![](https://big5.cctv.com/gate/big5/www.cctv.cn/program/travelogue/20060705/images/103205_15.jpg)
I think the wall wants to tell me a story. Really? It says that this path has a history of over 700 years from the Ming dynasty, and you see the black, gray, and beige. All these colors tell a story of this path. And the path here is laid by one stone placed next to the next. Bumpy, bumpy, bumpy. Let's get on my time machine.
You know, sometimes the most interesting thing is the mix between past and present. Look at the blue sky and might be reminded of ages ago, move to the water and, well, it's today. Along this water here you can see the different stands to sip some tea, enjoy some coffee, or simply enjoy the fine weather.
![](https://big5.cctv.com/gate/big5/www.cctv.cn/program/travelogue/20060705/images/103205_17.jpg)
Tongli harmoniously blends the present with the past. The modern teahouses and shops that line the waterside and the ancient narrow paths by the water interspersed with the provide a glimpse of a harmonious blend of two worlds. To some people, sitting by the water may sound like a waste of time, but in Tongli, nothing is more enjoyable. You can relax and watch the local people casually going about their daily business like hundreds of years ago. Even the animals seem to be living in the past. If you're lucky, you might catch the ospreys performing their fish-capturing techniques for the local fishermen.
Sing….Row row row your boat gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily merrily, life is but a dream.
Tongli is a town with around 1,000 years of history. And during those 1000 years, the landscape has been a town of bridges.
![](https://big5.cctv.com/gate/big5/www.cctv.cn/program/travelogue/20060705/images/103205_18.jpg)
You know, there's an interesting belief about the three important bridges. This one, that one over there, and the one over there. They are supposed to represent peace, health, and prosperity, so it's important that on a significant day, like someone's birthday, they have to cross all three bridges. And they definitely have to cross all three on weddings. Hey, I think I hear one over there.
![](https://big5.cctv.com/gate/big5/www.cctv.cn/program/travelogue/20060705/images/103205_19.jpg)
It's a custom for the wives to be to sit in a sedan chair. I wonder who the bride is?