The garden is famous for its small size and delicacy among numerous other gardens in China. Originally, it was part of a county squire's residence during the Ming (1368-1644)-Qing (1644-1911) period. Since the garden occupied a small area, it was called Ten Tablets by local people and later was named Ten-Tablet Garden during the late Qing. 

Covering an area of 2,000 square meters, the garden has 67 pavilions, halls and rooms all connected by winding corridors and bridges. The garden is dotted with ponds and rocks and its main construction is the Yanxiang Building, which was built during the Ming Dynasty. The two-storied building has over 90 tablets embedded in its walls containing inscriptions by famous painters and calligraphers, such as Zheng Banqiao. Other constructions in the garden include the Spring Rain Building, the Water Curtain Cave and small waterfalls. These artificial structures were created with exquisite craftsmanship, as if formed by nature. The Ten-Tablet Garden is one of the few northern gardens containing the exquisite features found in a southern one.