Suzhou is one of my favorite cities. Firstly, it’s conveniently accessible from the nearest high-speed train station to Suzhou Station in just 20 minutes. This makes it much closer than any other place in Shanghai, and it’s a city I can visit at any time. Secondly, the pace of life and work in Shanghai is quite fast, and I go to Suzhou to relax. Standing at Suzhou Railway Station, I feel a sense of slowing down, which is the slow life I desire.
To get to Tongli, I took the subway from Suzhou, with the terminal station being Tongli Station. After getting off, it took only 8 minutes by taxi to reach the scenic area.
Tongli Ancient Town is a 5A-level scenic spot, one of the six major ancient towns in Jiangnan, with an entrance ticket of 100 yuan. Speaking of the connection with Tongli Ancient Town, it dates back to 2013 when my daughter and I visited Tongli to film ‘Shan Shan is Here’, where we played Zhao Liying’s neighbors, the Little Tail mother and daughter. After eight years, I am here again to search for the memories of the past. The impression has become a bit vague, so let me get to know you again – Tongli Ancient Town.
The town is abundant with gardens, temples, residences, and former residences of celebrities built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Fifteen rivers in the shape of the character ‘Chuan’ divide the ancient town into seven small islands, and 49 ancient bridges connect them into a whole, known for its small bridges, flowing water, and homes.
The afternoon sun is very warm, and I leisurely stroll through the ancient town, enjoying the unique tranquility.Tuisi Garden
The first recommendation in Tongli Ancient Town is the Tuisi Garden. It is a Suzhou garden architecture and a World Cultural Heritage site. For me, who loves ancient buildings, it is a must-see. Tuisi Garden is composed of pavilions, terraces, towers, corridors, bridges, halls, and other structures centered around a pond, making the entire architecture seem to float on the water.
The two buildings are connected by a corridor of the walking horse building, with floor-to-ceiling windows on both the north and south sides. On rainy days, there is no need to walk in the water, and on sunny days, there is no fear of being sunburned. It is a wonderful design.
The light and shadow inside the house are particularly beautiful, which has made me linger for a long time.
There are many local residents in the ancient town, which is one of the reasons I like to come here. Because here I can find the scenes of my childhood in the alleys, chatting with neighbors in the sun. The houses are getting better and better, but the human touch has faded a lot, and I don’t even know the names of the neighbors next door. I prefer the feeling of eating at one house and visiting another in the past. It’s a heartwarming memory that I will always remember and never forget.
Here, you can also take a hand-shake boat, looking at the smoke on the river bank, and people are washing clothes and vegetables. When the boatwoman is in a good mood, she will even hum a tune, leisurely and carefree.
Jia Yin HallEntering another ancient building, Jia Yin Hall. The main entrance of Jia Yin Hall adopts the stone warehouse gate. After passing through the gate hall, you can see the ‘Fu, Shou, Lu’ three stars on the central ridge. The main hall of Jia Yin Hall is commonly known as the ‘Gaomao Hall’, which is a Ming-style structure. The entire hall is tall and spacious, and the hall is full of patterns. There are also eight vivid and lifelike pictures from ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ such as ‘Gu City Meeting’, ‘Three Heroes Fight Lv Bu’, ‘Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage’, and ‘Grass Boat Borrowing Arrows’. This group of wood carvings has been included in the ‘Chinese Opera Chronicles · Suzhou Volume’. It is really amazing.
In the ancient town, there are also eight ancient buildings such as Geng Le Tang and Song Shi Wu Garden worth exploring. Entering an ancient house, you can understand the stories behind the big courtyards. Walking on one of the three bridges, Jili Bridge. The tour guide said that walking can increase good fortune, and I also went to get some good luck.
Century-old Tea House – Nan Yuan Tea House. The afternoon sun is the most comfortable. I sat on the stone stool by the river for a rest. Of course, I can also go to Nan Yuan Tea House to taste tea and listen to the Pingtan performance. Nan Yuan Tea House is a century-old tea house. There is a Pingtan performance in the tea house from 14:00 to 16:00 every afternoon. Call the waiter to bring a pot of hot tea, and then order a steamer of the store’s self-made steaming dumplings.The Chinese afternoon tea is arranged properly. Listening to the tunes, such enjoyment is probably only satisfied in Tongli. In the summer, Nan Yuan Tea House also provides self-made sour plum soup.
The clear sky is visible, and the warmth of winter I felt in Tongli.
Tiger stove, thermos, although they did not appear in my childhood, but I often heard my grandmother mention it before, but it is quite fresh.
