Zhenze Park

Zhenze Park

Zhenze Park is situated on Gongyuan Road in Zhenze Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou (next to the Central Bridge). In 1935, as the Di Tang waterway was redirected and a new river was excavated north of the town, the earth removed was piled to form a hill. That year, with the joint effort of Shen Zhian, director of the New River Promotion Committee and the district chief, as well as other well-known local figures, the park was funded and built west of Liyue Road (now called Gongyuan Road), covering an area of 60 acres. It stretches east to Liyue Road, south to the residential area along Zhoufangyuan Lane, west to the intersection of Sanlitang and the new canal, and north to the newly dug river, facing Songjiawan across the water. The site was originally home to one of the “Eight Scenic Views of Zhenze,” namely “Distant View from the Rainbow Bridge.” When constructing the park, designers made the most of the natural terrain, digging ponds and creating undulating landscapes, then planting an abundance of pines, cypresses, flowers, and plants that flourished lushly year-round, creating beautiful scenery in all seasons.

In January 1963, the park was initially completed and opened to the public, drawing unprecedented crowds. The park’s halls, pavilions, terraces, artificial hills, rockeries, flower beds, lawns, and pathways were thoughtfully arranged to complement one another. Given its scale and layout, it was the largest of the three major parks in Wujiang at the time. In November 1937, after Japanese forces occupied Zhenze, the silk industry school south of the park was taken over as a police garrison by the invaders. The park and school areas were merged, and the Japanese conducted military drills within the park grounds and committed indiscriminate killings. From then on, the park fell into disrepute. Although Zhenze was liberated after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the park had long been neglected and could not be restored to its former glory.

In 1956, the People's Government of Zhenze Town began efforts to renovate and restore Zhenze Park. They mobilized local youth for voluntary labor and constructed a new martyrs' cemetery on the north side of the park, partially reviving its original landscape. During the Cultural Revolution, the park was occupied by factories, leading to further damage and another period of abandonment.

In 1982, the government of Zhenze Town decided to reclaim the park from industrial use. The overall layout centers around a lotus pond, extending outward in all directions, with newly added waterside pavilions, twin pavilions, earthen hills, and square pavilions. Halls, pavilions, terraces, pools, bridges, hills, and rocks are distributed in a balanced composition, each enhancing the view of the others. To meet the needs of modern life, facilities such as a cultural activity room, children’s reading room, children’s playground, tea house, waterside pavilion storytelling venue, and other services including photography and video recording were added. The park has since become a family-friendly destination ideal for leisure, entertainment, socializing, and morning exercise.

In 1985, the main entrance of Zhenze Park was moved to face east. In the same year, the original Qing Dynasty-style brick wall of the Silk Industry Guild was relocated here, adding a touch of classic simplicity and elegance. The plaque above the gate inscribed with “Zhenze Park” was handwritten by Fei Xiaotong. In 2003, due to the renovation and expansion of the Di Tang Canal, the martyrs’ cemetery originally located on the north side of the park was relocated to the southwest corner of the park.

Zhenze Ancient Town

Wang Xichan Memorial Hall (including Wang Xichan’s Tomb and Ancestral Hall)

Shijian Hall

Zhenze Wenchang Pavilion

Zhenze Ciyun Buddhist Temple

Jiangsu Agricultural Tools Museum