Lion Grove Garden | The Past and Present of a 700-Year-Old Zen Garden

Lion Grove Garden was first built in 1342 during the Yuan Dynasty by the eminent monk Tianru Zen Master in memory of his teacher Zhongfeng Zen Master. Initially named "Lion Grove Temple," it earned its title both from the Taihu rock formations resembling lion prides and the Buddhist scripture reference to the "lion's roar" (symbolizing the majesty of Buddhist teachings). Originally a Zen monastery, its layout incorporated the Buddhist concept of Mount Sumeru, with its rockeries symbolizing a "maze" for practitioners to navigate through spiritual obstacles. During the Ming Xuande era, the temple fell into disrepair and was converted into a private garden. Through renovations by painter Ni Zan and the Bei family, it gradually adopted the refined aesthetics of Jiangnan literati culture. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited six times during his southern tours, composing over ten poems and personally inscribing the plaque "True Delight" (still displayed in the True Delight Pavilion). He also commissioned artists to replicate the garden's scenery in Beijing's Old Summer Palace and Chengde Mountain Resort. In the late Qing and early Republic era, the garden became the private retreat of Bei Runsheng (the "Dye King"), who spent seven years restoring the rockeries and adding features like the Stone Boat and Yan Yu Hall, shaping its current layout. In 1954, the Bei family donated Lion Grove Garden to the state, opening it to the public. Today, it preserves the Yuan-era rockery core, Ming-Qing architectural elements, and historical relics like Emperor Qianlong's stele and Ni Zan's "Lion Grove" stone carvings, standing as a living testament to Jiangnan garden evolution.