Pine Stone Enlightenment Garden

Pine Stone Enlightenment Garden

The Pine Stone Enlightenment Garden, abbreviated as “Enlightenment Garden,” is the site of the “Songling Stone Exhibition Hall in Tongli Town.” It is located in Shipi Lane within the ancient town area, adjacent to the three bridges—Jili, Taiping, and Changqing—and just a wall away from the Pearl Tower scenic area. A hundred steps south from Fuguan Bridge will bring you here.

The entire garden spans 1,600 square meters, filled with lush plants, swaying bamboo shadows, and intertwined water pine tree shades. A century-old ginkgo tree stands tall and majestic, resembling an umbrella canopy sheltering a small white office building amidst the greenery. The well-arranged whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs further accentuate the dignified elegance of the parapet walls. With its classic and tranquil scenery, the garden is an exquisite retreat for stone collecting and appreciation.

The name of the garden comes from a poem by its collector: “In Shipi Lane, the cracked stone skin reveals heavenly scriptures; in my tranquil heart, I attain enlightenment and find Bodhi.” Interpreting the heavenly scriptures and reflecting on life is the core mission of the exhibition hall, hence the name “Enlightenment Garden.”

Over twelve hundred exquisite pieces of Song Screen Stone paintings are displayed in the Enlightenment Garden. These are precious collections painstakingly gathered over more than thirty years by Mr. Zhang Jiaxin, former head of the Design Department at the former Ministry of Railways Engineering Corporation, and his wife Ms. Wang Yuejun (now donated to the Tongli government). The Pine Stone Enlightenment Garden is an exhibition hall built by the Tongli Town government to permanently preserve this valuable natural and cultural heritage.

Address: No. 26, Shipi Lane, Tongli Ancient Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou City (near Fuguan Street)

Type: Museum

Recommended visiting time: 1–2 hours

Opening hours:

7:30-17:30

Ticket information:

No admission fee. Included in the Tongli Ancient Town ticket package.

Tongli Town: One of the six ancient towns south of the Yangtze River, Tongli was formerly known as “Futu.” In the early Tang Dynasty, it was renamed “Tongli,” and in the Song Dynasty, the old name was split into characters to become “Tongli.” Established in the Song Dynasty, it has a history of over 1,000 years as of 2015 and is a classic water town in China.

Located in Wujiang District, Suzhou City, Tongli Town is 18 kilometers from downtown Suzhou and 80 kilometers from Shanghai. Covering an area of 33 hectares, the town is embraced by five lakes, connected by 49 bridges, and divided into seven islands by a network of rivers. Every household in the ancient town is by the water with boats at the doorstep; bridges from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties are well preserved. In 1982… More details about Tongli Town++