Suzhou | Lion Grove Garden, one of the Four Great Gardens, is known as the 'Kingdom of Rockeries'

🚗Lion Grove Garden is located at No. 23, Yuanlin Road, Gusu District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. It is one of the Four Great Gardens of Suzhou and a representative of Yuan Dynasty gardens. It covers an area of 1.1 hectares, with an open area of 0.88 hectares. In 1342, disciples of Zen Master Tianru built Lion Grove Garden for him. By the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, after the death of Zen Master Tianru, his disciples dispersed, and the temple garden gradually became desolate. Later, it was bought by Huang Xingzu, the father of Huang Xi, the governor of Hengzhou, and named 'Sheyuan'. In 1771, Huang Xi became the top scholar in the imperial examination, meticulously renovated the mansion, and renamed it 'Wusong Garden'. In 1917, Shanghai pigment tycoon Bei Runsheng bought Lion Grove Garden from Minister of Civil Affairs Li Zhongyu and spent nearly seven years renovating it. After Bei Runsheng's death in 1945, Lion Grove Garden was managed by his grandson Bei Huanzhang. In 1953, Bei Huanzhang and his relatives donated Lion Grove Garden to China. In 1954, after repairs, the main parts of the garden and ancestral hall were opened to the public. 🚗The garden of Lion Grove Garden is mainly composed of rockeries and stones, with 16 plaques inscribed by Emperor Qianlong and more than 20 halls, pavilions, towers, and other structures. Its main attractions include Yanyu Hall, Hualan Hall, Wenmei Pavilion, Shifang, and the ancient Wusong Garden. Lion Grove Garden is one of the representatives of classical gardens in Suzhou and a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. It is listed in the 'World Cultural Heritage List' and has the largest existing ancient rockery group in China. The lake stone rockeries are exquisite and are praised as the 'Kingdom of Rockeries'. 🚗The rockeries in Lion Grove Garden are one of the most winding and complex examples of rockeries in Chinese classical gardens. Although it may not be as famous as the Humble Administrator's Garden, the garden scenery and rockeries are indeed impressive. It is recommended to visit if you are traveling.