Shanghai is just a 30-minute high-speed train ride away from this ancient town!

With the opening of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou High-Speed Railway, more and more hidden gems are being discovered. Lili Ancient Town is everything I imagined an ancient town to be. After seeing so many commercialized ancient towns, I realized how rare Lili is. There are no cookie-cutter photo spots or grilled squid stalls here. Instead, you'll find small bridges, flowing water, and traditional houses with flying eaves. You'll see women washing clothes by the river, old men sunbathing, and shop owners busy preparing lunch. Lili's history dates back 2,500 years. As the doors and windows creak open, I cross more than 20 stone bridges and 150 alleys. The old dreams sheltered by the misty corridors fill me with energy as I immerse myself in the ancient town's rustic charm. 📍 Name: Lili Ancient Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou 💰 Admission: Free (some attractions charge a fee) 🚘 Self-driving: 1 hour from Suzhou city center 🚄 High-speed train: 30 minutes from Shanghai Hongqiao to Suzhou South Station Take a taxi or bus for 20–30 minutes to reach the town. 🎁 [Before you go] ⚠️ To celebrate the opening of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou High-Speed Railway, high-speed train passengers can exchange their tickets for a free pass to the scenic area at the Lili Visitor Center within 7 days of arriving in Wujiang. You can also use your train ticket to get discounts at hotels, restaurants, and more. 🎞️ Lili Ancient Town was a filming location for the TV series "Good League Member". 📸 If you want to take photos in traditional Chinese clothing or a qipao, you'll need to bring your own clothes and makeup, as there are no costume shops in the ancient town. 🗺️ The ancient town is small, but the shops are full of surprises. Behind the small storefronts, you'll find intangible cultural heritage crafts, private museums, and time-honored restaurants. Take your time to explore. 🏨 Accommodation: The ancient town has mid-range and high-end homestays. We stayed at Lixuan Academy, which offers great value for money in the off-season. There are many chain restaurants and drink shops nearby, and food delivery is very convenient. 🗺️ [Ancient town attractions] ✅ China Tin Museum 💰10 ✅ Memorial Hall of Patriotic Poet Liu Yazi 🆓 ✅ Jiangnan Folk Museum/Dongsheng Hall ✅ Ancient town boat ride 💰180 round-trip or 130 one-way for 6 people ✅ Blossoms Bookstore 💰79 including coffee, 49 with a train ticket Lili is the hometown of Jin Yucheng, the author of "Blossoms". His former residence has been transformed into a bookstore, where you can experience his interesting lifestyle up close. ✅ Liuyue Museum 💰100, half price with a train ticket This museum, valued at over 2.2 billion yuan, was opened by an American! The collection includes hundreds of thousands of traditional folk items from all over China, collected over 40 years. It's truly amazing. ✅ Western Museum (Western Art Museum) This museum, which was converted from an old house, features a collection of foreign items owned by Chinese people. The crisscrossing alleys are full of surprises, and the exquisite collection of luxury items from over 350 years ago is breathtaking (98 per person, reservation required). ✅ Tea Music (free Pingtan performances on weekend mornings) ✅ Local delicacies Spicy chicken feet, pork intestines, oil cakes, large wontons, Suzhou-style noodles, tofu pudding, crab shell cakes, mung bean cakes, and more (see the next post for details)