Originally named Futu (meaning a rich land), Tongli is an age-old but very well preserved water town with a history of more than 1,000 years. Located on the eastern shore of Taihu Lake, just 11 miles (18 kilometers) from Suzhou City, the town is 24 square miles (63 square kilometers) in area and has a population of over 33 thousand. True to its reputation, Tongli water town is a really wonderful travel destination where you can spend a marvelous holiday or experience traditional Chinese culture. Follow this introduction and you will have a general idea of this captivating water-town.
Tongli Facts
Tongli Water Town in Suzhou is one of the top six ancient towns in the regions south of Yangtze River in China, which is world reputed as the “Oriental Venice” with its more than 1000-year-old history, authentic features of old buildings, rich old rivers, simple folk culture of locals.
Type: Ancient Town, Water Place, Historic Site, Old Buildings
Best Seasons: All Seasons
Recommended Visiting Time: 1-2 days
Opening Hours: All Day
Permission: RMB 100 / person (7:30-17:30 for April - October; 7:30-17:15 for November – March; valid for 2 days); RMB 50 / person: (18:30-21:00)
Address: Tongli Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
Brief Introduction of Tongli
Tongli (同里), or called Tongli Water Town, in the south west of Suzhou, is one of the “Top Six Ancient Towns in the Regions South of Yangtze River” in China with a long history of over 1,000 years. Enjoying the advantageous location of being surrounded by water and linked by old stone bridges, Tongli is the symbol of water town in southern China. Therefore, it is regarded as the “Oriental Venice” as well as a “Natural Photo Studio” by people from the whole world and named the “National AAAAA Tourist Attraction”. Moreover, since it still well keeps a series of ancient structures from Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, like the “Retreat & Reflection Garden (退思园)” that is a World Cultural Heritage Site praised by many poets, Tongli is a perfect place to savor the authentic flavor of old water town in china and the real leisure life of this charming Jiangnan (江南) region.
History of Tongli
Tongli was established in Song dynasty over 10 centuries ago and was first named Fu Tu (富土, Fertile Land). But it changed to be called as Tong Li (铜里) so not to be too extravagant. And later people finally changed its name again into the present Tongli (同里). According to the history, Tongli is a key place in the ancient Wu (吴) region, and since it could communicate with the outside world only by boat, there were few wars or turbulence. And then, it became an ideal place for people to escape from the social upheaval and settle down.
Highlights to See in Tongli
Traditional residences including gardens, houses and temples, built in the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, are the highlight of the town.
Jiayin Hall and Congben Hall
Jiayin Hall was built in 1922 and is known for its fine carvings on the structure. Congben Hall built in 1911 is also known for its carvings on the structure. There are more than one hundred of well-preserved woodcarvings of traditional figures from Chinese classics. Both of the halls are traditional Chinese architectures and are well protected.
The Retreat & Reflection Garden
One of most notable attractions in the water town is the Retreat & Reflection Garden (Tuisiyuan Garden), which lies in the center of the town. It is a private garden owned by Ren Lansheng with its landscapes of pavilions, towers, terraces and a man-made lake, and it was built in 1885-1887 and designed by Yuanlon. In 2001, the Retreat & Reflection Garden was recognized with other classical Suzhou gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Three Bridges
The most famous bridges among the 49 bridges in Tongli are the three bridges called Taiping (peace), Jili (luck) and Changqing (celebration) bridges, which has been important landmarks of the town and regarded as the sacred architecture by the locals.
The Pearl Tower
It is a not real tower and it is just a model made up of pearls. Also, it’s the name of a famous drama. It is in this place that the moving story between Fangqin and Chen cui’e happened. Fangqin’s father was banished by the court. So he came to his aunt to ask for help, but when his aunt heard of the bad news of Fang’s she despised the poor and refused to help him. But his cousin was very kind and gave the Pearl Tower secretly to Fangqin. So latterly, Fangqin became the Zhuangyuan.