lake tales | autumn whispers in soft suzhou dialect where are you as i am by lihu lake

Wuxi is located by the shore of Taihu Lake, rich in resources, a land of fish and rice, like a dazzling pearl embedded in Taihu Lake. Taihu Lake nurtures the children of Wu and Yue like a mother, just like the city's tourism slogan 'Wuxi, full of warmth and water'.

The most beautiful season of the year is probably autumn. It is a season of harvest, a season to share joy and emotions, and a season suitable for meeting someone right after waking up from a dream!

If the cherry blossom marathon in March kicks off a wonderful year of events, then the Bug Marathon, which writes an autumn fairy tale, is also something you shouldn't miss!

Li (luó)

1. Same as '蠃'. 蜾蠃 (a type of wasp).

Li (lí)

1. A gourd ladle.

2. For example: Li Sheng (a ladle with a capacity of one liter); Li Mao (a helmet that protects against arrows and stones, named for its shape like a gourd ladle); Li Shao (a ladle); Li Jian (a metaphor for shallow knowledge); Li Zhuo Guan Kui (measuring the sea with a ladle, looking at the sky through a bamboo tube, a metaphor for shallow knowledge and limited observation).

Li (lǐ)

1. Woodworm. Extended to mean an object worn down over time.

2. Used in names of people and places.

For example: Fan Li (a minister of the state of Yue in the late Spring and Autumn period); Li County (in central Hebei Province); Lihu Lake (in southeast Wuxi, Jiangsu Province).

The Lihu Half Marathon and the Wuxi Marathon share the same lineage, and the smooth experience of collecting race materials is highly praised by those who have tried it!

Although it is a young event, from its initial emergence to completing registration in 4 hours and 13 minutes last year, to requiring a lottery this year, in four years, the Bug Marathon has gradually been loved and accepted by more marathon enthusiasts.

Friends coming from afar, isn't it delightful! Taihu Lake is beautiful, especially its water. September is the season for fishing, and the fish and shrimp are fat. This is the best season for Taihu's three whites: Taihu white fish, Taihu white shrimp, and silver fish, also known as Taihu tears.

Many friends' impression of Wuxi cuisine is that it is 'sweet'. Who knew this is the little secret of Wuxi people! Every day is sweet and happy, with sweet Wuxi dumplings, sweet Wuxi ribs, sweet and sour pork ribs, crispy sweet Taihu eel, sweet and fresh sauce pork knuckles... Rich and red sauce is the characteristic of Wuxi cuisine, just like the inherent sweetness and warmth of Wuxi people, making people happy!

Mr. Guo Moruo once visited Yuantou in Wuxi and wrote a poem: 'The best place in Taihu is indeed at Yuantou.'"

Yuantouzhu.

Yuan (second tone), in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, the son of the dragon, with a dragon's head, a turtle's body, tiger's claws, and a fish's tail.

Zhu (third tone), a small island in the water.

From the air, Yuantouzhu looks like a divine turtle resting in the water. As the saying goes, 'Step on Yuantou, and good luck will come.'

In the warm autumn afternoon sunlight, photographers Nan, Zhu, and A'dai took us, a group of rabbits, on a half-day tour of Wuxi. Lihu Central Park, Changguangxi Bridge, Yuantouzhu, Fanying Bridge, are all Jiangnan sceneries that tourists dream of, but today we are going to do something different!

The beauty of Jiangnan can be felt through pictures, and we believe you can feel our joy too! In half a day, people who have been talking about it in the group for half a month came from all over the country to Wuxi, where they received the highest hospitality! Let's all wishHappy 4th birthday to the Lihu Half Marathon!

Before the race, it's an old tradition to inflate the pace balloons together. Chairman Mao once said, 'Do it yourself, and you'll have plenty to eat and wear,' 'Many hands make light work.' Indeed, the power of the collective is immense. In no time, we finished the task. Holding our pace balloons, we went back to our rooms to lay out our gear for the next day, following international practice, to check for any omissions.

Standing at the starting line of the Lihu Half Marathon for the second year, I bear the responsibility of leading over 10,000 running enthusiasts across Lihu Lake, searching for the most beautiful autumn day!

Yes, I am very happy to share this beauty with you, to accompany you for 2 hours and 45 minutes of joy, running through the most beautiful Yuanzhu Road and the ten-mile fragrant embankment, taking in the beautiful scenery of Lihu Lake! Running through Changguangxi Wetland Park, entering the century-old Jiangnan University, listening to the cheers and encouragement from the students!

A local event must be supported. Although I really want to experience the National Marathon in Beijing for its 70th anniversary, and also want to feel the heat of West Lake in scenic Hangzhou, here I have something even more beautiful to share with everyone!

The DC Running Group, as the youngest and most energetic local running group, has over 240 teammates participating in the Lihu Half Marathon, and more than 40 DCers volunteers serving the runners on the course!

After a few hours of companionship, enjoying the autumn scenery of mountains and water, we always feel that the half marathon is too short, not enough time to take a good look! After the race, it was still a smooth experience as always, with abundant post-race items full of Wuxi flavor, including the century-old Wuxi specialty Lao Lu Gao Jian sauce ribs, bringing back memories of the Bug Marathon!

Successfully completing the pacing task, the happiest moment is having CC waiting like family, making us feel very warm!

This is one of the reasons we love Hui Pao events!

In November, Lihu Lake is like a palette overturned by God, a color different from spring...

In November, Jiangnan University is also passionate, with tens of thousands of marathon enthusiasts completing their half marathon here.

There is the joy of achieving a personal best, the emotion of persevering to the end, the sweetness of finishing together, but no post-race litter left behind. Race etiquette and post-race civility make this the most beautiful marathon!

Let our ambitions become dreams of striving, let the sweat from daily hard work water the dreams, let persistence make the dreams bloom beautifully, let the unwillingness create our own miracles!

Thank you for your service along the way, I want to share this moment of joy with you!

Thanks to Hui Pao events, Uncle Li, Xiao Nan, Liang Liang, Xiao Bai, and others.

Thanks to the photography team, Zhu Ge, Nan Ge, A'dai, Lin Hai, and others.

Thanks to the volunteers, Sister Xue He, Sister Xiao Bai, Sister Fei, and others.

Using a photo taken by Teacher Song during my first Lihu Half Marathon 17 years ago to express my gratitude to you! Wishing our Lihu Half Marathon gets better and better, allowing more marathon enthusiasts to experience the most beautiful autumn course in Wuxi, inheriting the flavor of the Wuxi Marathon!

Welcome to Wuxi!

Wuxi is a great place.

It makes you want to come back after you leave.

Once you come, you don't want to leave!