Lion Grove Garden, along with the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Lingering Garden, and the Surging Wave Pavilion, is collectively known as the ‘Four Great Gardens of Suzhou’. Despite its small size, the garden is famous for its grottoes, which resemble dancing lions, and are connected like a maze, offering visitors the joy of counting stone lions and navigating through the stone head maze.
At the center of the garden lies a pond and grottoes, featuring peculiar rock formations such as Lion Peak, Han Hui, and Tu Yue, surrounded by structures like the True趣 Pavilion, Xiu Bamboo Pavilion, and Jian Shan Building. Climbing the Jian Shan Building offers a panoramic view of the garden’s landscape.
On the western mound of the garden stands the Wen Mei Pavilion, where the tables, ceilings, and window patterns are all in the shape of plum blossoms. In front of the pavilion, plum trees are planted, blooming every February.
The garden also features a winding corridor, with walls embedded with calligraphic steles from the Song Dynasty’s four great masters: Su Shi, Mi Fu, Huang Tingjian, and Cai Xiang, as well as the stele of Wen Tianxiang’s ‘Plum Blossom Poem’ from the Southern Song Dynasty.
Originally built during the Yuan Dynasty as a Zen Buddhist temple’s backyard garden, Lion Grove Garden was later purchased as a private residence. The garden was much loved by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, who visited it six times during his southern tours and claimed that there were five hundred stone lions within the grottoes. The garden still preserves the plaques granted by Qianlong, and he even replicated Lion Grove Garden in the Old Summer Palace and the Chengde Mountain Resort.
Medical staff in Suzhou are invited to present their ‘Personal ID’ along with the ‘Free Garden Admission Card for Suzhou Medical Staff (electronic card)’ for direct entry without reservation and exemption from the first admission fee when visiting the scenic area.
Additional free information note: The above information is for reference only, and specific details should be confirmed with the official announcement of the scenic spot. Service facilities include parking: [Lion Grove Garden Parking] with a reference price of ¥10 per visit; located at No. 23 Garden Road, Lion Grove; with 31 parking spaces. Mobile charging: Charging power sockets are available at the scenic area’s visitor center. Luggage storage: The service is offered free of charge. Guided tours: The scenic area provides self-service voice-guided tours on mobile phones. The cost is 5 yuan per use. Restrooms: There are multiple restrooms located near the northeast corner of Zhi Bai Xuan and the west side of Shan Ting, among other places, all clearly marked with signs. Convenience stores: Several convenience stores are available near the scenic area’s teahouse.
