Tianjin Jixian Shiqu Garden

Tianjin Jixian Shiqu Garden

Tianjin Jixian Shiqu Garden serves as a patriotic education base.

Shiqu Garden lies within the water and rock scenic areas among the three highlights of Panshan Mountain, rich in natural water resources. There’s the stream admired by Emperor Qianlong as “Thousand-Foot Snow,” the waters of Shenxian Lake at 408.6 meters above sea level, Maifan stone well water, and multiple mountain springs and waterfalls — it’s a place where “mountain waters gather in a single ravine, and rushing streams sing against the rocks.” Within Shiqu Garden, the Lingshi Mountain Nature Reserve spans 1,500 square meters, where peculiar rocks are scattered across the verdant landscape. Here you’ll find a frog crying to the sky, a dolphin leaping from the water, an eagle perching with focused wings, and an elder deep in meditation. These massive rock formations, shaped by tectonic movements over 5,000 years ago and weathered by wind and rain, add endless charm to Shiqu Garden.

Shiqu Garden is home to a wealth of traditional cultural landscapes. The Wanfo Temple is a precious historical and cultural heritage site. Originally built in the late Tang Zhenguan era (650 AD), it was renovated in the 20th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign during the Qing Dynasty, destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and rebuilt in 1992. Nestled against the mountain, Wanfo Temple is grand in scale and built in a faux cave-style structure. It faces five bays with an area of 420 square meters. Inside the cave stand three Buddha statues: the main Buddha is 8.7 meters tall, and the two attendant Bodhisattvas on either side are 6 meters tall, making them the largest stone-carved standing Buddhas in China. On the dam of the reservoir north of Wanfo Temple is a massive cliff painting titled “The Eighty-Seven Immortals,” originally painted by Wu Daozi of the Tang Dynasty. The original artwork measures 2.28 meters in length and 0.36 meters in width and is now housed in the Xu Beihong Memorial Hall. The cliff painting version of “The Eighty-Seven Immortals” is 168 meters long, 18 meters high, and covers a total area of 3,024 square meters. It is the world’s largest single-piece stone-carved group figure cliff painting and has been recognized by the Guinness World Records. To the east of the garden is the Yu Qingcheng Clay Sculpture Exhibition Hall. Yu Qingcheng is a folk artist native to Jixian, who developed an inseparable bond with clay sculpture from childhood. His works, characterized by exaggerated techniques and strong life elements, showcase remarkable artistic achievement, earning him the title of “Master of Clay Sculpture Art” from UNESCO. The art gallery displays dozens of clay sculptures, with representative works such as “A Mighty River,” “Two Flowers,” “My Home Is on the Loess Plateau,” “The Crumbled Temple,” and “Xintianyou.” The garden also features a national flag exhibition area, displaying 192 flags of countries around the world and 8 flags of international organizations such as the United Nations, allowing visitors to learn about the world through these flags.

Shiqu Garden also preserves several well-maintained revolutionary relics. During the War of Resistance against Japan, although Yushizhuang had only a few dozen households and a population of a few hundred, its people closely cooperated with the Eighth Route Army, using the favorable terrain to engage in brave and tenacious struggles against the enemy. The caves in Shiqu Garden (including the Bosen Cave) served as battle fortresses where the people of Yushizhuang outmaneuvered the enemy. Stone carvings in the garden such as “Swear to Wipe Out National Humiliation” and “Fight the War to the End” were slogans used to inspire the public during the resistance.

In 1997, it was named a Tianjin Municipal Patriotic Education Base by the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.

Shiqu Garden Address: Yushizhuang Village, Guanzhuang Town, Jixian County. Open all year round. Contact number: 29821730. Email: tjyushi@163.com.