Summer Palace
The Summer Palace, in Chinese Yihe Yuan, is now the largest and most well-preserved imperial garden in China, considered one of the four famous Chinese imperial gardens (the other three being the Chengde Summer Palace, Suzhou Humble Administrator's Garden, and Suzhou Lingering Garden). It was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1998.
Situated in Haidian District, 15km from downtown Beijing, the Summer Palace occupies an area of 290 hectares, with the lake taking up three-quarters of its total area.
It is designed around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill as the key features, modeled on West Lake in Hangzhou, and draws from design techniques and artistic conception of gardens from the south of China. This large, landscape, and well-preserved garden is known as the Chinese Imperial Garden Museum.
Scenic Spot in Summer Palace
The Summer Palace has a great combination of imperial garden features, immersed in the surrounding natural landscape. It reflects the imperial garden principle of "built by man with resources from nature".
Apart from Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, there are over a hundred scenic spots, more than 20 courtyards and 3,000 ancient structures, and 1,600 trees over a hundred years old.
The Tower of Buddhist Incense, Long Gallery, Marble Boat, Suzhou Market Street, Seventeen Arch Bridge, Garden of Harmonious Interests, and Ancient Stage are the most noted scenic spots.
The main viewing areas in the park are broadly divided into three sections. The first one is by the Hall of Benevolent Longevity, which was once the place for taking care of internal affairs, and diplomatic and political activities by Emperor Guangxu and Empress Cixi.
The second sightseeing area is between the Hall of Joy and the Hall of Jade Billows. The courtyards were used as the living area for Empress Cixi and Emperor Guangxu with his concubines.
The last viewing area is around the Long Gallery and the Back Hill. This area was for the imperial family's daily luxury and recreation. On the central axis of the south slope of Longevity Hill are located three magnificent buildings: the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, and the Hall of the Sea of Wisdom.
The Tower of Buddhist Incense has three stories and eight sides. It is built on the slope of Longevity Hill and faces Kunming Lake, commanding a view of the whole park.
The magnificent Seventeen Arch Bridge, poised above the vastness of Kunming Lake, is at its best when viewed reflecting on the water.
On the shore of Kunming Lake are the famous sites of Marble Boat, Bronze Ox, and Spring Pavilion.
Suzhou Market Street, adjacent to Front Lake, has various stores in the style of the bustling trading streets of hundreds of years ago.
The Summer Palace, along with the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, is a must-see imperial attraction of Beijing.
The Island
Located southeast of Kunming Lake and opposite to Longevity Hill, the Island covers an area of 10,000 sqm. The Island is connected to the eastern bank by the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.
There are many halls on the island, of which Dragon King Temple is the most interesting. In the Qing dynasty, it was named Dragon King Hall, which was used to pray for sufficient rain. Later, Emperor Qianlong used to review his navy training in the lake in front of the temple.
Seventeen Arch Bridge
Built during the Qianlong Reign (1736-1795) of the Qing dynasty, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, 150m long and 8m wide, is ranked as the biggest bridge in the Summer Palace. Connecting the Dragon King Temple in the east and the Island west, the bridge spans Kunming Lake with 17 bridge openings under it, hence the name Seventeen-Arch Bridge.
With 544 lions carved out of white marble set on the balustrades, this bridge was reputed as the bridge which has the most stone lions in China.
Long Gallery
Located on the north bank of Kunming Lake and the south foot of Longevity Hill, Long Gallery stretches 728 meters from the moon gate in the east to the Shizhang Pavilion in the west. It is the longest and most famous gallery in China.
First built in 1750 with 273 rooms, the gallery was fully painted and decorated with colorful designs and pictures, winding its way along the lake like a colorful ribbon. Four octagonal pavilions with double roofs were built at regular intervals to represent the four seasons.
The gallery has about 8000 colorful paintings, which, as the most charming part of the gallery, depict landscapes, human figures, battle scenes, flowers, birds, etc.
The landscape, flower-and-bird paintings mainly center on the scenery in the West Lake, while the figure paintings mostly derive their themes from the legend and classic novels like Strange Tales of Liaozhai, Pilgrimage to the West, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and so on.
Beautiful as these paintings are, they have to be retouched every 12 years. Till today, these paintings have been renewed several times, and due to the imperfect skills of some artisans, unfortunately, much of the details and intricacies have more or less been lost.
Hall of Jade Billows
To the east of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity and south of the Hall of Joyful Longevity lies a group of constructions, which takes the style of a sanheyuan (a kind of construction style with a main hall in the center and two secondary in both sides).
First built in the 15th year of Qianlong's reign during the Qing dynasty and burned down in 1860, later rebuilt in 1892, it is famous for serving as a prison for Emperor Guangxu for ten years.
The center hall, which faces the south with a back door leading to Yiyunguan, the former residence of Guangxu's empress, is the Hall of Jade Billows.
In 1898, after the failure of the Reform Movement, Empress Dowager Cixi put Emperor Guangxu under house arrest in Yingtai (Water Terrace Pavilion) in Zhongnanhai (the Central South Sea) near the Forbidden City, and later in the Hall of Jade Billows.
Emperor Guangxu was closely watched here. The back door of this hall was sealed, and several brick walls were put up to surround the courtyard. From then on, the once noblest emperor was isolated within those walls for ten years.
Two human-shaped rocks were erected in front of the hall by the order of Empress Dowager Cixi. Resembling a mother and a son, the two rocks are intended to symbolize the natural affection between the mother and child, seeming to criticize Guangxu's disobedience and ruthlessness. Articles exhibited in his hall include a throne, a table, an incense burner, and a screen.
Marble Boat
Marble Boat, also named Qingyanfang Boat, is located in the northwest of Kunming Lake. It was first built in 1750 with a Chinese-style wooden superstructure.
Unfortunately, in 1860, the original boat was burned down by the Anglo-French forces, and in 1893, it was rebuilt with a French-style superstructure and two wheelers added to it. Taking the implied meaning of the water can hold the boat as well as topple the boat, the Marble Boat symbolizes the steadfast rule of the Qing dynasty.
Built with huge stones, the body of this boat is 36 meters long with two tiers. Although made of wood, the superstructure is painted white, looking like a marble boat. Hence the name Marble Boat. The ground was paved with colored bricks, and the windows were inlaid with multi-colored glass. A huge mirror was set on each tier, reflecting the waves in the lake. Sitting in front of the mirror, one may feel that one is floating on the water.
The boat has a marvelous drainage system. Four dragon heads serve as the route of the rainwater. When it rains, the rainwater pours out from the mouths of these dragon heads into the lake, forming a unique scenery in this garden.
This boat used to be the place for Empress Dowager Cixi to enjoy the lake scenery.
Garden of Virtue and Harmony
Located to the north of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, this garden, covering an area of 3000 square meters, mainly consists of the Theatre Building and Hall of Nurtured Joy.
The theatre building, constructed in 1892 with a cost of 1.6 million taels of silver, is the largest stage in China at the time. The stage is three-storied with a height of 21m and a width of 17m. Performances could be staged simultaneously on three levels.
The three levels are connected by trap doors, which provide convenience for actors to appear and disappear. A winch was installed on the top level, through which performers, settings, and props could be lowered and raised.
At the bottom of the lower floor, a deep well and five ponds were set to strengthen acoustic resonance and supply water for special effects. In the course of the performance, a grand water scene could easily be produced when necessary on the stage.
When there were plays on show, Empress Dowager Cixi often sat in the Hall of Nurtured Joy to watch the performances. While Emperor Guangxu would sit outside the door since the hall was only open to concubines and female guests.
Around the stage are seven exhibition rooms, in which many national treasures as well as the daily articles of the Empress Dowager Cixi are on display. Among these exhibits, a vintage Benz is worth the whistle.
Engineers from Germany concluded that it was a second-generation Benz made in 1898. As the first car China imported, it was presented to Cixi as a gift by Yuan Shikai, a wily warlord.
Hall of the Sea of Wisdom
Completed in 1750 during the Qing dynasty, the hall is situated on the top of the Longevity Hill as a religious structure. No beams or columns are used in its construction. The hall was also called the beam hall. The outer walls are built with bricks and are totally wrapped with colorful glazes, which appear brilliant and colorful in the sunlight.
There used to be many niches and Buddha figures in the hall. Most of them were burned down during the invasions of the Anglo-French Allied forces and other allied forces from the eight powers.
Garden of Harmonious Interests
Located on the eastern part of Rear Hill, Garden of Harmonious Interests was built in imitation of Jichangyuan Garden in Wuxi during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Emperor Qianlong once went to Southern China for inspections and resided there several times.
He admired the architectural art of the garden and decided to build a similar garden in the Summer Palace. When it was first built in 1751, it was named Huishan Garden. In 1881, after a large-scale restoration, Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing dynasty renamed it the Garden of Harmonious Interests. In 1860, the garden was burned down by Anglo-French allied forces, and in 1892 reconstructed by the order of Empress Dowager Cixi.
As a typical garden of southern China, it has five halls, seven pavilions, several corridors, and five small bridges on a lotus pond.
In the center of the garden is a pond, which, with an area of half an acre, is covered with lotus and surrounded by a covered gallery connecting towers and pavilions. In the center of the pond, a pavilion rises out of the water, which was the fishing place of Empress Dowager Cixi.
When Cixi lived in the Summer Palace, one of her favorites was fishing. To please the bad-tempered and impatient lady, the devoted eunuchs would dive into the water and put live fish on her hook. Therefore, whenever she fished, she would catch a lot of fish.
Emperor Qianlong once wrote a poem to the garden, which says: "a pavilion, a path, a pace, a scene, the scene changes with each pace, and each pace is of great interest". The interests of the garden lie in the following items:
Change of Seasons
The scene varies with the change of the seasons. In spring, water in the pond is as smooth as a mirror with the weeping willows waving in the breeze. In summer, blossoming lotuses fill the pond, giving out a pleasant smell; In autumn, the pavilion and weeping willows are reflected in the water, and in winter and when snow falls, all the pavilions, corridors, and willows are covered with snow.
The Water
The water in the pond originates from the Back Lake in the Summer Palace through the bamboo groves.
The waterfall between the Back Lake and the pond, the Jade Violin Gorge, which was a copy of the Eight-Sound Brook in Jichangyuan Garden in Wuxi, creates a melodious sound effect in this garden.
The Bridge
There is a total of five small bridges in different styles in this garden. Some of them face the water, and some connect with the paths. The most famous one is the Know-the-Fish Bridge. It was known for an argument between two philosophers, Zhuang Zi and Hui Zi, about 2,500 years ago.
Zhuang Zi claimed: "Look, what a happy fish!"
Hui Zi asked: "You are not a fish, how do you know they are happy?"
Zhuang Zi retorted: "You are not me, how do you know I do not know?"
Calligraphy
There are many masterpieces of calligraphy, in the form of poems and couplets, that can be seen almost everywhere in the garden. Some are said to be written by Emperor Qianlong.
Pavilion
In the northwest corner of the garden, there is a new building. Looking from outside the garden, visitors can see a one-story structure that stands in the distance. But when looked at from inside the garden, it is two storeys. The difference in distance and height creates a different effect.
Painting
Within the gardens are hundreds of paintings in various styles. Some of them are flowers and scenery, and some are devoted to figures and historical events.
Corridors
Corridors of different styles connect the pavilions, bridges, halls, and pond in this garden. They have so many twists and turns, which help visitors view the scenery from different angles.
Imitation
Jichangyuan Garden was a famous private garden in South China, while the Garden of Harmonious Interests was an imperial garden in North China. The new creation was an imitation without betraying the original designs. The Garden of Harmonious Interests originated from the Jichangyuan Garden, but has exceeded it.
Suzhou Market Street
Running 300 meters along the bank of Rear Lake with an area of 3,000 square meters, Suzhou Market Street used to be called buy and sell street during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. First formed during the Han dynasty (206 B.C-220 A.D), there used to be 64 stores, 14 archways, and 8 bridges.
In 1860, during the invasion of the Anglo-French allied forces, the buildings in the street were destroyed. Only in recent years that the street been wholly restored as a tourist attraction in the Summer Palace.
Built after the market street in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, the street gave the imperial family an illusion of taking part in the daily life of ordinary people, which was forbidden to them.
When imperial nobles came to visit the street, eunuchs, aiming to please their masters, would act as tradesmen and customers to produce a prosperous scene in the street.
After recent restoration, now the street is lined on both sides with archaized structures, such as various shops, teahouses, and restaurants. All the buildings are furnished with classical Chinese furniture, and all the shop assistants are dressed in the traditional clothes of the Qing dynasty. Strolling on this street, one may feel that one is on a street in South China one hundred years ago.
Back Like
Visitors often miss the back part of the garden -Back Lake- when visiting the Summer Palace. It is the quietest and most natural part of the garden. Surrounded by ancient trees, the shaded bank along the lake has become an ideal place for people to stroll and have a rest.
Studio of Distant Views (Tiaoyuanzhai) is located on the north bank of the east section of the Back Lake. The elevation of the studio provides visitors with the beautiful scenery outside the Summer Palace.
It was said that the studio was built for Empress Dowager Cixi to view the flower market outside the bounding wall held on the 8th day of the 4th month of the lunar calendar each year.
You can reach the Back Lake by walking north after passing the Marble Boat or by going north after climbing over the Logevity Hill and passing the Sea of Wisdom.
Hall of Benevolent Longevity
On turning right after entering the garden from East Palace Gate and turn right, one would see the magnificent Hall of Benevolent Longevity.
Originally named the Hall of Industrious Government, the hall was first built in 1750 and is the main hall in the Summer Palace. It was the place where Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu took charge of state affairs.
In 1860, when the Anglo-French allied forces invaded Beijing, the original building was burned down. In 1890, the hall was rebuilt and renamed as the Hall of Benevolent Longevity by Emperor Guangxu.
Bronze animals, cauldrons, dragons, and phoenixes were placed in front of the hall. An animal called Kylin is considered the most attractive. The legendary animal has a dragon's head, lion's tail, deer's antlers, ox's hooves, with a body covered with fish scales. Dignified and stately, they add more solemnity to the hall.
The first thing to be seen on entering the hall is a red sandalwood throne carved with nine dragons, which is the symbol of supreme power. By the side of the throne, two big fans made of peacock feathers were put up to give a solemn atmosphere. In the Song dynasty, two eunuchs would hold the fans, but in the Qing dynasty, the two fans were fixed by the side of the throne.
Behind the throne is a red sandalwood screen, on which 226 Chinese characters meaning longevity were written with 100 bats in the background, symbolizing happiness and longevity. A tablet is hung above the throne, on which is an inscription meaning those who show benevolence in the government of the people will live a long life.
Several incense burners of various shapes are also placed in the hall. Incense was burned in them on formal occasions. The two side chambers were prepared for the emperors to rest and receive officials on formal occasions.
Hall of Dispelling Clouds
Originally built in 1750, the Hall of Dispelling Clouds is located on Longevity Hill as well as on the central axis of the Summer Palace. In 1890, the hall was rebuilt for the birthday celebration of Empress Dowager Cixi. It was here that Cixi celebrated her birthday and received birthday gifts from officials and foreign envoys.
Outside the hall, bronze dragon, phoenix, and crocks were set, grand and aristocratic, and symbolizing the supreme power of the Qing dynasty. Inside a Nine-dragon Chair was set in the middle. Sitting on this chair, Cixi received the greetings and gifts on her birthday. A folding screen, a summer palace portrait painting of Cixi, and other gifts are exhibited in this hall.
To the south of this hall is the Gate of Dispelling Clouds. Twelve Taihu rocks depicting the twelve Chinese zodiac animals and a pair of bronze lions are in front of the gate. The lions are auspicious animals and in Chinese culture are believed to ward off evil spirits. The twelve rocks are shaped like the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and the pig.
The Empress Dowager Cixi celebrated her sixtieth and seventieth birthdays in the Hall of Dispelling Clouds. On those days, all important civil and military officials, according to their respective rank, would stand either inside or outside the gate and kowtow to her.
Tower of Buddhist Incense
Walking out of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds and ascending halfway up Longevity Hill, one reaches the Tower of Buddhist Incense. First built in 1750, the eight-facade tower is 41 meters high with three levels. Standing highly atop the Longevity Hill, this tower, as the symbol as well as the highest building of the Summer Palace, can be seen everywhere around the lake.
The original tower was burned down in 1860 and was rebuilt in 1889. In 1900, when the eight imperialist powers invaded Beijing, it was destroyed again and later reconstructed for the second time in 1903.
According to the original plan of the royal garden, a nine-storey tower was built at the present site. Just before the completion of the tower, Emperor Qianlong found out that the tower was not unisonous with the surroundings nearby. Under the suggestions of some designers, the present Tower of Buddhist Incense was built instead with 780,000 taels of silver.
The tower used to be a place for emperors and empresses to pray. Empress Dowager Cixi always held prayer ceremonies here on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month.
Ascending the tower, one could have a bird's eye view of the scenery of garden scenery. In 1987, the tower was restored again and opened to the public in 1989.
East Palace Gate
Facing west, East Palace Gate is the main entrance to the Summer Palace. It has three openings: the entrance in the center was used exclusively by the Emperors and Empresses, while the two side entrances were for the princes and court officials.
A plaque inscribed with Chinese characters, The Summer Palace written by Emperor Guang Xu, is hung over the gate.
In the center of the stairs in front of the gate is a stone carving depicting the scene of two dragons playing with a pearl. Made during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795), it was originally set in Yuanmingyuan Garden and later moved here.
About 200m from the gate lies a memorial archway. On each side of the memorial archway is an inscription. The one facing the east is "Han Xu," which means "modesty," and the one west is "Yan Xiu," which means "collecting excellence"- not only excellent scenery but also excellent people.
Bronze Ox
Bronze Ox, located to the east of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, was cast in 1755 when Emperor Qianlong expanded the Summer Palace. On the back of the ox, an 80-character poem written by Emperor Qianlong was inscribed, telling that the ox was used to suppress floods. Cast with upturned horns and ears, the bronze ox looks vigilantly at the Kunming Lake like a conscientious sentinel.
It was said that in ancient times, the ox was a symbol of flood control. Early in the Xia dynasty, whenever a flood was brought under control, people used to put an iron ox in the riverbed. In the Tang dynasty, people placed the ox by the bank of the river instead of in the riverbed. In the Qing dynasty, Emperor Qianlong, following the Tang dynasty example, placed a bronze ox east of Kunming Lake to bless the safety of the lake.
History of Summer Place
The Summer Palace was created in 1750, originally as the Emperor's garden retreat in the Qing Dynasty. It was called Qingyi Garden at first.
The major project in its creation was the Three Hills and Five Gardens. The Three Hills refer to Longevity Hill, Fragrant Hill, and Jade Spring Hill, and the Five Gardens are Jingyi Garden, Jingming Garden, Qingyi Garden, and the surrounding Changchun Garden and Yuanming Yuan.
Qingyi Garden was destroyed by British and French troops during the Second Opium War in the 1860s. In 1888, Empress Cixi spent a large amount of money to rebuild a similar garden, for luxury and pleasure in the summer time, called the Summer Palace.
In the late Qing Dynasty, in 1900, the Summer Palace was damaged again by eight European countries, and many national treasures were looted. The palace was repaired in 1903. Later in the period of Kuomintang in the power of regime, the Summer Palace was damaged again.
After 1949, the Summer Palace was repaired and protected by the Communist government, and on March 4, 1961, the Summer Palace was announced as the first National Cultural Relics Protection Site.