of silk, Jiangsu - a properous province in East China - is proud to display its cultural and social silk heritage.

From changes in silk production tecniques to the shifing port landscapes of ancient China through the dynasties, Jiangsu has experienced the ebbs and flows of the silk industry. Through the eons, the province has woven the best of the region's resources and people's wit into threads of silk and excellent needlework.

Earlier this year, Jiangsu launched five boutique "Silk Road" tour routes in Suzhou - referred to as "paradise on earth" in ancient times - to help visitors gain a better understanding of the culture of silk and its connection with the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

I: Four-day tour in Lianyungang, Suqian and Xuzhou

II: Three-day tour in Nanjing and Yangzhou

III:Three-day tour in Suzhou, Wuxi and Nanjing

IV: Four-day tour in Yangzhou, Huai'an and Lianyungang

V: Three-day tour in Suzhou