Zhanglin Garden in Luzhi

Zhanglin Garden in Luzhi

Commonly known as Zhangling Mountain, Zhanglin Garden is located about 1.5 kilometers southwest of the town and is said to be the tomb of Zhang Cang, the Han Dynasty chancellor. Although no tomb of Zhang Cang was discovered at Zhangling Mountain, many cultural relics were found. In the early 1950s, local farmers excavated jade bracelets, jade artifacts, jade rings, jade tubes, perforated jade axes, and numerous pottery items, which were identified as belonging to the Songze and Liangzhu cultural periods. This confirms that Zhangling Mountain is indeed a cultural site dating back approximately 5,500 years.

In 1979, provincial cultural management authorities organized the excavation of 11 Neolithic tombs on both sides of the burial mound area. Additionally, five Eastern Jin brick-chambered tombs were cleared, revealing sites of the Shuqing Lian’gang and Liangzhu cultural types, dating back 6,000 years. Within Zhangling Park, visitors can also explore the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars Palace, Fishing Pond, West Hall, and Children’s Animal Amusement Park.

In recent years, Zhanglin Garden has specially invited monks to preach Buddhist scriptures and offer blessings for worshippers, making it an officially approved religious activity site by the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars Palace: This rectangular building has corridor rooms on all sides, divided into approximately thirty smaller spaces, each displaying a painted clay sculpture depicting one of the Twenty-Four Filial Tales. Each room represents a different scene. Covering an area of over ten acres, the palace features a “回” (double-loop) architectural layout — buildings surround the perimeter, with a pond in the center. There are also small bridges, rockeries, and a square that can accommodate hundreds of people. Each room contains a life-sized clay figure representing a filial piety scene, dressed in silk garments and accompanied by period furniture.

The “Twenty-Four Filial Tales” include: “Filial Piety Moves Heaven,” “Entertaining Parents with Dancing,” “Feeding Parents Deer Milk,” “Carrying Rice for Parents,” “Wearing Thin Clothes to Obey Mother,” “Biting Finger, Heart Pains for Mother,” “Burying Son for Mother,” “Working as Servant to Support Mother,” “Picking Mulberries for Parents,” “Springs Gush, Carp Leap,” “Warming Quilts, Fanning Pillows,” “Carving Wood in Memory of Parents,” “Selling Self to Bury Father,” “Bringing Oranges for Parents,” “Reciting ‘Lament for Parents’,” “Lying on Ice to Catch Carp,” “Crying at Bamboo to Make Shoots Grow,” “Strangling Tiger to Save Father,” “Letting Mosquitoes Feed on Blood,” “Praying to Stars to Take One’s Place,” “Breastfeeding Diligently Without Slack,” “Tasting Medicine for Parents,” “Cleaning Parents’ Bedpans,” and “Resigning Office to Find Mother.”

Transportation Guide

Location: 1.5 kilometers southwest of Luzhi Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province (Fucheng Middle Road)

Transit: Take bus No. 521 or 526 within Suzhou City and get off at Zhangling Park Station.