Fushi, the original name of Tongli water town, is a historic water township located on the east of Taihu Lake. The place is just 18 kilometers away from Suzhou city. Being populated by over 33 thousand, Tongli has been very well preserved as a beautiful water town. The place is just right to enjoy a marvelous holiday while experiencing the traditional culture.

Tongli Water Town

Tongli water town exists beautifully. There are seven islands surrounded by five lakes and fifteen rivers connected by forty nine bridges. Each bridge that delivers into different parts of Tongli town has its own unique name. The names are inspired by the natural living of the locals. Most well known are Ternate bridges that consist of Taiping bridge (means Peance and Tranquility), Changqing bridge (means Lasting Celebration), and Jili bridge (means Luck). For the inhabitants, Ternate bridges are not just distinctive tourism bridges. It is more of a fortune symbol. Walking by the bridges is believed to welcome good luck during birthday and wedding parties. Another two notable bridges in Tongli are Siben, the oldest one, and Dubu, the smallest one (5 feet long). Tongli bridges stand strong and still as silent witness of the town’s historical memory.

Tongli Water Town

Tongli town holds the reputation as Museum of Ancient Architectures. Most of the ancient residential houses and temples are built with a great architectural design. Some significant features of Tongli housing are carved windows, clay bricks, porcelain furniture, flying eaves decorations, dapper gardens, and small stairs directs to the water. The architecture and decoration of houses are put perfectly alongside the river.

Most outstanding attracton in Tongli is Tuisi Garden. Tuisi means Retreat and Reflection. The garden is divided into two parts. West part of the garden is the residential area that consists of an inner and outer house, a tea hall, a reception hall, and two buildings for actual living. The garden is located in the east part. It is beautifully built with ponds, waterside pavilions, marble baths, verandas, bridges, and rockeries. Completed with greenery of trees and colorful flowers, the view is so much inviting.

Yangtze River tourism is not complete without visiting Wuzhen water town. Situated in the south of Yangtze River, it is surrounded by six ancient towns place in north of Tongxiang. Built in 19^th century, Wuzhen is well known for its two thousand years history packed in its beautiful water views, floating bridges, and wood carvings. Strong cultural background is also one of many, that make it a distinctive tourism place. No big talking, Wuzhen is indeed a beautiful place. It is recognized as Provincial Ancient Town of History and Culture in 1991. The achievement means a first rank of six ancient towns located in the south of Yangtze river.

Wuzhen Water Town

The authentic atmosphere of traditional living is very strong. Wuzhen has successfully preserved its original township’s features. The town is neat and unique. Its 2 kilometers area is divided into six districts. Traditional Local-Styled Dwelling Houses District, Traditional Workshops District, Traditional Culture District, Traditional Shops and Stores District, Traditional Food and Beverage District, and Water Townships Customs and Life District. Especially in Traditional Workshops District, visitors are offered to see the makings of traditional crafts, printed fabrics, old-fashioned cloth shoes, and tobacco-planing.

A trip around Wuzhen water town shall be beautifully ended by having a cup of tea. A perfect place for it is Fanglu of Pavilion. The pavilion is considered as the best teahouse in the town. Aroma of the tea of Fanglu Pavilion combine with a fantastic view of Guanqian Streets is a complete refreshment to make the visitors’ day.

wuzhen Water Town

One more amazing attraction in Wuzhen is bridge in bridge. Tongji Bridge lies from east to west crossing Renji Bridge that runs from south to north. The unique thing is that either of Tongji and Renji bridges can be seen through the end of the other. That is why it is called so.

The most popular water village of China, Zhouzhuang Water Town is situated in the southeast of Suzhou city and of Kunshan’s southwest. The place is very famous of its cultural heritage, well preserved historical and natural environment, beautiful water views, and the humble innocent locality. No wonder it is called as the ‘Venice of China’, a must try trip in a ‘gondola-alike’ boat will leave breathtaking moments of every sight.

Zhouzhuang Water Town

Surrounded by lakes and rivers, Zhouzhuang offers distinctive scenery. Twin Bridges, consist of Shide Bridge and Yongan Bridge, are well known as the symbol of Zhouzhuang. Not less famous is Fu’an Bridge, a bridge that functions more than a bridge. Inside the bridge towers, we can find restaurants, tearooms, and even stores. It is definitely a perfect place for resting while enjoying the charm of Zhouzhuang. Another attraction not to be missed in Zhouzhuang is Shen’s Hall of residence. The house is completely built in Ming’s style. The whole property occupies more than half an acre consisting of more than 100 rooms. What a house! I must say.

Zhouzhuang Water Town

As the oldest water town in china, Zhouzhouang has its immortal charm. Salute to the efforts for preserving the water town very nicely. Even though so many tourists have been visiting every day, the place looks so authentic, natural and elegant. Walking by the road comes the feeling of living in China past. It is just slightly untouched by modernity. It is a refreshing treat from an ancient village. To get the complete fascination, early visit is advised. For so much of crowd around lunch time and weekends, to keep the memory of this endless charm of Zhouzhuang, some local products is available for collections. Stone teapot, silk, and paintings are most wanted. Also, pork leg and local beer are not to be missed.

It is said that if you have not visiting the Chenghuang Temper during your Shanghai tour, you cannot really go to the great Shanghai, which means that the Old Chenghuang Temple has great status and influence in Shanghai. The Shanghai Chenghuang Temple in generally refers to the one in the Huangpu District, which called the “ Yuyuan Garden” in scenic spots, that is the original county Chenghuang temple in Shanghai. It is a famous Jiangnan classical garden and a national key cultural relics protection unit. The Yuyuan Garden especially gains popularity to the Chenghuang Temper.

Chenghuang Temple

Chenghuang Temple, being a famous temple in Shanghai with a long history, has attracted quite a lot of tourists come here to travel every year. The snacks there also are famous in China because of the popularity of the Chenghuang Temple. Located in the prosperous city, the Chenghuang Temple looks as an old person whose age is 100 years to stare at the Shanghai prosperity and development, up and down. When traveling there, just make a wish in front of the Buddha sincerely and maybe it will come true one day.

Chenghuang Temple

The snacks in Shanghai Chenghuang Temple is very delicious and it is too numerous to mention one by one. You cannot catch your eyes after entering into it. There are steamed bun stuffed with barbecued roast pork, Xiaolongbao, Rice with Stewed Chicken Leg, Noodles with pork chop, shepherd’s-purse wonton, sweet potato gruel, fried bread stick, fish ball soup, fried strong-smelling fermented bean curd, Ningbo dumpling, steamed crab meat dumplings, lotus root filled with sticky rice, crab roe soup dumplings and all kinds of cakes which will fully satisfy your appetite.

Travel information: 1) Ticket price: 10Yuan/adult; 2) Opening time: 8:30 a.m.-16:30p.m. 3) Best time to visit: all the year round; 4) Playing time suggestion: 2 -3 hours; 4) Ways to go there: take the city public buses no. 11, 24, 33, 55, 64, 66, 220, 801, 802, 926, 934; take the tunnel line 8 and 9 or take the metro line 10 to the Yuyuan Garden station.

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall was completed in the beginning of 2000 and opening to the public in 25th February 2000. It is an AAAA level attraction whose floor space is 4000 square meters, building area 20,670 square meters and building height 43.3 meters and a more than one hundred meters long residents Leisure Street.

The modeling design of the main body of the pavilion building gets its inspiration from the gates of traditional Chinese form, and the structure schema which is symmetrical to center cleverly echo with the Chinese traditional aesthetics thought and modern sense that intelligently reflects the harmonious aesthetic feeling in the same building. Its top implies the blooming Shanghai city flower—Michelin Alba. Besides, the reticular structure for the building integrates the blue sky and the white clouds together. The building won the 2000 Shanghai “white magnolia prize” and national building highest honor award “Luban” award.

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall

Features of the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall mainly are its professionalism, infotainment enjoyment and a combination of history and the future, which gives a person with infinite daydream. Majestic momentum, the decoration style of the big, modern first-class high-tech means of the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall vividly deduces the vicissitudes of life change there and shows the beautiful today in Shanghai and the bright prospects for the future. The Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall plays an important role on displaying the city theme, spreading the urban culture, promoting the spiritual civilization, showing the social effect and looking forward to the future development.

Travel information: 1) Opening time: 9:00 a.m. -17: 00 p.m. everyday from Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Monday; 2) Ticket price: 30 RMB/adult; 3) Ways to go there: take the Metro line 1, 2, 8 and the city buses no. 49, 123, 46 and also take the tunnel line 6.