Lion Grove



Lion Grove is an interesting garden in Suzhou, which is well-known for oddly-shaped rocks and deep
caves. Like the Humble Administrator's Garden, this one was also built hundreds years ago in the
Yuan Dynasty. A monk called Tian Ru constructed this garden to commemorate his teacher. The
garden's name comes from the rocks' resemblance to lions.

Lion Grove (Shizilin) is arguably Suzhou's best example of using a garden to evoke images in the
mind. Taihu lake rock arrangements display leonine forms throughout the garden. Lion Grove pleases
the mind with discoveries around every corner as you use your imagination to appreciate the forms
around you. Qing Emperor Qianlong once paid a visit to Lion Grove and was impressed by the intricate
labyrinth of caves there. Delighted, he wrote the inscription "Really Interesting".

The whole structure of Lion Grove Garden shows a flavor of Zen Buddhism and is an apotheosis of the gardens' constructions. A part of the
Imperial Summer Resort of the Qing Dynasty in Chengde of Hebei Province was a mimic of Lion Grove Garden. The garden occupies a very
important place in history, representing the diversity of cultural and architectural development in Suzhou.

Compactly yet harmoniously spaced, the Lion Grove Garden has a prominent part for series of man-made mountains with various buildings
around the lake, and an artificial waterfall and cliffs at the edge of the lake on the west. Remains of the 14th century man-made mountains,
covering 1,152 square meters, and being the largest of all at Suzhou, can be still seen today.

Noted for its labyrinthine mountains with winding pathways and caverns, old pines and cypress
trees, awesome peaks and jogged rocks of grotesque shapes resembling dancing lions with
striking and unusual poses, it possesses with pride the true delights of mountain and forest
scenery in limited space with a flavor of Zen Buddhism.