Tongli Humanities Theme Garden Hotel: A Haven for the Scholarly and Natural Aesthetics

Tongli is an ancient water town with a rich cultural and historical heritage, having been home to famous garden designers, calligraphers, painters, and poets. Tai Mutian is such a hotel, embodying a strong cultural theme in its new Chinese-style garden design. The courtyard of Tai Mutian showcases the elegant and exquisite beauty of Suzhou gardens. Osmanthus and bamboo reflect greenery, while begonia and magnolia bloom side by side, conveying traditional cultural blessings for prosperity. The interplay of spring water and flora creates a delightful atmosphere, embodying the garden's philosophy of 'small within the large, tranquility within the bustling, and a world of its own.' The main areas consist of the lobby and the boat hall. Here, numerous gatherings of guqin (Chinese zither), calligraphy, and storytelling have taken place, leaving behind many wonderful echoes from masters of various guqin schools. This venue has also hosted several Tianyuan Go tournaments, with top players leaving behind their legendary dreams. Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting represent the essence of traditional cultural arts. The carefully selected furniture in the hotel retains the simple aesthetics of the Song and Ming dynasties. In the practice of tea, incense, and flower arrangements, the furniture serves its purpose while also reflecting the modernity of new Chinese-style living aesthetics. The iris and orchid, favorites among Chinese literati for desk decoration, embody the scholarly spirit and natural charm. The garden is planted with white magnolias, crabapples, osmanthus, and feather maples. In spring, the magnolia and crabapple flowers bloom in succession, creating a breathtaking sight, while the feather maple leaves emerge in a vibrant green. In autumn, the osmanthus flowers bloom, filling the garden with fragrance, and the feather maples turn from red to yellow, creating a stunning visual. The north garden features a small pond with a water lily that blooms beautifully in summer, and several koi fish swim freely, along with released loaches and eels occasionally visible. The boat-shaped tea area houses a Thangka painting of the Water Moon Guanyin. Guests can sit at a table set with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, light a stick of agarwood incense beneath the Thangka, and copy the 'Heart Sutra.' The guest rooms are equipped with contemporary smart technology systems, each offering a quality experience of Zen delight. Different paintings on the walls showcase a collection of various artistic crafts, including lacquer paintings, kesi (silk tapestry), porcelain paintings, and Thangkas. There are contemporary designs as well as tributes to traditional classics. The hotel itself includes a café, offering homemade pastries, cakes, coffee, beverages, Western-style light meals, and various snacks. Nearby, in the Sanqiao area, is the Xishan Chinese Health Pavilion, part of the same group, offering a variety of teas, Chinese pastries, vegetarian noodles, vegetarian hot pot, and special dishes that require a day's advance reservation. Just outside the hotel is the ancient town's Ming and Qing commercial street. A 500-meter walk across a small bridge leads to the local commercial center (with a farmers' market, supermarket, retail, dining, etc.), and a 600-meter walk to the right after crossing the bridge brings you to Evening activities at the Muban Shang Light Music Bar Street are very pleasant, with music and drinks to enjoy at night. The specialty snack shop Linjiapuzi is recommended, offering local treats like Sock Bottom Crisp, Tuisi Cake, and Gorgon Fruit Cake, which are both delicious and affordable. The Ming and Qing alleyways have recently introduced a new food street, with a variety of dishes from different regions, ensuring there's always something delicious waiting for you. Homestay Name: Huazhu She·Tai Mutian Humanities Hotel