Tongli is still a sleepy little town, but a number of performances and festivals now complement the town's stately Ming and Qing architecture. From Spring through Fall, you can generally find regional Suzhou-style folk music, opera and dance performances in a number of gardens, squares and teahouses. Summer weekends see Night Garden recitals of Chinese classic ballads and stories—all in the Suzhou dialect, which might limit foreign visitors' appreciation of the costumes, lamps, moonlight and melodies.

Museums & Galleries

A rather unexpected museum lies just east of Tuisi Yuan (the Garden of Retreat and Reflection)—the Museum of Ancient Chinese Sex Culture (Zhongguo Gudai Xing Wenhua Bowuguan). Previously located in Shanghai, the museum surveys some 4,000 years of sex and sexuality in the Middle Kingdom, going all the way back to a sculpture of a phallus sporting the head of a woman from around 2000 BC.

Festivals & Events

Tongli is popular with Chinese tourists for its festivals & events, and a visit during celebrations such as the Water Dragon Shooting Festival, or the Arhat Oracle Lottery, festivals in which you can "meet" an Immortal or the Buddha are great ways to experience local culture (at least as it's recreated for tourists). All festivals are timed to the Chinese lunar calendar, so you'll need to check local listings for precise dates.