Tongli is an ancient town, and Pingjiang Road is just a street, a completely different feeling

Tongli guide

I completed Zhouzhuang last time The guide has been well received by many friends, so I feel itchy in my heart and plan to write another guide about other ancient towns. I will write about Tongli Ancient Town first, because it has many similarities with Zhouzhuang. I hope it will be helpful to everyone. I will write other guides when I have time in the future. For example, Lijiang guide, Dali guide, etc. I hope everyone will support me.

From Shanghai to Tongli (105 kilometers):

Self-driving

Tongli exit of G50 Expressway and follow the signs to Tongli.

Passenger bus

Shanghai Stadium → Tongli Time: 8:00/9:00/10:00/11:00 Journey time: about 2 hours

Shanghai Hutai Road → Tongli Time: 12:30/13:40 Drive: about 2 hours

From Shanghai to Suzhou, then to Tongli (Suzhou to Tongli is only 18 kilometers):

Air-conditioned car Shanghai Hongqiao Airport→Suzhou Time: 10:00/11:00/12:00/13:00/14:00/15:00/16:00/17:30/19:00 Drive: 1 hour and 40 minutes

Bus from Shanghai → Suzhou Time: every 15 minutes Drive time: about 2 hours

Suzhou South Bus Station → Tongli Time: 6:30/6:50 /8:30/9:25/11:00/12:25/14:00/15:25/16:20/17:00 Drive: 35 minutes

Suzhou Wuxian Bus Station→Tongli Time: Every 15 minutes. Journey: 35 minutes.

Suzhou Railway Station → Tongli Time: Every 30 minutes. Journey: 50 minutes.

Train Shanghai → Suzhou Time: Every 20 One minute train ride: 1 hour

Overview of Tongli Ancient Town

Tongli, formerly known as "Futu", because its name was too extravagant, some scholars in the Song Dynasty changed the old name to "Futu" The two characters overlap, point up, and cross in the middle. The split character is "Tongli", which is still used today. The prosperity of Jiangnan at that time can be seen.

Tongli is located 10 kilometers west of Zhouzhuang. Why do we mention Zhouzhuang here? Because Zhouzhuang and Tongli are so similar. I suggest friends who travel to just choose one of the two ancient towns, otherwise the journey will be very tiring. It's not worth it. I think Tongli is better. Zhouzhuang gives me the feeling that because of its famous reputation, there are too many people, which is a bit difficult to accept. There are many roadside shops, while Tongli has relatively fewer people. Although there are many people, However, there are not many shops in many alleys and alleys in Tongli. Local people live in them, and it is extremely quiet in the morning and evening. Sleeping in the ancient town will not be awakened by the noisy sound of tour groups arriving early in the morning. Although it is very close, while from Zhouzhuang to Tongli The transportation here is very inconvenient. You have to either take an illegal bus or take a half-hourly bus to Tongli from the station south of Zhouzhuang (called Jiangze Station). Sometimes the bus is late. In short, it is extremely unreliable. Tongli is only 18 kilometers away from Suzhou City. During the day, there is a bus directly from Suzhou Railway Station (not Suzhou High-speed Railway Station) to Tongli. The ticket is very cheap, only 8 yuan. The ancient town is surrounded by water on all sides and is embedded in the five lakes of Tongli, Jiuli, Yeze, Nanxing and Pangshan. The building stands on the water and is known as the "Little Venice of the East". Many friends may have become impatient after seeing this place. The popular science stuff is indeed too boring haha.

Features of Tongli

Tongli has many water and bridges, many buildings in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and many famous people. It is famous for its "small bridges, flowing water, and people's homes". The main attractions can be summarized as "a "Garden", "Second Hall" and "Three Bridges". Yiyuan refers to Tuisi Garden. Tuisi Garden is a garden on the World Cultural Heritage List. It is small but very beautiful. However, if you have visited the gardens in Suzhou, then don’t go. The second hall is Genngle Hall and Chongben Hall. In fact, some places where root carvings are displayed require tickets. The ticket price is 100 yuan, and the tourist attractions include Tuisi Garden, Wang Shaochao Memorial Hall, Jiangnan Wedding Customs Hall, Jiayin Hall, Geng Le Hall, Luo Xingzhou, Chen Qubing’s Former Residence, Ancient Style Garden, Pearl Tower, Songshi Wuyuan) are a bit expensive. There are group purchases online, which can give you a discount, and you can get half the discount with your student ID card. The ticket check-in time is from 8 am to 4:30 pm. After that, you can enter and exit at will. Please do not believe the scalpers who talk to you on the street and say they can take you in, or the expired tickets that are given to you at a low price. These will not work. , don’t lose money and lose interest in playing. The Three Bridges is in the center of the ancient town, and the Three Bridges attractions are also included in the combined ticket. However, as long as the Three Bridges attraction can be entered into the ancient town, it doesn't matter whether it is a ticket or not. The Lujia Inn is located among the three bridges. During the chat with the boss, the story of the three bridges was mentioned.

The three bridges are "Changqing", "Auspicious" and "Taiping", three ordinary stone bridges with vicissitudes of life.

Among the three bridges, the "Taiping" Bridge is the oldest, and you can feel safe after crossing it. Geely Bridge is a bridge of auspiciousness, bringing good luck and good fortune. After leaving, promotion and fortune are inevitable. "Changqing" means eternal youth.

In the life of Tongli people, there must be three bridges in the life of the full moon, wedding and 60th birthday. Young people hope to have a happy marriage, so they must walk on the three bridges when getting married. After leaving, you can grow old together, be together forever, and be happy. However, you must also pay attention to taboos. It is best to ask the locals. When an old man celebrates his birthday, if he walks on the three bridges, he will surely live a long life.

There are indeed a lot of elderly people in Tongli. I heard that there are very, very many people who live to be over 90 years old. Now there are people in Tongli town who are over 110 years old and are still very healthy.

Let’s leave it aside for now as to whether crossing the bridge works or not. But these three bridges definitely represent Tongli people’s desire for future happiness and yearning for a better life. Since it is a local custom, you must go around three bridges.

It is no exaggeration to call Sanqiao a blessed place and a treasure land of Feng Shui.

There are mainly restaurants in the surrounding area, selling local local dishes. The prices are quite expensive. If two people want to eat well, a red PP is the minimum required. I will give a detailed introduction to the food issue below. , let me first introduce to you how to play.

Best time to travel

Tongli is a typical Jiangnan water town with a pleasant climate. The approximate temperature is about 0-10 degrees in winter, and -4 degrees in cold weather is already very cold. , the temperature can reach 38 degrees on a sunny day in summer, while spring and autumn are the most comfortable times, with temperatures around 20 degrees, and the scenery in each season is outstanding. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about the season when you go to Tongli, but it is best not to go on weekends or holidays, because it is difficult to appreciate the tranquility and beauty of the ancient town among the huge crowds. This time there were not many people because of the bird flu, but There are already too many, ps bird flu is actually not that serious.

Some folk festivals

As the saying goes: "Thousands of miles have different winds, and a hundred miles have different customs." Tongli has many unique folk festivals:

The first month of the year From the first to the fifth day of the first lunar month, believers from all over the country rush to the "Nanguan" located in the southwest of the ancient town to light arhats to pray for peace in the four seasons.

March 28 Zhu Tianhui

This is a spontaneous folk activity to commemorate Zhu Youjian, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but most of the people in Tongli are old ladies, so Tongli people Few people know the true nature of Zhu Tianhui. They only remember a folk song: "On the 28th of March, I rolled over the old woman." The main activities are "sitting on a stool and eating vegetarian food".

April 14 Fairy Fair

This is an event with a wider area, but it has the characteristics of Tongli. The main activities include: walking on stilts, wearing arm incense, clam shell essence, and river boating. The queue was very long, and at the end there was a group of faithful men and women wearing sin clothes and skirts to express atonement.

Shooting water dragons on June 23

is a major feature of Tongli. It is actually an annual firefighting competition. From the main temple to the west, all the way to the ferry bridge, people with water taps fired at the same time. The water dragons on the river soared into the sky, the mist dispersed, and the scene was spectacular.

Tongli Cruise

Tongli Lake Tour Ticket Price: ￥70/boat (can seat 6 people)

Tongli Lake Tour Ticket Price: ￥200/boat (can seat 20 people)

How to play the ticketed attractions

Tuisi Garden→Sanxie Hall→Cultural Relics Museum→Jiangnan Wedding Customs Museum→Three Bridges→Genngle Hall → Dingzi River → Jiayin Hall → Ming and Qing Street → Shide Hall → Wuhemen Tower → Chen Qubing’s former residence

Local food

Tongli has a mild and humid climate and dense river branches , rich in river fresh food and various aquatic crops. The catering culture has typical Jiangnan characteristics. The most famous ones are Zhuangyuan's trotters, shrimps in cakes, spring rolls with three shreds, eel paste with sesame oil, and famous waterside dishes cooked with river freshness such as white fish, sea bass, mandarin fish, and soft-shell turtle. Aquatic plants such as wild rice, celery, water shield, water chestnut, lotus root, truncatula, etc. are all unique in local characteristics. In terms of snacks, there are stocking cakes, mince cakes, Cibao cakes, green dumplings, min cakes, lard rice cakes, chicken rice balls, big meat steamed buns, fermented rice cakes, malt flat cakes, small smoked fish, etc. The restaurant in Sanqiao is It's very expensive, but the taste is okay. It depends on whether you are used to it. The local food in Tongli is a bit sweet, and it has a nice view by the river. The most famous Lujia is more expensive, and other places in Tongli are more expensive. There are also very good places to eat, such as the Yuanwailou in the north of Tuisi Garden. They have a lot of improved dishes, and the taste is very good and the price is affordable. I was chatting with the boss when I was drinking at the boat dock bar that night. He introduced it to my husband. When I left, I went to have a meal at noon. I told the name of the boat dock bar and got a small discount. It tasted better than the one in Sanqiao, and it was obviously more hygienic. I regretted not going there in the first place. There is also a private restaurant called (Loujia) in a very remote place. The place is not big, but the taste should be good, because many celebrities filming in the same place also go there to eat. The owner of the boat dock bar told me about it. I suggest that next time you go to Tongli, you can go to that bar and order a bottle of beer. If you can chat with the boss, it will be beneficial to friends who don’t know Tongli. The boss also has many stories, but this is I'm quite shy and won't take the initiative to get acquainted with guests, but I don't like people who get acquainted with them on their own. I always feel that they have some bad intentions. When I wrote this guide, I was grateful that he gave me a lot of helpful information. If you are interested in going to Tongli, you can follow his Weibo and ask about the weather, accommodation, etc. He will introduce it in detail, and even tell you how to evade fares.

Okay, let’s introduce the famous Tongli dishes we ate:

Huxian Famous Dishes

Zhuangyuan Hoof: The most famous in Tongli It’s a famous food. In Tongli, you can eat a pig’s trotter on the street without restraint. No one is surprised, and you won’t feel it’s a loss of status. The taste of the trotter is really delicious, and the locals entertain guests. Or during the Chinese New Year, the family must prepare this. It is said that there was a champion who ate this hoof when he went to Beijing to take the exam, and then went to high school, so it got its name, but the champion was not the one from Tuisiyuan. Don’t get it wrong, it’s the same thing. The place is small, but there are still many famous people.

Cake with shrimps: Mix egg whites thoroughly, add rice noodles and shrimps, and boil oil in a pan. It has a bright color and a delicious pine aroma. You can also put it in a separate small box and eat it with tomatoes for a more delicious taste. good.

Three-threaded fish roll: Choose five or six kilograms of herring or grass carp, take the middle part of the female part, remove the belly and leave the skin, roll in shredded ham, chicken, and fragrant rut, and add rice wine and fragrant spices. Add onions and other condiments and steam until cooked. Its meat is tender, fragrant and delicious, with a unique flavor.

Sear-fried eel paste: Prepared with fried eel shreds, ham shreds, chicken shreds, shrimps, etc., add a little shredded ginger, ghee, minced garlic, and pour boiling meat oil over the noodles. When serving, lightly sprinkle with pepper, the aroma is fragrant and delicious.

Taihu Three Whites: Whitebait, whitebait, white shrimp, whitebait scrambled eggs are very delicious. If you want to eat authentic ones, you have to go to the building outside the park. They will use local eggs from farmers, and the taste is so delicious. Ah, white fish should be steamed. Because it is fresh fish, it is also very fresh, but there are many thorns. The white shrimp has tender meat and is lighter in color than ordinary shrimp. People here basically eat the original flavor of aquatic products, and there will be a little bit in the mouth after eating it. Sweet feeling.

Accommodation

Tongli is a place where "every home is close to the water and every household has access to boats", with outstanding people and long alleys. Chuanxin Lane is simple and elegant, and the bluestone path contains the unique cultural color of the water town. The Ming and Qing Dynasty residences on both sides have experienced the mist and rain of the south of the Yangtze River, and have become more beautiful and simple, making people forget to leave.

In this quiet, poetic and picturesque group of ancient buildings, a number of unique ancient residential inns are officially open to the public. The folk customs are strong, the water passes by the window, sleep with your head on the river, the sound of the oars accompanies you to sleep, and you have the same dream as Tongli, blend in and become a Tongli person.

The famous 1 Lujia Inn in Tongli is affordable, in Sanqiao, antique, 2 Zhengfu Thatched Cottage, Chinese garden style, very tasteful place, we stayed here, the room name is At Jiangnan Family, the room is very quiet at night, with almost no noise. The bed is antique, but soft and comfortable. There is also a special area for guests to relax and drink tea.

Play

There are many streets in Tongli. For example, Ming and Qing Street is dedicated to buying souvenirs, such as silk, crisp socks, green dumplings, hoof balls, and For other things, the most recommended thing is Tongli Gorgon Rice, which is commonly known as chicken head rice. You have to buy it fresh or frozen. You can take it home and stew it in sweet soup. It will be quite delicious. Add some lotus seeds, some mung beans or something. of. The most famous Sanqiao in Tongli is where you can find many snacks, such as stinky tofu, fried crabs, etc. Here is my warm reminder: All purchases require proper counter-offering.

In addition to several major attractions, there are also some interesting places in Tongli. Afternoon tea: Sky City with Cats on the Three Bridges, illy Coffee, Muwan Boat Pier Bar, Coffee Cat, etc. Key points I recommend Maokong’s Sky City and Boat Pier Bar. Maokong is a place with a very strong literary and artistic atmosphere. The focus is on postcards that can be sent to your future self. There are also some drinks. Many little girls and boys are crowded. I had no choice but to quit and wander around the river. Unconsciously, I came to the boat dock again. This bar has indoor and outdoor options. The location is perfect. It is next to the ticket gate in Tongli. The food inside is even better. During meal time There are Italian handmade pizzas and Chinese light meals. On the afternoon of the first day I came here, I waited outside the ticket gate because I didn’t want to buy tickets. There was this bar next to it. It was strange that it was open during the day. I didn’t expect that it also served catering and afternoon tea. , because after sitting on their chair, a waiter came over and took our order. We happened to have no lunch, so we ordered a pizza and a drink. Unexpectedly, it was this encounter that made me fall in love with this place. The pizza here is so delicious. Got it! So after I went in in the evening, I went here to drink after dinner. I ordered two cocktails and sat down. There were singers and bands in the evening. This is definitely unique in Tongli. It was also here that I met the boss once. During the conversation, I felt like I was a close friend who I had met so late. My boss used to live in Lijiang and around Yunnan, and I happen to like that place very much. I went there once and planned to go there again, so we talked a lot. He is really a sweetheart, right? The feel of the bar is also casual and not noisy like many other bars.

The ancient town of Tongli has a long history and culture. Silk and bamboo, Xuanjuan, Pingtan, opera, minor tunes, flower baskets, lotus flowers, dragon dances, lion dances, bridge lanterns, river lanterns, etc. are all extremely rich. Cultural relics and popular repertoire of traditional charm. Walking on the Three Bridges and rowing a boat are forms of relaxation that combine tourism and entertainment. Sitting on a cruise ship to enjoy the waterside landscape of the ancient town is another kind of fun.

Tongli Night Garden is an excellent place for people to taste real life, recall the past, and admire the beautiful life.

While sipping a cup of tea in the garden thatched cottage, you can enjoy the leisurely "Spring River Flowers and Moonlight Night" on the partition wall, the beginning of Wu Nong's Tanci on the corridor, the falling "Two Springs Reflect the Moon" on the pavilion, and the clear "Moonlight Night on the Spring River" on the shore. "Pearl Tower" selection, the melodious curling tunes in the hall, the mesmerizing moonlight in the back garden, the simple folk customs in the streets, the colorful lantern boats in the river that complement the river lanterns, and the tradition of alternating traffic lights with branches Bridge lights.