Luzhi Ancient Town

Luzhi Ancient Town

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

The "Number One Water Town in China" — Luzhi (lù), as highly praised by Fei Xiaotong, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. As an outstanding example among China's ancient water towns, Luzhi Ancient Town indeed lives up to its reputation, boasting a civilized history of 2,500 years. Particularly astonishing are its ancient culture, historical sites, ancient bridges, ancient streets, traditional houses, and ancient ginkgo trees with over 1,300 years of history.

Luzhi

Luzhi

Luzhi

When people come to Luzhi, many ask: where does this unique character “甪” (Lù) come from, and why is this place called Luzhi? According to the *Fuli Annals*, Luzhi was originally named Fuli, deriving its name from the “Fuli Pond” located to the west of the town. Later, because there was a straight waterway to the east of the town leading in six directions, the flow of water resembled the shape of the character “甪,” so the name was changed to “Luzhi.” Another legend says that in ancient times, the one-horned divine beast “Luduan,” while patrolling the land, passed through Luzhi and found it to be a feng shui treasure land. Thus, it chose to stay here permanently, which is why Luzhi has never suffered from war, famine, drought, or flood throughout its history, and its people have enjoyed bountiful harvests year after year.

Luzhi

Upon entering the ancient town, visitors will sense a feeling of comfort and a unique sense of novelty that belongs to Luzhi. The town features clear rivers, an elegant environment, and historical sites scattered throughout. Although most of the historic landscapes known as the “Eight Scenic Spots of Fuli” — such as Duck Pond Breeze, Division Office Spring, Wusong Snow Waves, Seaside Bell Chimes, Pagoda Sunset Glow, Fishing Lotus Lanterns, and West Confluence Morning Market — have been demolished over time due to historical hardships, traces of their former grandeur can still be found. The Baosheng Temple in Luzhi, built in 503 AD and with a history of 1,495 years, is among the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units announced by the State Council. Inside the temple are nine clay Arhat statues sculpted by Yang Huizhi, a famous Tang Dynasty sculptor, which remain well-preserved despite the passage of a thousand years. Zhao Mengfu, a calligrapher of the Yuan Dynasty, once wrote a couplet for the temple: “This Buddhist temple, decreed to be built in the Liang Dynasty, is honored as the foremost Zen forest in Fuli; the Arhats, traced back to the work of Master Yang Hui, are unmatched in Buddhist statues across the Jiangnan region.” After seeing them, the renowned Guo Moruo remarked, “The Arhat statues in Baosheng Temple show sinews and veins, their forms grounded in realism. Though constrained by religious themes, the lifelike presence exerts an irresistible sense of grandeur, inspiring a feeling of sublime beauty.”

The “Duck Fighting Pond,” “Little Rainbow Bridge,” and “Breeze Pavilion” inside Baosheng Temple are remnants left by Lu Guimeng, a famous late-Tang poet and literary figure. He once served as an aide to the governors of Huzhou and Suzhou but led a life of simplicity and poverty, often farming alongside peasants. He was also the first to invent the ox-drawn plow used by farmers, earning him deep respect from locals.

An abundance of water and bridges is another hallmark of Luzhi Town. Luzhi has long been known as the “Capital of Bridges in Jiangnan (Southern China).” In the ancient town area of just one square kilometer, there were originally 72.5 stone arch bridges from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, 41 of which still exist today. These bridges vary in design and style, each with its own unique charm and classic elegance. There are multi-arched large stone bridges, single-arch small stone bridges, spacious arched bridges, narrow flat-roofed bridges, as well as highly decorative twin bridges, adjacent sister bridges, and convenient flat bridges for townspeople — including five pairs of twin bridges joined at right angles. Many insightful visitors have commented that seeing Luzhi is like visiting an ancient bridge museum, with its density of bridges far exceeding that of Venice, the water city of Italy.

The ancient ginkgo trees are another symbol of Luzhi’s antiquity. They not only represent the long history of this culturally rich town, but also add splendor to its scenery. There are currently seven ginkgo trees in town, four of which are around Baosheng Temple. The largest is 1,300 years old, standing 50 meters tall with a trunk so thick that three men cannot encircle it. Despite enduring a millennium of winds and frosts, it remains upright and vigorous. Ye Shengtao, a renowned educator and writer who once taught in Luzhi, described the ancient ginkgo in his essay *The Tall Ginkgo Tree* as having “a noble image, strong will, and magnificent presence.” Before his death, Ye instructed that his ashes be buried beneath the four ginkgo trees by Baosheng Temple. Hence, his tomb now lies in Luzhi. The local government has also built the Ye Shengtao Memorial Hall for visitors to pay their respects and tour.

When visitors see the ancient streets, traditional houses, and narrow alleys, they experience another flavor of Luzhi Ancient Town. There are currently nine main streets in town, all paved with cobblestones and granite. Houses line the riverbanks, with the street in front and the river behind, allowing people to walk on the bridges above while boats glide along the water below. Shops stand in great numbers along the streets, bustling with commerce and a continuous flow of tourists. Whether residences facing the street or homes along the river, most feature black tiles, white walls, wooden doors and windows, and grey bricks with upturned eaves — mostly from the Ming and Qing dynasties, some walls even adorned with patterns. The ancient town area has 58 alleys, with the deepest stretching 150 meters, and houses within these lanes ranging from three to seven sections deep, the deepest being seven.

Moreover, the traditional attire of rural women in Luzhi is rich in local characteristics and embodies a distinctive water town style. Women in Luzhi’s countryside have traditionally styled their hair in buns, tied kerchiefs, worn patchwork tops and pants, tied skirts, and donned embroidered shoes — elements that define their classic outfit. These rural women from Luzhi stand out especially when visiting Suzhou or Shanghai, where city dwellers refer to them as “Suzhou’s ethnic minority.” To this day, the traditional ethnic costumes of Jiangnan water town women are still preserved in the Luzhi area. Particularly among women over 40 in the western part of town, these garments remain popular. It’s common to see women dressed in these traditional clothes going to market every day, forming a beautiful sight in the water town.

In addition, Luzhi Ancient Town is home to many historical sites and relics of ancient celebrities. To the east of the town lies the White Lotus Temple from the Northern Song Dynasty, to the west is the Tomb of Sun Fei (an imperial concubine), to the north is the temporary palace of King Fuchai of Wu, and to the south is the tomb of Zhang Cang, Chancellor of the Western Han Dynasty.

In recent years, the town government has devoted significant manpower, financial resources, and effort to renovating the ancient town, restoring many structures to their original appearance. This includes the riverside shelters along the streets and a host of ancient residences and historical sites such as the Shen Residence, Wansheng Rice Shop, and Xiao Residence. The ancient streets, bridges, and revetments have also been restored. Meanwhile, historical residences have been repurposed into attractions such as the Wang Tao Memorial Hall, Josephine Siao Film and Television Art Gallery, and Jiangnan Water Town Women’s Costume Museum, giving the town’s charm and style a refreshing new presentation.

Strolling through the ancient town, admiring the scenery, viewing the ancient bridges and revetments, and watching fishing boats and homes along the water offers a uniquely delightful and endlessly fascinating experience.

Address: Luzhi Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City

Type: Ancient Town/Village

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visit Duration: 0.5–1 day

Phone: 0512-69007900

Official Website: http://www.luzhitour.net/

Opening Hours:

The ancient town is open all day. Opening hours for smaller sites within the town: Summer 8:00–17:00, Winter 8:00–16:30; Ticket sales: Summer 7:30–16:45, Winter 8:00–16:15.

Ticket Information:

Free entry. The ancient town itself is free to enter. A combined ticket for smaller sites within the town costs 78 RMB, including the Xiao Residence (Josephine Siao Performing Arts Gallery), Wang Tao Memorial Hall, Baosheng Temple, Ye Shengtao Memorial Hall, Shen Residence, Jiangnan Culture Park, and Wansheng Rice Shop (Luzhi Water Town Farming Tools Museum).