Zhanyuan Garden

Zhanyuan Garden

Zhanyuan Garden is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Zhanyuan Garden is located at No. 208 Zhanyuan Road, Nanjing. It is also known as the Mansion of the Great Ming and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum. Originally built in the early Ming Dynasty, the garden has a history of over 600 years. It was initially the western garden of the residence of Xu Da, the Duke of Zhongshan and one of the founding heroes of the Ming Dynasty. After three generations of restoration and expansion by the Xu family (the 7th, 8th, and 9th generations), the garden had taken its initial form by the Wanli era. In the second year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1645), the garden became the office of the Left Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan. When Emperor Qianlong visited Jiangnan, he stayed at this garden and personally inscribed the plaque “Zhanyuan.”

Nanjing’s Zhanyuan Garden

During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period, Zhanyuan Garden successively served as the residence of the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing, the office of the Vice Minister of War Lai Han Ying, and the residence of the Young Western King Xiao Youhe. In the third year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1864), when Qing troops captured Tianjing (Nanjing), the garden was destroyed in the war. It underwent two restorations in the fourth year of the Tongzhi reign (1865) and the 29th year of the Guangxu reign (1903), but neither restored it to its original state. During the Republican era, government offices such as the Office of the Governor of Jiangsu Province were located within the garden. Over time, Zhanyuan Garden was gradually reduced in size, with plants withering and rockeries being relocated. Despite several renovations, its decline could not be reversed.

In 1958, the Secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Party Committee instructed the restoration of Zhanyuan Garden. Renovation work began that same year, with the first phase focusing on the western part of the garden. It took six years and 1,800 tons of Taihu rocks to give the garden a completely renewed look. The second phase started in 1985 and was completed in 1987. This added nearly 4,000 square meters of garden space, including 13 new pavilions and buildings covering a construction area of 2,882 square meters. The expanded Zhanyuan Garden unified its eastern and western sections, featuring a landscape layout that retained the style of Ming and Qing gardens while incorporating the essence of modern landscaping techniques from both northern and southern China, resulting in an inclusive and distinctive character. The garden houses 810 trees and shrubs and covers 400 square meters of bamboo areas. The eastern section includes the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum exhibition area, water courtyard, lawn area, and traditional architecture area, while the western section features attractions such as the West Rockery, South Rockery, North Rockery, and Jingmiaotang Hall.

Zhanyuan Garden is divided into eastern and western sections, with the main gate located in the eastern part. Opposite the gate is a screen wall, in front of which stands a relief sculpture depicting the Taiping Rebellion. The gate is adorned with a large plaque inscribed with “The Finest Garden in Jinling,” written by Zhao Puchu. Upon entering, you’ll see a bronze bust of Hong Xiuquan in the center, with 20 cannons used during the Taiping Rebellion displayed along both sides of the courtyard. The second hall features a plaque inscribed with “Exhibition of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History,” written by Guo Moruo. The main exhibits include over 300 cultural relics such as the Jade Seal of the Heavenly Father God, the Heavenly King’s Imperial Robe, the Crown of the Loyal King, banners, swords, and stone basins, covering a total exhibition area of about 1,200 square meters. The museum has collected more than 1,600 Taiping Heavenly Kingdom artifacts, including 42 first-class relics.

The western section is a classic Jiangnan-style garden. Its historic buildings include the Yilan Pavilion, Flower Basket Hall, Zhishuangxuan, Yingcui Pavilion, and winding corridors, which divide the entire garden into five small courtyards and one main garden. Jingmiaotang Hall is located in the center of the main garden, surrounded by water on three sides and backed by land on the other. To the north and south of the hall are rockeries connected by water, and the western rockery also features the Suihan Pavilion. Though compact in size, the garden is quite distinctive and is considered one of the renowned gardens of Jiangnan. Zhanyuan Garden is famous for its rockeries, which occupy 3.7 of the garden’s total eight acres. The corridors are also unique, stretching from north to south in a winding fashion.

Related Attraction – Immortal Peak: Mountains, water, and rocks are the main features of Zhanyuan Garden. Upon entering, you’ll first notice a uniquely shaped Taihu rock standing gracefully in the courtyard behind the south gate—this is the Immortal Peak. Framed by floor-to-ceiling lattice windows, it offers a view from darkness into light, resembling a landscape scroll, making it a fitting focal point and visual barrier at the entrance. The Immortal Peak is representative of the garden’s famous rocks. Other notable rocks in Zhanyuan include Dieyun Peak, Yousong Rock, Busi Rock, and Zhashi Rock, all treasures of Jiangnan garden rockery art, some of which date back to Emperor Huizong’s Huashi Gang collection.

Dieyun Peak: Walking along the corridor and turning through the Crabapple Courtyard, you’ll find a striking Taihu rock nestled among osmanthus bushes at the southeast corner of the Flower Basket Hall—this is Dieyun Peak, equally renowned as the Immortal Peak.

Jingmiaotang Hall: As the heart of the garden, this pavilion faces a pond and functions as a “couple’s hall,” dividing the garden into northern and southern spaces, each with its own pond. Let’s first look at the southern pond, which is adjacent to the southern edge of Jingmiaotang, roughly gourd-shaped, wider near the building and narrowing toward the south end. The northern pond is more open, with a twisting layout full of variations. It borders the side corridor to the east, a stone islet to the north, a stone wall to the west, and a lawn to the south. To the west of Jingmiaotang, a clear stream connects the two ponds, harmonizing the two distinct spaces while maintaining their individual characteristics.

Tiger Character Stele: On the right wall at the entrance of the Fish-Watching Pavilion in Zhanyuan Garden stands a massive cursive script stele inscribed with the single character “Tiger.” The stele is about two feet wide and one and a half meters tall. The tiger character is written in one continuous stroke, vividly resembling a roaring tiger. Moreover, the character hides a secret: within the strokes of the tiger are four hidden characters forming the phrase “Wealthiest Under Heaven.” Chinese calligraphy has a long history, with many works created in a single stroke. Wang Xizhi once wrote the character “Goose” in one continuous motion. According to guides at the garden, upon close inspection, the tiger appears to stand proudly, with its head, mouth, body, back, and tail clearly distinguishable—as if it is howling at the sky. It is hailed as the “World’s Number One Tiger.”

Address: No. 128 Zhanyuan Road, Qinhuai District, Nanjing

Type: Garden / Museum / Historical Architecture

Rating: AAAAA

Recommended Visit Duration: 2–3 hours

Phone: 025-52238687

Official Website: http://www.njzy.net/

Opening Hours:

Daytime: 8:00–17:30; Evening: 17:30–20:30

Ticket Information:

Daytime adult ticket: 30 RMB/person; evening adult ticket: 40 RMB/person; half price for seniors and students; audio guide (excluding admission): 20 RMB.

Confucius Temple Community: Located in the Confucius Temple tourist area, the community spans 0.38 square kilometers, with 2,221 households and a total population of 6,174. The area includes Zhanyuan Garden, Juxing Pavilion, Nanjing Qifangge Halal Restaurant, Confucius Temple specialty snacks, lantern displays along Zhonghua Gate to Dongshuiguan, and the Qinhuai River scenic area. Educational institutions in the area include Confucius Temple Primary School, Zhonghua Middle School, Finance and Economics School, and Aerospace Cadre Management College. Local landmarks and facilities include Zhuangyuanlou Hotel, Jiankang Hotel, Shanghai Grand Hotel, Urban Inn, the Third Fire Brigade, Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Memorial Hall, Weihao Electric, and the Telecom Building... More details on Confucius Temple Community++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units