There are around 30  old buildings of Ming and Qing dynasties maintained in the town at present. [Photo/sohu.com]

"There is a paradise in Heaven, and there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth." While strolling around in the elegant Chinese gardens in Suzhou, you may find another town not far from it also interesting for its well-preserved old architecture. This is Luxiang, an ancient town.

Boasting the best architecture quality and most quantity in the southern range of the Yangzte River Delta, Luxiang ancient town got its fame due to the 1995-year movie, "Shanghai Triad", directed by world-renowned Zhang Yimou, and staring Gong Li. The town therefore won itself another name, "Gong Li Island".

Built in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), the ancient town is filled with various old streets featuring the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) style as well as well an array of preserved old villages with a history of thousands of years. There used to be many famous people living in the town, including 41 scholars and 2 Zhuangyuan, or top contestants in former imperial examinations.

There are around 30 old buildings of Ming and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties maintained in the town at present, encompassing 10,000 square kilometers. Villagers live a simple life near Mt. Hangu. Six lanes in the town lead to Taihu Lake. Walking through the worn long lanes, you may feel like walking through an episode of history.