Suzhou is home to the famous rock gardens renowned the world over, and one of the most prominent draws is the Lion Grove Garden (Shizilin), which is sure to enrich any trip to this unique Chinese city. Seeking a quality serviced apartment Suzhou has to offer its visitors? Then consider checking into one of the finest luxury serviced apartments in Suzhou which are exclusively featured at the Somerset Emerald City Suzhou. Make the most of your time here by exploring the 1.1 hectare landscape that features the Lion Grove Garden, now a UNSECO World Heritage Site, which is a fascinating ensemble of taihu rocks that resemble lions, arranged in the shape of a winding, wondrous grotto that is a treat to traverse and explore. The garden hearkens back to the mid-fourteenth century, when it was built by a monk named Wen Tianru in memory of his teacher, the Abbot Zhongfeng. The unique shape of the rocks refer to the famous Lion’s Roar Sutra in Mahayana Buddhism, as well as the Lion’s Peak located atop Mount Tianmu in Zhejiang, which is where the Abbot supposedly attained enlightenment. Throughout the garden’s history, it has attracted numerous artistic interest and served as the inspiration for various works, such as the fourteenth century painted Ni Zan, whose Picture Scroll of Lion Grove was styled after the garden. The garden complex is also home to a marvelous array of ancient monuments and artefacts including 25 stone tablets, five carved wooden screens and amazingly, thirteen ancient trees that date back to the fourteenth century, during the Yuan Dynasty. The garden is also imbued with a tranquil air of supreme serenity, featuring walkways that meander through ponds and verdant spaces, providing ample opportunities to soothe the body and spirit.
Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and intends to visit them all someday.
