Tongli Ancient Town Small Rivers and Slow Time

Before you even reach the old streets there is a quiet spot worth a stroll the Tongli Tianyuan Culture Garden a cultural venue devoted to the game of Go. Step through the gate and you will see a large pool in the center of the courtyard paved with granite in the shape of an enormous Go board called Game of Dreams. Black and white stones are laid out over it creating a striking scene. Inside the garden there are all kinds of Go related items on display including classic game records, equipment, books, folding fans, sculptures and art pieces. You can also see signed Go boards from famous masters such as Nie Weiping, Chang Hao, Huang Yizhong, Ma Xiaochun and Liu Xiaoguang. Every year the Tongli Cup Tianyuan Tournament is held here and many top level professional events such as national promotion tournaments and league matches also choose this venue.

As one of the most beautiful water towns in China according to National Geographic Tongli near Suzhou never really has a low season. It draws not only domestic visitors but also streams of foreign travelers coming from nearby Shanghai. Try to arrive early before the crowds cross the bridges. Walk over the stone slabs of the Three Bridges and escape into Gengle Garden where you can play the part of a reclusive Ming dynasty scholar and admire the many intricate root carvings on display. In the Retreat and Reflection Garden a World Heritage site you can savor the idea of a new scene with every step and winding turns that seem to go on forever. The designer made clever use of a courtyard of less than four mu yet managed to include a wide range of buildings such as reception halls boat like pavilions, inner residences, central yards and garden spaces. The layout is refined and intricate without feeling ostentatious and the many horizontal buildings give the garden a unique character.

If you do not feel like checking off all the famous sights you can simply wander. There are plenty of small coffee shops and craft stores to duck into. I came across a Western style home decor shop that caught my eye. The ceramics on display and the paintings hanging on the walls of the inner room looked perfectly matched (Picture 5). The century old Nanyuan Teahouse sits across the river from the former residence of scholar Chen Qubing and has a reputation as the number one teahouse in Jiangnan. Step inside and sit for a while. A cup of tea and a live performance of Suzhou Pingtan form a truly Chinese version of afternoon tea in the south of the Yangtze River. Spend the day visiting gardens and listening to local opera. At dusk take a ride on a traditional black awning boat then stay overnight in a guesthouse in the ancient town. For one day you can be a carefree Suzhou wanderer. As the lights along the river come on the boatwoman hums her long melody that blends softly with the reflections of the lamps in the water. In Tongli your worries can slip away and an ordinary day can feel like a poem.

The three hundred meter long Chuanxin Alley is the town’s signature narrow lane so tight it feels as if you can hear the echo of time itself. On both sides stand walls about three meters high mottled and weathered. Moss on the walls mirrors the dark stone slabs underfoot. When visitors walk through the lane their footsteps ring out with a hollow sound. It is a perfect snapshot of Tongli’s quiet and leisurely spirit.

Tickets cost one hundred yuan for adults. If you buy through an online platform such as Ctrip you can usually save around twenty and pay about eighty. Seniors and very young children can buy a half price ticket for fifty. The ticket usually includes standard seats for the Suzhou Pingtan performance in the Shuimo Theater except on major holidays.