Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu, China. Sitting on the north bank of the Yangtze, historically, Yangzhou is one of the wealthiest cities in China, known at various periods for its great merchant families, poets, artists, and scholars. Its name (lit. "Rising Prefecture") refers to its former position as the capital of the ancient Yangzhou prefecture in imperial China. Once a major stop for the salt trade, it's also known for gardens, Islamic relics and ancient shrines.