With strong local government support, the northern arc of Lake Tai became home to 2,800 chemical plants, most of them small cinder-block factories that took over rice paddies beside canals.

• 由于当地政府的强力支持，太湖北部湾成了2800家化工厂的基地，它们大部分都是小煤砖厂，占据了运河边的许多稻田。