Lili Ancient Town

Lili Ancient Town

Lili Ancient Town is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Lili Ancient Town is located 30 kilometers southeast of Wujiang District, Suzhou City, at the junction of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Along with Tongli, Zhili, and Guli, it is known as one of the "Four Lis" of the Jiangnan region. The town houses the national-level protected Liu Yazi Memorial Hall. Lili’s history can be traced back 2,500 years. During the Spring and Autumn period, Lili was within the territory of Changshui (now Jiaxing, Zhejiang). After the Battle of Wuli between the Wu and Yue states (496 BC), the area around Li’er Lake in Lili became one of the boundaries between Wu and Yue. The Luohan Lecture Temple in the town was built in 290 AD during the Western Jin Dynasty, making it over 1,700 years old. In 909 AD, during the Later Liang Dynasty, Lili officially became part of Wujiang County. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, it was a village under the jurisdiction of the Fenhu Patrol Inspectorate until the Qing Dynasty. By the Ming Dynasty's Chenghua to Hongzhi eras (1465–1506), it had grown into a major town with thousands of residents.

During the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1796–1820), Lili Town stretched three and a half li from west to east, with a dense population, densely packed tiled houses, a bustling market, boats filling the harbor, and streets crowded with pedestrians. After the Xinhai Revolution, Lili became one of the six market towns of Wujiang County.

The T-shaped town river is over 2,000 meters long. The ancient revetments, built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, stretch more than 4,000 meters and are spanned by ten ancient stone bridges dating from the Yuan to the Qing dynasties. The riverbanks feature various types of mooring structures, including flowing water types, double-drop, single-drop, and cantilever styles. Both the double-drop and single-drop styles are further divided into concave and convex variations. The revetments and mooring platforms are adorned with a wide variety of cable stones, including the Eight Immortals, brush ingots, ruyi symbols, rhinoceros horns, double peaches, double oranges, ruyi deer, vase-born bees and monkeys, vase-born three halberds, and five-color flags—totaling 254 pieces, the most in any Jiangnan ancient town.

The Liu Yazi Former Residence, a national key cultural relic protection unit, was originally the private residence of a Qing Dynasty Minister of Works from the Qianlong era. It features six courtyards, including the Cifu Hall named after the “Fu” (blessing) character inscribed by Emperor Qianlong and the plaque written by Grand Secretary Ji Huang. It also houses dragon and phoenix roof tiles left by Taiping Rebellion generals, vividly carved brick archways, Emperor Qianlong’s Plum Blossom Stele, and the Zhugao Painting, a collaboration between Liu Yong and a renowned artist. The Liu Yazi Former Residence preserves 120 national first- to third-grade cultural relics, 152 pending cultural relics, and over 500 other paintings and calligraphic works.

In addition to the provincial-level protected Liu Yazi Former Residence, Lili has eight municipal-level protected sites: Xihu Taoist Temple, Hongshou Hall, Luoya Thatched Cottage, Duanben Garden, Xieyun Tower, Xinyong Tower, Zhou Gongfu Ancestral Hall, and Jutuiyibu. There are also 18 municipal-level controlled cultural relic sites. The 18 round wooden bases inside Hongshou Hall are special remnants of early Ming Dynasty architecture in Jiangnan, offering high research value.

The alleys of Lili are a unique feature among Jiangnan ancient towns. To date, 85 alleys have been well preserved, including 70 hidden alleys. Fifty-seven percent are named after surnames, with the most being the “Eight Great Surnames of Lili”: Zhou, Chen, Li, Kuai, Ru, Lu, Xu, and Cai. Most alleys exceed 60 meters in length, and five are over 100 meters. These alleys represent centuries of successful living practices by Lili residents. Influenced by daily needs and historical accumulation, alley structures have evolved into various forms, including double alleys, alleys within alleys, and even triple-layered alleys formed by connecting hidden and open alleys.

Currently, the local government has developed and improved comprehensive planning documents such as the Lili Ancient Town Master Plan and the Block Protection Plan. Comprehensive upgrades to the town’s infrastructure are underway, along with accelerated rescue restoration work on major attractions like Duanben Garden and Dongsheng Hall. Additionally, efforts have been made to renovate the town’s overall appearance, preliminarily completing its greening and lighting projects. The goal is to establish Lili as a renowned Jiangnan water town that embodies both the charm of the “Ming and Qing World Expo” and the heritage of the “Century-old Nanshe Society.”

Address: No. 248 Dong’an Road, Wujiang City, Suzhou

Type: Ancient Town/Village

Phone: 0512-63362831

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

Free admission.

Fenhu High-Tech Zone (Lili Town): Lili Town is located 30 kilometers southeast of Wujiang County and is a well-preserved, typical Jiangnan ancient town. The town follows a layout of one river flanked by two streets, with most buildings along the banks being two-story structures from the Ming and Qing periods, featuring contiguous storefronts. Another distinctive feature is its long revetments, all built with locally quarried stone, which remain neat and solid even after hundreds of years. Over 300 ornamental stone railings are embedded along the revetments, including exquisitely crafted elephant trunk railings that resemble seals crafted by master seal engravers—small in size yet rich in charm. These railings serve both as excellent mooring facilities and precious artistic works. Lili is also the hometown of the famous patriot... More details about Fenhu High-Tech Zone (Lili Town) ++