Exploring
Tongli Ancient Town
Chinese name
苏州同里古镇旅游区
Opening hours
Monday to Sunday, 08:00–17:15.
After 17:15, all sub-attractions within the Ancient Town of Tongli are closed; the streets remain open to the public free of charge.
Tongli is a historic Jiangnan water town located in Suzhou's Wujiang District, dating back over a thousand years to the Song Dynasty. Surrounded by lakes, the town is crisscrossed by a network of fifteen canals that divide it into seven islets, linked together by more than forty ancient stone bridges. While popular with visitors, it retains an active residential life, with locals still living in whitewashed, black-tiled courtyard houses along the riverbanks.
The town's most famous site is the Retreat and Reflection Garden (Tuisi Yuan), constructed between 1885 and 1887 during the late Qing Dynasty by a dismissed imperial official. Unlike the north-to-south layout typical of most Chinese gardens, it was designed laterally, with pavilions, terraces, and covered walkways built close to the water's surface; it is recognized as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Classical Gardens of Suzhou. Other well-preserved historic compounds include Jiayin Hall and Chongben Hall, known for their detailed architectural woodcarvings, as well as the sprawling Pearl Pagoda estate.
Exploring the town involves following stone-paved alleyways along the canals and crossing landmark spans such as the Three Bridges—Taiping, Jili, and Changqing—which stand close together at a canal junction and are traditionally crossed in sequence for good fortune during festivals and family celebrations. Hand-rowed wooden boats operate through the canals, offering views of historic stone steps, arched bridges, and riverside tea houses from the water.
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