The ancient town of Meili has vanished without a trace, while the Jusha Pagoda still stands tall and proud

The ancient towns of China, as a physical form, have a history of thousands of years. It is the 'Eden' where our Chinese ancestors were born and raised, the place they called home. However, with the passage of time and various human factors, many ancient towns in the country have become extinct in essence, with their foundational remains no longer existing. It is said online that there are four ancient towns in Changshu, namely Meili Town, Guli Town, Shajiabang Town, and Zhitan Town. But after my visit, my opinion is quite the opposite. As for Meili Town, although it has a history of over a thousand years, there are no ancient relics left in the town, except for the Jusha Pagoda which still stands tall. The internet falsely claims that there are dozens of buildings with cultural heritage protection in the town, but I couldn't find any. In fact, this is a kind of irresponsible misleading of tourists. Therefore, Meili Town is meaningless to many ancient town enthusiasts, but if one has a special affection for ancient pagodas, visiting the Jusha Garden in the town and admiring the ancient Jusha Pagoda is a good choice. The Jusha Pagoda, officially known as the 'Jusha Baifu Pagoda,' is a national cultural heritage site. The pagoda was originally built during the Shaoxing period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1131–1162). It is named after the Buddhist scripture's idea of 'gathering sand to form a pagoda, collecting underarm fur to make a coat.' The Jusha Pagoda has seven levels, over thirty meters high, with each level staggered at a 45-degree angle to form an octagonal shape on the outside. The eaves are adorned with fifty-six copper bells. Upon closer inspection, the exquisite structure of the Jusha Pagoda is indeed rare. The base of the pagoda is called the 'Sumeru Base,' which is the pedestal of Buddha. The fact that the pagoda is built on the Buddha's pedestal makes it the most precious part of the pagoda, unparalleled in China.