Tongli is one of the six ancient towns to the south of the Yangtze River in China. Named “The Oriental Venice” due to its unique water landscape. It is just less then 20 kilometres from Suzhou City and about 80 kilometres from Shanghai.
This old town is well preserved with a history of more than 1,000 years. Was open to the public in 1986 and became a travel destination to experience the traditional Chinese culture.
Ancient Town – http://www.tongli.net
Originally named Futu “rich land”, this town has unique scenery thanks to its streets, bridges, canals and gardens. In fact, many of the houses and temples are from the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911). For example, the buildings along the banks have distinctive decors. Moreover they have carved windows, porcelain furniture, clay bricks, elegant gardens and stairs leading down to the water.
Ancient Town – http://www.tongli.net
Don’t miss
Surrounded by five lakes, the town has seven islands join together by antique stone bridges. One of its attractions, the Retreat and Reflection Garden, combines unique architecture with delicate and elegant layout. In the middle there is a pond with goldfish, surrounded by time classical pavilions and rock formations.
Info: https://cnto.org.au
Photo credit: © www.tongli.net, Sue Cantan (Flickr)
Ancient Town – http://www.tongli.net
