Suzhou Things to Do

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Tongli is beautuful!

Tongli is not to be missed and is a wonderful place to experience traditional Chinese culture.

Tongli is a well preserved water township over 1,000 years old. Tongli is located on the eastern shore of Taihu Lake, 11 miles from Suzhou City.

There are forty-nine stone bridges in a variety of styles connecting the seven islands created by fifteen rivers and five lakes upon which Tongli was built. Each bridge has a name including Peace and Tranquility (Taiping) Bridge, Luck (Jili) Bridge and Lasting Celebration (Changqing) Bridge. The oldest bridge in Tongli is Reflecting Origin (Siben) Bridge which was built in the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279).

Tongli Town has many houses and temples dating from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Tongli Town is actually a complex of different sites and places to visit I recommend spending at least 2 days here to take in it all. I also recommend having a local guide to fully understand the history.

Westerners called them "Venices of the Orient" although if you would think it another way, I would like to think Venice as the "Zhou Zhuang of the West" instead.

Suzhou and Hangzhou are famous spots close by to Shanghai and they make popular day trips. The many waterways and rivers have, in eras gone by, given rise to numerous "water villages" in this part of the world, and whatever that have not been torn down, today is preserved and packaged for the world to enjoy. I make not pretences, these spots are inherently commercial. Really, if there is no money and profits behind keeping these structures around, they wouldn't be here today. As a local friend remarked why must the locals suffer low hygienic conditions and horrid sanitary facilities of the past just so, people like myself, can come and see old world charms if there is no money to help the locals improve their living conditions?

Then said, despite the crushing bus loads of tourists every day, there is still charm left in these villages. One couldn't help be quite smitten by the atmosphere of it all. This is THE Orient that you see in postcards. I couldn't help standing by one of numerous picturesque bridges but imagine how life would have been hundred years ago in these villages. There is some electric about these places that capture your heart.

Zhou Zhuang, claiming to be China's No.1 water village, is certainly a must-see, even though if it means sharing it with thousands others. Sultry waterways cradle traditional looking Chinese style pagodas, petite arches of bridges and preserved shops trying their best to look traditional. I am quite amazed to report that there are real families staying in these villages, in homes hidden from the main pathways via winding side alleys. These families bake traditional pastries, sew souvenirs and braised pig trotters (which Suzhou is famous for) that every stall and shop seems to sell. And if these charms do not knock you off your feet, take a river-taxi, wind down willow-lined waterways while listening to the soft and melodious crooning of the lady steering the boat and you really couldn't help be smittened by it all.

Shan Tang is another water village, while not quite in the league of Zhou Zhuang, carries the advantage that it is slightly off the beaten path and thus you needn't share it with the rest of the world. It is more subdued but in exchange, no less commercial.

Mudu is 10 Klms from Suzhou. A rickshaw driver will meet you a offer a tour of the canal homes. The first place will sell individual tickets or all gardens for a discount. it will take 2 hours but well worth it.

An ancient temple built in the 5th century and is re-named with Han Shan after one senior monk called Han Shan visited in Tang Dynesty. There is a poem written by a poet in Tang Dynasty making this temple popular in China.

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Tongli is located about 18km (11 miles) south-east of Suzhou. It was originally named Fushi (rich land) before being renamed Tongli meaning copper village during the Tang dynasty (618-907 A.D.). The old town is a delightful water town with a wonderful system of small canals and bridges which flow past traditional Chinese houses. As well as this, the old town features a few lovely gardens which are in the same mould as the ones you find in Suzhou. Getting there is very simple from Suzhou and only takes 45 minutes by bus and makes for a great day out from the big city.

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This bridge is located near the Pan Gate and was first built in 1084. It is the highest single-arch stone bridge in Suzhou running across the ancient canal. The bridge is 11 meters high and 66 meters long. It is said that it was originally made up of three bridges before being rebuilt into a single arched stone bridge.

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Pan Gate was first built in 514 B.C. during the Wu Kingdom of Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC) and is part of the ancient city wall that surrounded and protected Suzhou. It is the only well preserved water-and-land city gate in the world. The double water gate is a pioneering work in architectural history. There is a sluice on the gate which can be closed and open by a stone gate at any time to control the water as well as resist aggression. The present Pan Gate was built in the 11th year of the reign of Zhizheng (1344).

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Standing at the entrance of the Pan Gate Scenic Area, the 53m (175ft) high Ruiguang Pagoda is one of the oldest pagodas in Suzhou. It is said that the pagoda was built by Sun Quan (a famous king who established the Wu Kingdom in the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280)) in 247 A.D. to show his respect to his mother. Unfortunately, in the next thousand years, the pagoda was damaged badly in wars, leaving only the brick body of it.