Tongli Ancient Town is nestled on the shores of Tongli Lake in the Wujiang District.
First built during the Song Dynasty, it boasts a history of over a thousand years. The entire ancient town is divided into seven islands by fifteen crisscrossing rivers, which are in turn connected by forty-nine ancient bridges.
After taking an afternoon nap at home, Su Chen brought Jiang Hui to Tongli Ancient Town. They were just wandering around when a Pingtan teahouse by the roadside stopped them in their tracks.
"Green bricks and lacquered tiles, a white horse on fresh-trodden trails, mountain flowers and banana leaves in the twilight's haze..."
Listening to "Sheng Sheng Man" sung in the soft Wu dialect, Su Chen finally understood why the ancients all yearned for Jiangnan... Listening to songs in the old theaters—who could possibly tear themselves away from such a lingering, ethereal melody?
