Jinxi Ancient Town

Located southwest of Suzhou, Jiangsu province is the ancient town of Jinxi. It is dubbed a city with “golden ripples and jade waves” as it is surrounded by beautiful lakes and enjoys rich water resources. It has a history of over 2,000 years and endowed with splendid folk culture and a distinct architectural style from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). Its cultural deposits attracted a dozen of folk museums to settle here.

What to see here

1. The Wenchang Tower

Upon its completion in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Wenchang Tower is a square, three-storey brick-and wood-framed building that has been repaired multiple times. It is 15.6 meters tall and covers an area around of 200 square meters. It was where the intellectuals of that era gave lectures, met and composed poems.

2. Ten Opening Bridge

Situated in the south of town, the Ten Opening Bridge, as its name implies, has 10 holes and is 52 meters long and 2.8 meters wide. Its nine piers are bonded by stone masonry and form a solid structure. The bridge is also known as the “Small Precious Belt Bridge”, a legendary bridge also in Jiangsu province and with the longest multi-arch bridge still surviving. The Ten Opening Bridge is an ideal place to be to admire the moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival.

3. Puqing Bridge

The Puqing Bridge is also known as the Bridge of the Yu Family. It was built in 1733 and renovated during the Qianlong reign (1736-95) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Constructed by granite with a single arch, the well preserved bridge spans the market river of the town. It is 18.5 meters long and 2.8 meters wide.