Tongli is an ancient water town on th western suburbs of Shanghai. Tongli enjoys fame across China for its beautiful rivers, historic bridges and opulent court yard homes. With a history spanning over 1000 years, this water town has long been a Mecca for tourists, who are not only drawn by its architecture and waterways but also the vibrant local culture. 
In China's north, spring passes by much too quickly. Before people make their plans and pack their bags for a spring getaway, it is already gone. The latest spring fashions remain tucked away in the closet as people relax in their air-conditioned lounge rooms in their summer T-shirts and shorts while watching TV.
But for those who still want to show off their new spring clothes and enjoy the warm sunshine, cool breeze and refreshing drizzle, fortunately, there is an option - taking a trip to the South.
In East China, especially Jiangnan - the areas just to the South of the Yangtze River, spring is still very much with us. It is the best season to drink green tea and taste fresh bamboo shoots. As god as that sounds, things only get better if one can do all that in a beautiful historic water town.
There are numerous ancient riverside towns in Jiangnan, particularly in the south of Jiangsu Province and the northern parts of Zhejiang Province. Tongli Town in Wujiang City, Jiangsu Province, is one of the best-preserved and most beautiful. What's more, it is not as crowded with tourists as neighboring Zhouzhuang and provides the perfect spring getaway.
Originally named Fushi, Tongli rests on the eastern shore of Lake Taihu, about 80 kilometres west of Shanghai and 18 kilometres south of Suzhou. Built at the center of five small lakes, the town is further divided into seven islands by 15 canals. In fact it feels as if the town floating on the water.
Because of the landscape, almost all of the buildings are constructed along the waterfront. Sets of stairs leading to the canals can be found in front of almost every building, providing locals with easy access to the water. Not surprisingly, life in this picturesque town pretty much revolves around the waterways. Everyday you can see locals venturing down to the water to wash clothes. Apart from that, the canals also serve as the town's main mode of transport.
The water also creates reflections of the town's arched roofs, lofty gables and stone bridges while green willows also line the banks can. This creates a truly poetic atmosphere.
One of Tongli's most famous features is its stone bridges. There are 49 in all linking the many sections of the town, with each bridge having its own name and often also displaying a distinct design. Many also boast fascinating stories, sometimes going back centuries.
The most famous are perhaps Taiping or "Bridge of Peace and Tranquility", Jili Bridge, which means "bridge to bring good luck" and Changqing Bridge, which means "bridge of lasting celebration". Together they are known as the Ternate Bridges, as they cross three rivers at their confluence and form a natural ring road. Each also has its own interesting story.
The small but exquisite Taiping Bridge was built during the reign of emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty. Jili Bridge is an arch bridge, inscribed at either end with age-old couplets describing the town's beautiful scenery. While the Changqing Bridge, also named Guangli Bridge, has a very long history; it was originally built in 1470 and rebuilt in 1704. Furthermore, the Ternate Bridges are considered symbols of good luck and locals often walk over them during weddings or birthday parties to receive a blessing.
The oldest bridge in Tongli is Siben Bridge. It was built in the Song Dynasty about 8 centuries ago and was named to remind people to think over one's origin. The town's smallest bridge is called Dubu or Single Step Bridge and is only one-and-a-half meters in length and less than one meter in width.
The bridges have certainly survived the test of time. Thankfully, many ancient houses have also survived and serve as monuments to the town's rich history. For this we can thank the beauty of the waterways and nearby lakes as they helped spare Tongli from wars in ancient times which swallowed many other towns. So well preserved is the town's ancient glory that about 40 percent of its houses and temples date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. For this reason, Tongli is also known as a "museum of ancient Chinese architecture".
All over town one can spot ancient buildings distinguishable by their whitewashed walls, black tiled roofs, eaves, carved wooden windows and elegant wood structures. The cleverly planned structure of the town, with its perfect harmony between residential buildings and gardens, are rare even amongst other waterfront towns south of the Yangtze River. It's therefore no surprise to learn that in ancient times many noblemen and distinguished families built their private gardens here.
From early the 1270s to the 1900s, 38 mansions and gardens were built in the town, many of which have survived in their full glory.
Among them, Tuisi or Retreat and Meditation Garden is one of the most famous, particularly since it was added to the list of World Cultural Heritage Sites of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2000.
This garden mansion was built by Ren Lansheng in 1886 during the Qing Dynasty, after he was discharged from his office in the public service. 
"When in office, one should be loyal to the emperor, when away from office, one should meditate upon his previous faults." This was the motto of Chinese officials in imperial times and where the garden's name "Retreat and Meditation" came from.
The western part of the garden is the residential quarter, and includes a sitting hall, a tea hall as well as the main hall. The eastern part is the scenic area which consists of the magnificent exterior and interior gardens, stretching from west to east.
At the north end of the exterior garden are halls for meeting or entertaining guests. On the other end is a boat dock which served as a rendezvous point for guests.
In the interior garden are pavilions, terraces, winding causeways, corridors and rockeries. All of them surround ponds, giving people the illusion of floating on the water. Because of this, the garden is also known as Tieshui Yuan, or Garden Close to the Water.
Covering a total area of 6,600 square meters, this opulent garden mansion is shaded by lush elegant trees and embroidered with various bonsais and other exotic flowers. Red carp swim in the ponds, and various 
birds chirp in the woods. Just standing inside gives you a sense of classical elegance and perfect harmony.
Other mansions in the town include the charming Jiayin Hall. Built in 1922, it is well worth a look for its exquisite wood carvings of traditional patterns or figures from Chinese literary classics which are found on beams, columns and windows of the buildings.
As you can see, Tongli certainly has much to offer in terms of architectural aesthetics but it also has so much more. Discovering the colorful local culture is a unique experience in itself. Strolling along the town's stone paved lanes, one can see first hand how vivacious the town is. Women washing clothes by the canals; groups of elderly ladies doing morning exercises; men enthusiastically playing cards in teahouses and fishermen paddling through the waterways. The town is full of life.
You can sample the local cuisine. Particularly popular are various local snack foods, such as smoked fish and steamed meat buns. They taste great and are very cheap! At the Nanyuan Teahouse, one can also drink fresh green tea served in traditional clay teapots...
There are just too many reasons to make the trip down south. Though one day is quite enough for travelers to visit most of the scenic spots in town, two days are certainly better as one can check into a privately owned guesthouse situated in an ancient building and breathe in the peaceful atmosphere of the town.
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