Hundred Grass Garden

Hundred Grass Garden

is a vegetable garden of the Zhou family in Xintaimen, Shaoxing, Zhejiang. Located behind the former residence of Lu Xun in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, it borders Dongxianhuan River to the north, the residence of the Shen family to the east, the backyard of the Liang family to the west, and is wider in the south and narrower in the north, covering an area of nearly 2,000 square meters. It was originally jointly owned by the Zhi and Ren branches of the Zhou family in Xintaimen. The western half belonged to the Zhi branch, and the eastern half belonged to the Ren branch. Each family planted some melons and vegetables in the garden, and some plots were used as drying grounds in autumn. However, due to its large size, the garden appeared somewhat desolate.

Covering an area of about two thousand square meters, Hundred Grass Garden was where Lu Xun played as a child. Although there are no clear boundaries, the garden is divided into a larger section and a smaller one. The smaller section lies to the north, occupying a smaller area and jutting out toward the northwest corner, about one-fourth the size of the larger section. It has a gate leading to Dongxianhuan River, where a riverbank platform allows fertilizing boats to dock and transport away the Zhou family’s ashes and manure. The larger section is in the south, covering more area, with a four-meter-long, approximately one-meter-high earthen wall to the west, serving as the boundary with the backyard of the neighboring Liang family. At the southern end of the earthen wall, where it meets the corner of the back wall of the Lu Xun residence, there is a boundary stone inscribed with the characters “Liang Boundary.” This boundary stone and the short earthen wall, which Lu Xun described as having “infinite charm,” remain intact to this day.

This overgrown garden, not only covered with rubble and weeds but also dotted with trees, vines, birds, and insects, was a wonderful place for children to play. As a child, Lu Xun often came here with his friends to frolic, picking dark purple mulberries and sweet-and-sour raspberries, catching crickets or playing with blister beetles, sometimes digging up the tubers of polygonum multiflorum, or harvesting the fruits of the ficus pumila vine. In summer, they enjoyed the shade under the trees, listening to cicadas sing, and in winter, they caught birds on the snowy ground. The plants and animals in Hundred Grass Garden offered sights to see, sounds to hear, things to play with, and treats to eat—bringing immense joy to children. Even though the “dark purple mulberries, sweet-and-sour raspberries, smooth stone well rails, tall soapberry trees…” are now hard to find, the vivid liveliness described in the text still stirs rich imagination.

These childhood adventures in the small garden left deep and beautiful impressions on Lu Xun’s heart, evoking fond nostalgia even in his later years. In young Lu Xun’s eyes, Hundred Grass Garden was a vibrant and joyful paradise. In a famous essay written while teaching at Xiamen University, “From Hundred Grass Garden to Sanwei Study,” Lu Xun recounted the innocent fun and rich life experiences he had in the garden as a child. He began the essay with: “Behind our house there was a large garden, which was said to be called Hundred Grass Garden...but in those days it was my paradise.” His heartfelt and moving lyrical style, along with his fond recollections of the garden, continue to spark interest in visiting Hundred Grass Garden.

It was in Hundred Grass Garden that Lu Xun first encountered natural scenery, sparking his interest in observing and studying illustrated plant books and various flowers and trees. On the stepped stone slabs in the front courtyard of the former residence, he planted no fewer than twenty varieties of flowers and plants in pots.

With the decline of the Zhou family of Xintaimen, the eastern part of Hundred Grass Garden belonging to the Ren branch was sold to the neighboring Zhu family as early as 1915, and the western part belonging to the Zhi branch, along with other properties of Xintaimen, was sold to the Zhu family in 1918. After acquiring Xintaimen, Zhu Langxian renovated it into “Luxi Pan,” and expanded the backyard. In the small garden of Hundred Grass Garden, an artificial hill was built on level ground, along with a fishpond and a flower hall. After the liberation, the state purchased the property from the later owner surnamed Zhang and opened it to the public as part of the Lu Xun Memorial Hall for visitors to tour and relax. The main section of Hundred Grass Garden, the large garden, still largely retains its original appearance to this day.

Address: No. 732-7, Xinjian South Road, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City

Type: Former Residence of a Celebrity

Recommended Visiting Time: 10–15 minutes

Phone: 0575-85124580

Opening Hours:

8:30-17:00

Ticket Information:

No ticket required. Free admission.