# Tongli Ancient Town (同里)

Suzhou, Jiangsu Province · East China, China · Guidebook rating: 5/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/tongli-ancient-town
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** Combined ticket ¥100 (covers ten attractions in all, including the old town area, Retreat and Reflection Garden, the exhibition hall, Luoxing Islet, Songshi Wuyuan Garden, Pearl Tower Garden, Chen Qubing's Former Residence and Gufeng Garden)
- **Getting there:** Direct buses to Tongli run from both Suzhou Railway Station and Suzhou South Bus Station.
- **Good for:** History & Culture, Old Towns & Villages, Photography, Waterfront

## About Tongli Ancient Town

Tongli produced many celebrated scholars and high-ranking officials, which is why several of its streets and lanes are named after official posts, such as Zhuangyuan Street (Top Scholar Street) and Tongzhi Yamen (Tongzhi Government Office). The first thing you notice on entering Tongli is the abundance of bridges, big and small: there are 24 in all. Siben Bridge, built during the Southern Song dynasty, is the oldest, while Fuguan Bridge from the Yuan dynasty is especially impressive. The town also holds a great many stone inscriptions from successive dynasties. In this water town of 'homes built along the river,' Ming and Qing architecture accounts for roughly 40 percent of the buildings.
Three Bridges — To the people of Tongli, the Three Bridges symbolise good fortune and happiness. Whenever there is a wedding or other joyful occasion, families walk around the Three Bridges, chanting 'Peace, luck and prosperity forever!' Elders celebrating their 66th birthday also walk the Three Bridges after lunch for good luck.
Retreat and Reflection Garden — A garden with a quiet, understated charm, like a gentle beauty of the household. Film and television productions including Family, Spring, Autumn, Dream of the Red Chamber and Qianlong Incognito have all been shot here.
Pearl Tower — The Pearl Tower is not a single tower but an exquisite and opulent censor's residence, and also the setting for a beautiful love story with a happy ending. A model of the heirloom Pearl Tower, given by Cui'e in the tale, is displayed on the second floor for those who are interested.
Luoxing Islet — Luoxing Islet is a temple built on the water, reached in just a few minutes by small boat. The journey offers lovely scenery, with misty waves stretching across the lake and fishing boats dotted about. Luoxing Islet is a sacred site where Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism come together. It houses the City God Temple, Wenchang Pavilion, Doumu Pavilion, a zigzag bridge, Fish Pond and more. Its compact layout makes it both a temple and a garden.

## Tips from the guidebook

- The town is open for free entry from 17:00 to 7:00 the next morning, but the attractions inside require tickets and cannot be entered without one.
- Tongli Ticket Discounts
- Free admission for seniors aged 70 and over with valid ID; 20% off for seniors aged 60 and over; half-price for children under 1.3 m tall; 10% off for groups of 16 or more.
- Local Specialties
- Gorgon nut congee, Zhuangyuan trotters and the Taihu Three Whites (Taihu whitebait, white fish and white shrimp) are all Tongli specialties. Shrimp cakes, green glutinous rice balls, Tuisi cakes, stewed chicken with wheat gluten noodles and Apo cabbage are also worth a try.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 1051. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
Site: China Trip (https://cnatrip.com) — independent China travel guide in 13 languages.