Lili Ancient Town

Dive into the timeless allure of Lili Ancient Town, once known as Li Hua (Pear Blossom) Village, where every corner hides a picturesque surprise waiting to be discovered. Courtyard homes beckon with stories of bygone eras, while independent museums offer a glimpse into the town’s rich history. My day in Lili was an adventure packed with unforgettable experiences – from participating in the 8th Suzhou pear blossom day festivities to getting hands-on with flower arranging workshops and cozying up in charming coffee shops that felt straight out of a storybook. Here’s the scoop on what not to miss: The Six Arts Museum: Prepare to be spellbound by this treasure trove of folk arts. Founder Mitchell Dudek’s passion shines through in the collection, boasting hundreds of unexpected gems he’s salvaged over the last 40 years - everything from antique furniture to intricate wood carvings. Trust me, you’ll want to set aside a whole afternoon just to soak in the wonder of it all! Check into the Six Arts Hotel: Located right next to the museum, this boutique hotel is a feast for the eyes, with over 5,000 upcycled folk art pieces adorning every nook and cranny - we’re talking everything from the floorboards and toilet roll holders to elevator walls and lamp shades. Stay tuned for more on this one-of-a-kind stay! Get Crafty: Lili isn’t just about sightseeing – it’s about living life to the fullest! Unleash your creativity with fragrance-making sessions or try your hand at crafting a stunning spring bouquet, all while capturing your impression of Lili in your own unique way. It’s the perfect opportunity to pick up a new skill and make memories to last a lifetime.

Lili Town is under the jurisdiction of Wujiang District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, bordering Shanghai to the east, Taihu Lake to the west, Zhejiang to the south, and Suzhou to the north, located in the hinterland of the Golden Triangle where Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai meet. Lili Town is situated in the Taihu Lake plain area, with a subtropical monsoon maritime climate. It has distinct seasons, moderate sunlight, abundant rainfall, and a mild and humid climate. Jinxi ancient town is a Jiangnan water town with a history of more than two thousand years, known as the 'Hometown of Chinese Folk Museums', preserving many cultural landscapes, historical sites, and countless buildings with distinctive Ming and Qing dynasty features. Famous attractions include Tongshen Royal Courtyard, Chen Fei Water Tomb, and Lianchi Zen Monastery.

Lili Ancient Town, an obscure water town outside Suzhou City, has a history of 2,500 years, and the original flavor of Jiangnan quietly flows among the walking crowd. Before the Tang Dynasty, it was named Lihua Li because of the pear blossoms blooming on all sides of the village. Later, because of the official surnamed Li who dredged the river to benefit the people, the townspeople were grateful for his virtue and changed the village name to Lili. 🧭Navigation: Lili Ancient Town; 💰Ticket: Free. 🚗Transportation: Self-driving or public transportation (Bus No. 2 in the demonstration area opposite the Dongfang Lvzhou Station of Shanghai Line 17 to Lili Tourist Distribution Center); 🅿️Parking: There is a free parking lot at the tourist distribution center; 🏚️Scenery: Small bridges and flowing water, original residences, slow life in Jiangnan; 🎨Food: Tangqiao Restaurant, signature dishes are sausage, chili, lotus leaf chicken, this time I tried the seasonal dish water caltrop chicken head rice, which is also good. This restaurant has authentic taste and appropriate saltiness. ⌛️Play time: If you have time, it is recommended to stay in the ancient town for one night, the scenery during the day and night is different. Half a day is enough for daytime play.

This is the only ancient town I want to keep to myself, with the perfect image of Jiangnan, without the hustle and bustle of Tongli, the hawking of Zhouzhuang, the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of Wuzhen, or the shop-lined streets of Xitang! Lili: In the old prosperous times of the Tang Dynasty, Pear Blossom Village was only graced with pleasant breezes and leisurely comfort, where time seemed to be forcibly slowed down. Groups of tourists can be seen everywhere, and chatting elders are visible everywhere. The quiet and peaceful small bridges and flowing waters make it a town suitable for a leisurely stroll. You won't be swept away by the crowds, nor will you be stopped by hawkers. The old sites of the Nanshe Communications and the bandit-suppression campaign are there, and wearing a cheongsam for a photo shoot instantly takes you back to the Republic of China era! Shi's Mansion looks dilapidated from the outside, but once inside, it's a different world. There are still residents living there, located in the original ecological living area at the westernmost part of the town. The exhibition center in the town center is worth buying a ticket to see, as it has a lot of content. There's also a small alley leading to the vegetable market, where the small stone slabs click underfoot, as if narrating the hundred-year-old stories of the ancient town, which is very interesting.

In the wintersweet season of Suzhou, it is widely spread on the Internet to check in at the Buddhist Jushi Forest and plant grass at the Zhaoling View in Lili. There are many legends on the Internet that Jushi Forest is in Lujiacang on Pingjiang Road. A branch of sandalwood plum, under the contrast of green bamboo, is extraordinarily enchanting. Then, taking advantage of the sparse winter rain, I rushed to the Zhaoling View in Lili, along the ancient town of Lili, from east to west, then turned north, crossed the stone bridge, and suddenly saw a view in the lake. The locals called Zhaoling Temple as Chenghuang Temple, and now, a branch of pure-hearted wintersweet in front of the red wall has fired half of Suzhou city, and half of the people in Suzhou know it. There are not many opportunities to shoot wintersweets in front of the red wall, how is the impression? Please share.

🏚️There is such a low-key and quiet water town at the junction of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. Lilizhen belongs to Wujiang, Suzhou. I was surprised at the scarcity of tourists when I strolled around on Friday afternoon. The quietness is extremely disproportionate to its scale, just like a hermit living alone. In Lilizhen, there are many bridges and alleys, it is said that there are as many as 115 large and small, many small alleys are only one person wide, dark and deep, and there is a different world after going deep. The biggest feature of the alleys in Lilizhen is that many of them are not open-air, they are covered on top, unaffected by wind and rain, but they are also exceptionally dim, and there is a sense of exploration when walking inside. 🎫Ticket: Free (parking lot, just walk in along the small alley)

This is a healing town that is half filled with the bustle of life and half with tranquil joy. Lili ancient town, it is said that before the Tang Dynasty, every spring, pear blossoms would bloom all around the town, hence it also has a lovely name: Lihua Li🌸 🌲Tucked away in the Wujiang District of Suzhou City, Lili ancient town is low-key and peaceful. The scenic area does not charge an entrance fee, and the town's famous dwellings are built along the river, well-preserved; the river has been managed with sluice gates, making the water clear and bright; the ancient town is inhabited by local residents, and on weekdays there are not many tourists, the commercial atmosphere is not strong, suitable for those who want to spend their time in tranquility. Convenient transportation with parking lots available in the east, west, south, and north🅿️ Lili ancient town, located 30 kilometers southeast of Wujiang District, Suzhou City, is at the junction of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, and together with Tongli, Zhili, and Guli, is known as the 'Four Lis' of the south of the Yangtze River. The town contains the national protected site, the Liu Yazi Memorial Hall. On January 31, 2012, the comprehensive development of Lili ancient town officially began. In March 2014, Lili was named a 'National Historic and Cultural Famous Town'. The history of Lili can be traced back 2500 years. During the Spring and Autumn period, Lili was within the territory of Changshui (now Jiaxing, Zhejiang). After the battle between Wu and Yue carrying Li (496 BC), Lili Yuer Dang became one of the boundaries between Wu and Yue. The town's Luohan Lecture Temple was built in the first year of Yongxi of Jin (290 AD), which is also more than 1700 years ago. In the third year of Kaiping of Later Liang (909 AD), Lili began to belong to Wujiang County. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, it was a village under the jurisdiction of Fenhu Patrol Inspectorate, until the Ming Dynasty during the reign of Chenghong (1465--1506 AD) when it had already become a large town with hundreds of households🍃

A free-entry small ancient town in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, unexpectedly, even the parking lot is free, perhaps because of the holiday 😁 From the parking lot, there is a small path that leads to the ancient town in a few minutes. Along both sides of the river are various shops, the most are selling oil dregs... Lilili Ancient Town is actually not big, it doesn't take long to walk around, there is no particular commercialization, many are local people setting up stalls to do some small business Fortunately, I also saw the original work of Mr. Xu Beihong What's heartwarming is that I passed a public welfare post station, which is actually a local aunt with faith in her own home, free boiling water and charging, and there are many seats for passers-by to rest, so loving ❤️

It is a little-known water town outside Suzhou city, located in Wujiang District, Suzhou, in the golden triangle of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, adjacent to Shanghai, with Taihu Lake on the west, more than 90 kilometers away from Shanghai, and only an hour and a half drive away. Among many ancient towns, it is a very low-key one, without a strong commercial atmosphere, nor crowded crowds. When appreciating the scenery, you can occasionally see locals washing clothes and vegetables by the river, busy and happy, they still retain the old living habits. White walls and green tiles, small bridges and flowing water, a piece of Jiangnan style, there are many willow trees along the river, the green willow branches gently sprinkle on the river surface, very gentle, the long stone embankment, the mirror-like river surface, the ancient buildings reflected in the water, all tell the original flavor of the ancient town. The most impressive thing is that there are many and deep alleys, which can be called a unique feature of the ancient town. Lili Ancient Town still preserves 115 alleys. The most interesting thing is the dark alleys in the riverside buildings, which are winding and endless, and it is quite "adventurous" to walk in the alleys of Lili. There are 12 ancient stone bridges here, including 8 ancient bridges left over from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Some of these ancient bridges have been repaired several times since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and they are still passable today. In addition to the characteristics of the southern water town, there are also many precious cultural histories and numerous ancient relics left here, such as the Liu Yazi Memorial Hall, Xu Beihong Art