The Most Low-Key Millennium Ancient Town in Suzhou, Yet It Collects the Essence of Jiangnan Gardens – Worth $100?
Suzhou boasts numerous ancient towns and villages, but one ancient town has long been renowned.
It’s a classic Jiangnan town with ‘bridges, flowing water, and residences,’ with places like the Three Bridges and the Retreat Garden worth visiting. When talking about this, you should know who this millennium ancient town is – it’s Tongli Ancient Town.
A place where stories unfold.
Tongli’s Three Bridges are truly three bridges; the alleys are genuinely alleys, and the Retreat Garden is a genuine garden… And there’s a place called ‘Pearl Tower’ that isn’t actually a tower; it’s a private garden of imperial relatives and nobles.
Just by its name, it sounds ordinary, but when you get closer to this private garden, you can discover its mysteries.
Tongli Ancient Town, naturally, has stories to tell.
‘Pearl Tower’ further validates this. It begins with an love story. Tongli, in Suzhou and Wu, might be inherently linked to love, and the Jiangnan folk-tale love story – the Pearl Tower – originated here.
There are many versions of the story, but they’re all based on the historical recreation of the fact that Nanjing-based Inspector of the Nanjing Province, Chen Wang Dao, gave his daughter’s heirloom – the Pearl Tower – to his niece.
Legend says that the descendant of a Marquis, Fang Qing, went to his aunt’s house to seek help for the exam money. Unsurprisingly, his aunt, being opportunistic, refused to help, so he left in frustration. His cousin, Chen Cui’e, and Fang Qing had a secret love, and secretly gifted him the Pearl Tower. After two years, Fang Qing passed the exam and returned home to marry his cousin.
Looking back at history, it’s common for aspiring scholars and young ladies from prominent families to develop feelings for each other and make secret arrangements, and this Pearl Tower love story has a unique flavor.
The Pearl Tower doesn’t have a tower; in essence, it’s just a residence, a typical Jiangnan classical garden, though its fame isn’t as grand as the Retreat Garden. But the garden contains numerous details that are inspired by Suzhou’s Humble Administrator’s Garden and Lion Grove Garden, which are definitely worth visiting.
The entire garden consists of four architectural groups: the Inspector’s Residence, Chen Family Courtyard, Chen Family Gate, and the Hall. Built upon existing historical sites, it was designed and constructed by skilled artisans from across Jiangnan, incorporating architectural elements from various regions and restoring it to its original appearance.
The mansion of Chen Wang Dao, Inspector of the Nanjing Province, during the Ming Dynasty, is the location of the Pearl Tower.
The entire mansion is divided into residential areas, gardens, and halls, covering a large area. From the Hall to the main hall, and then to the inner chambers, from the decoration to the ornaments, everything reflects the owner’s status and wealth. Passing through pavilions and halls to the inner courtyard, a two-story building, with the ground floor featuring the main hall and the rooms for the master and his wife and their maids, and the upper floor being the Miss’s Room, with a large hall in the center, featuring a Pearl Tower-shaped decoration.
After exiting the inner courtyard, you can follow the flowing water to the garden section. The entire garden is a reconstruction, but it still retains Jiangnan charm, with hills, ponds, pavilions, halls, and corridors – a classic Jiangnan garden style.
‘Small bridges, flowing water, red walls and gray tiles’ create winding alleys, while ‘peaks turn and turn again’ creates a sense of mystery. Within this reconstructed garden, you can still appreciate the refinement and emotions.
Regarding Tongli Ancient Town, the Pearl Tower’s location might be less prominent than the Retreat Garden; if you’ve visited the Retreat Garden, visiting the Pearl Tower is optional. But in my opinion, the significance of every object is important.
After all, the Pearl Tower is a crucial core area of Tongli Ancient Town, not only offering the opportunity to appreciate private garden architecture, but also showcasing landscapes reminiscent of Humble Administrator's Garden and Lion Grove Garden in Suzhou, which are undoubtedly valuable.
