Tinglin Garden

Tinglin Garden

Tinglin Garden is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Tinglin Garden is located in the northwest corner of Kunshan, a water town in the Jiangnan region. The Yufeng Mountain within the garden resembles a saddle, standing as a solitary peak amidst vast flatlands. Initially developed as Ma'anshan Park in 1906, it was renamed Tinglin Park in 1936 to commemorate Gu Yanwu (whose courtesy name was Tinglin), and became Tinglin Garden in 2000. Covering an area of over 850 acres, the garden features beautiful greenery and picturesque scenery.

Scenic Features

"The Finest Mountain in Southeast China" — this is how Wen Zhengming praised Yufeng Mountain. The mountain boasts a long and rich history of scenic wonders, with seventy-two historical sites dating back to ancient times. The Huizhou Temple from the Liang Dynasty, known as the foremost among the "Four Hundred and Eighty Temples of the Southern Dynasties," marked the beginning of these attractions. Marvels such as jade palaces and terraces, Miaofeng Pagoda, Phoenix Stone, and Wenbi Peak seem to summon divine presence; the three treasures of Yufeng — Kunshi stone, Qionghua flower, and twin lotus flowers — are unique to the mountain; pavilions such as Shanjian, Yehu, Linji, and Cuibo offer spots for climbing, resting, and enjoying cultural heritage.

In front of the mountain are the Tinglin Memorial Hall and the Kunqu Opera Museum, surrounded by lush cypress trees; behind the mountain lie the Xiajin Plum Blossom Mound and the Suigarden Family Mountain Pavilion, nestled within serene bamboo groves. Emperor Kangxi once visited and left behind poetic inscriptions, reflecting refined taste and offering both inspiring and scenic views. The eastern caves are uniquely mysterious, including Chaotian Cave, Huangni Cave, and Lianhuan Cave; the western ecological area is newly developed, featuring the Yufeng Cultural Relics Site, Luohan Watercress Ancient Bridge, Liangzhu Culture Giant Sculpture, as well as Elderly Peak, Group of Pigs Peak, and Qixia Cave. "The mountains of Jiangdong are exceptionally beautiful" — the scenic beauty of Tinglin’s Yufeng Mountain, along with its complete facilities, makes it an excellent destination for tourists to sightsee and relax.

Tinglin Garden is situated at the eastern foot of Ma'anshan Mountain. Established in 1906, it was initially named Ma'anshan Park. It was later renamed Tinglin Garden in honor of the patriotic scholar Gu Yanwu from the Ming and Qing dynasties. With a long history and numerous historical sites, the garden is known for its reputation as "the finest mountain in Jiangdong" and "real mountains that look like rockeries." The garden houses the Kunqu Opera Museum, Kunshi Stone Museum, Bonsai Garden, Huazang Temple, Children’s Playground, as well as the Gu Tinglin Memorial Hall and Gu Dingchen Ancestral Hall. It is also home to the famous Three Treasures of Yufeng: Kunshi stone, Qionghua flower, and twin lotus flowers.

Kunqu Opera Museum (20 photos)

The Three Treasures of Tinglin Garden

Kunshi Stone

Within Ma'anshan Mountain in Kunshan’s Tinglin Garden, the stone is white as jade, hence the mountain is also called Yufeng Mountain (Jade Peak Mountain). It has a history of several thousand years. Kunshi stones are naturally porous, snow-white or yellowish like jade, translucent and pure in appearance, with diverse and unique shapes — no two are alike, making them extraordinarily exquisite. They feature characteristics such as wrinkled, slender, perforated (Kunshi image), leaking, and hunched, thus also called ingenious stones, jade stones, or exquisitely carved stones. They have long been regarded as premium materials for artistic appreciation, desk display, and garden landscaping.

With their characteristics of being delicate, twisted, and rugged, they are also known as exquisite stones, jade stones, or exquisitely carved stones. They have long been regarded as fine choices for artistic appreciation, desk ornaments, and garden landscaping.

Along with Lingbi Stone, Taihu Stone, and Ying Stone, Kunshi Stone is hailed as one of the “Four Famous Stones of Ancient China.” Together with Taihu Stone and Rain Flower Stone, it is also known as one of the “Three Famous Stones of Jiangsu Province.” It is considered the finest natural gift bestowed upon the people of Kunshan. The parent rock of Kunshi Stone originated from the Cambrian period, dating back 500 million years. After hundreds of millions of years of geological changes, underground silicon dioxide thermal solutions filled the cracks in the original rock, replacing limestone with silicon and crystallizing into “Kunshi Stone.” Its main mineral is quartz, with a Mohs hardness of up to 7. The internal and crystalline structures are intricate and exquisite — qualities unmatched by the other three famous stones.

As a substance infused with the essence of heaven and earth, the stone is highly cherished. The Chinese nation has long had a tradition of appreciating and worshipping stones, and literati throughout the ages have shown unprecedented fondness for Kunshi Stone. Dozens of poems praising Kunshi Stone exist, many authored by notable figures.

Lu You, a patriotic poet of the Southern Song Dynasty, wrote a poem about calamus, describing Kunshi Stone with the line “a fist-sized lump worth a thousand gold pieces,” illustrating its high value at the time and the great esteem in which it was held. The renowned Yuan Dynasty scholar Zheng Yuanyu wrote: “Kungang once bore jade, the dragon lord wore pearls, and immortals donned vines of glory,” vividly depicting the quality and form of Kunshi Stone, ending with “a ripple of heavenly light stirs,” and “through the ages, I forget my aging,” expressing the profound influence of the stone on nature and poetry. Another Yuan Dynasty literatus, Zhang Yu, who quit officialdom and oscillated between Confucianism and Taoism, was also skilled in music and loved Kunshi Stone. His seven-character poem also became widely celebrated: “Hidden like a coiled celestial shedding immortal bones, heavier than agarwood with cold-dispelling fragrance. A lone root stands in snow beside a lute, small blooms float like clouds on an ink rest.”

Even Kunshi Stones from the same Ma'anshan Mountain vary greatly. According to experienced artisans skilled in mining and carving, there are dozens of types, such as Yangmei Peak and Xuehua Peak on the eastern side of Yufeng, Lizi Peak on the western side, and Haizhe Peak at the back. However, the most precious are the Jigu Peak and Hetao Peak found on the Cuiwei Rock in front of the mountain.

Qionghua Flower

The Qionghua flower in Tinglin Garden is honored as one of the “Three Treasures of Kunshan.” The largest Qionghua tree in the garden is 303 years old, with intertwined branches and a well-rounded canopy, hailed as the “finest Qionghua of our time.” The Qionghua blooms around mid-April each year, with a flowering period of about ten days. During its peak blooming season, it attracts tens of thousands of domestic and international visitors daily. (Qionghua image)

Over 200,000 domestic and international tourists come to admire them.

It gained fame due to Emperor Yang of Sui’s visit to Yangzhou to see the Qionghua. It is a unique and ancient rare flower in China. As the name suggests, it is a flower as pure and bright as jade. Ancient poets praised it as “the one and only flower under heaven.” The prose writer Ouyang Xiu, when serving as prefect of Yangzhou, specially built the “Peerless Pavilion” for the Qionghua.

Qionghua is also known as “Ju Ba Xian” (Gathering of Eight Immortals). The name “Qionghua” comes from the flower’s color, while “Ju Ba Xian” refers to its basic form of eight male flowers clustered in a ring. Additionally, the female flowers of Qionghua, before blooming, resemble bright pearls, hence also called “Rui Zhu” (Pearl of Essence). When the Rui Zhu blooms, it resembles osmanthus in full glory, thus also called “Yu Rui” (Jade Stamen), and shares the name “Jin Li” (Golden Chestnut) with autumn osmanthus.

Qionghua is incredibly beautiful. Pure as ice and jade, its graceful form is naturally formed. Each year, “when March is ending and April is about to begin, and all other flowers have faded into a desolate spring,” it stands alone, “ice forming into jade-like purity in its very flesh.” From afar, the tree is laden with blossoms, like strings of jade ornaments, layered and orderly, snow-white and radiant, resembling exquisite treasures, evoking the feeling of “light February ice and August frost.” Up close, the eight glistening little flowers, paired and clustered together, resemble eight fairies gathered into gleaming jade formations. Set against the backdrop of emerald-green drooping leaves, they emit a faint fragrance, graceful and serene, with an ethereal charm that invites endless contemplation.

Twin Lotus Flowers

Twin Lotus Flowers: Also known as “Thousand Stamen Lotus,” and previously called “Thousand Leaf Lotus,” it does not bear fruit, has small leaves, a thin lotus root, and does not produce lotus pods. It is purely an ornamental plant.

Legend says it was a rare variety brought back from India by the Yuan Dynasty poet Gu Aying (also known as Deyi), originally planted in Dongting, Zhengyi Town, hence also called “Dongting Lotus.” Twin lotus flowers come in varieties such as “Double Sepals Side by Side,” “Nine-Rank Lotus Throne,” and “Four Directions Worshiping Guanyin,” with some clusters having up to thirteen flower heads. The best are those with perfectly paired blossoms. The Dongting twin lotus flowers were relocated to Tinglin Garden in the 1950s and also transplanted to Suzhou’s Humble Administrator’s Garden and Hangzhou’s West Lake. Zhou Shoujuan once wrote about them, calling them “unparalleled in color and fragrance, unlike ordinary flowers.” Today, the twin lotus flowers in Tinglin Garden bloom more vibrantly than ever. Their red hues against green leaves and fragrant aroma wafting far make for a truly delightful sight.

Address: No. 1 Ma'anshan East Road, Kunshan City, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province

Type: Urban Park Mountain

Rating: AAAA

Visiting time: Recommended for 0.5 day

Phone: 0512-57510070

Official website: http://www.tinglinpark.com/

Opening hours:

8:00-17:00