The garden, considered the best garden in Nanjing, is several minutes walk form Confucius Temple. At the beginning of the Ming dynasty(1368-1644), Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang built and bestowed the garden to his brave and loyal general. In 1853, after Taiping Heavenly Kingdom chose Nanjing as its capital, the garden was the residence of East King of the Kingdom. In 1864, the garden was demolished in warfare, and soon rebuilt in 1865 and 1903. In 1960, the local government renovated it again, and the renovation was very successful.

The museum of the history of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is also set in the garden. Weapons of Taiping troops, imperial seal and imperial robe of Heavenly King of the Kingdom and other relics of the uprising troops are being on display. The west part of the garden is a typical southern garden which has lobbies, corridors, pavilions. The main structure is Jingmiao Hall, encircled in water. Visitors will find that the garden is full of rockeries which is the main characteristic of the garden.