Lijiang Ancient Town, Suzhou｜A Guide to a Secluded Jiangnan Paradise!

No. 30, Hujing Street, Lili Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou City. Navigate directly to "Lili Ancient Town Tourist Center." We recommend taking a taxi from Suzhou Station (approx. 1 hr via Changtai Expressway), or driving from Hangzhou/Shanghai (approx. 2 hrs). Free parking is available with plenty of spaces!

🚗Getting There
🔹By Car: Take the Lili exit on the Sujiahang Expressway. The parking lot is opposite the Tourist Center. It's free! Free! Free!
🔹By Subway: Take Subway Line 4 to Tongli Station. Then, take a 20-min taxi ride or Bus No. 7618.
🔹Hidden Gem: Free shuttle buses run throughout the ancient town. Just wave them down!

👍Top 5 Must-See Attractions
1️⃣ Liu Yue Museum (9:30am–6pm)
✨Over 100,000 pieces of Chinese cultural relics collected by a foreign curator! The highlights are the Ming and Qing porcelain wall and the century-old carved bed. The spiral staircase is perfect for photos, especially in Hanfu or cheongsam.

2️⃣ Liu Yazi Memorial Hall (9am–5pm)
📚The former residence of the founder of the Nanshe Society! It displays his original calligraphy works and recreates the scene of a study from the Republican era. A must-visit for literature lovers.

3️⃣ China Tinware Museum (9am–4:30pm)
🍵Intangible cultural heritage tin carving craftsmanship on display! You can watch masters crafting tea sets on site. "Dragon and Phoenix Presenting Auspiciousness" tin cans are great souvenirs.

4️⃣ Dongsheng Hall/Jiangnan Folk Customs Museum (9am–4:30pm)
💍Century-old wedding customs exhibition! The phoenix coronet and robes and the elaborate bed are stunning. On the second floor, you can experience flower arranging and take photos in a horse-face skirt.

5️⃣ Ancient Town Boat Tour (8:30am–5pm)
🛶Hand-rowed boats are ￥120/boat (up to 6 people). We recommend going in the evening! The setting sun casts a glow on the mottled white walls, and the boatwoman hums Pingtan tunes, creating a magical atmosphere.

🎟️Tickets
🎫The ancient town itself is free! But the following attractions require tickets:
Liu Yue Museum: ￥50 (half price with student ID)
Liu Yazi Memorial Hall: ￥20
Tinware Museum: ￥30
Folk Customs Museum: ￥15
💡Combined Ticket: ￥80 (includes 4 museums; buy online one day in advance for a discount)

💗Other Tips
📸Photo Spots
▪️Carved window on the second floor of Chayin Teahouse (same spot as in Picture 1)
▪️Oil-paper umbrella alley under the covered walkway (even better on rainy days!)
▪️Riverbank in the evening (wait for a tangerine sunset)

🍜Foodie Radar
▪️Feng Ji Youdun: Radish fritters, ￥3/piece, freshly fried, crispy, and juicy!
▪️Chang Sheng Ji Mooncakes: Fresh meat mooncakes, ￥5/piece, with juicy meat filling!
▪️Lao Jie Taochang: ￥88/500g, a delicious combination of large and small intestines

🚶Walking Route
Tourist Center > Liu Yue Museum > Liu Yazi Memorial Hall > Tinware Museum > Chayin Teahouse > Folk Customs Museum > Hand-rowed Boat > Youdun stall

⚠️Things to Avoid
1️⃣Don't wear high heels! The cobblestone roads are very slippery.
2️⃣Don't buy vacuum-packed pork knuckles from roadside vendors. Even locals don't eat them.
3️⃣Boat tickets stop selling at 4:30pm. Be mindful of the time.

Compared to the overly commercialized Zhouzhuang and Tongli, Lili is like a well-kept secret. Go at 7am to have the whole river to yourself, enjoy the rain from a teahouse window at noon, and watch the lanterns light up in the evening. This is what Jiangnan should be! Promise me, next time you go to Suzhou, skip the crowded Shantang Street. This is the real Jiangnan from the book "Blossoms"!