Tongli, alternately Tong-Li / 同里 is a town on the outskirts of Suzhou known for a system of canals that has been given the nickname "Venice of the East". The place retains many of the features of an ancient Wu region town.

This historic town developed during the Song Dynasty (sometime around 1271 AD) and is surrounded by five lakes, with canals running through it and more than 40 100-year-old (or more) bridges throughout town. Its Retreat and Reflection Garden is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as part of the Classic Gardens of Suzhou.

Because of Tongli’s easy accessibility due to close proximity to larger cities (not to mention its lovely attractions), the town is a bit more developed than some of the other five ancient water towns.

Tongli is half an hour away from Suzhou city and about two hours from Shanghai by buses. Suzhou Metro (Line 4) now goes there.

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