A short walk from Suzhou Museum, at the north end of Pingjiang Lu, is a smallish walled garden defined by its remarkable rockery. Built in 1342 by a group of Buddhist monks, Lion Grove Garden (狮子林, Shīzi Lín) is so called for its lin (forest) of naturally gnarled and eroded limestone rocks, some said to resemble the shape of Chinese guardian lions. The garden was intended to honor the monks' master, who once resided on Lion Cliff on Zhejiang's Tianmu Mountain; the garden's naturally sculpted lions were also meant as symbolic protectors of the Buddhist faith.
Picking a path through the labyrinth of vicious black rocks is fun, but watch those elbows! Surreal and oppressive, it's like walking through a miniature Mordor from Lord of the Rings. The Qianlong Emperor (1735–96) was a big admirer, visiting Lion Grove Garden half a dozen times and ordering a replica built at his summer resort in Chengde, north of Beijing.
Try not to stray far from the touring route, especially around the warren-like rockery – taking shortcuts may require doubling back against the crowds.
