Summer Palace
 17-Hole Bridge Summer Palace |
 Summer Palace - Marble Boat |
Built as a retreat from Beijing’s intense summer heat, the Summer Palace (Yihe Yuan) is a sprawling imperial complex set in a large park around the vast Kunming Lake. Its temples, halls, and pavilions date back 800 years. The first emperor of the Jin dynasty (1115-1234) built the Gold Mountain Palace on Longevity Hill; succeeding dynasties added new structures and landscaping.
The imperial family used to arrive at the Summer Palace via a boat that left from the northwest part of the city wall, stopping to rest at Wanshou Temple along the way.
Today, anyone can enter the park at the East Palace Gate. Inside the grounds, directly opposite the gate, stands the Hall Of Benevolence And Longevity (Renshou Dian), which was burned by British and French soldiers who swarmed through the Summer Place in 1860 during the Second Opium War; it was rebuilt 18 years later. This is where Emperor Guangxu and the Empress Dowager Cixi administered state affairs, and where Cixi hatched her intrigues. It is also where emperors of the late Qing dynasty received ambassadors from other countries.
 Summer Palace Beijing |
 Summer Palace - Long Corridor |
Cixi’s throne still sits inside the hall, but the hall’s interior is fenced off and inaccessible to visitors. The fascinating bronze statues in front of the hall include a qilin, a mythical creature that is part dragon, part lion, and part deer, among other creatures. The qilin was often used as decoration in Confucian and imperial buildings. To the left of the hall stand statues of a dragon (meant to represent the emperor) and a phoenix (symbolic of the empress).
On your right, to the north of the hall, is the Garden of Harmonious Virtue (Dehe Yuan), which has what was reputed to be one of the best Peking opera halls in the country. Cixi was a huge opera fan and watched many performances by the palace troupe here on her private stage. When you reach the small well, turn right and follow the path until you reach the Violet Vapors from the East (Ziqi Donglai Chengguan), a martial-like tower that was once guarded by eunuchs. Pass through the opening, and continue walking until you reach the peaceful Garden of Harmonious Interests (Xiequ Yuan), an imitation of a garden in Wuxi, in Jiangsu Province, that was loved by Emperor Yongzheng, His son Qianlong built the garden here for his father in 1754. Take a walk around the small lake before returning to the main path, which leads across a very short bridge over the water.
The breathtaking scenery of Summer Palace has enable this site to become one of the hottest destinations for Beijing Day Tours. Your Beijing private tour guide will assist you in getting know more about the history background of this ancient imperial garden.
Related Post
River Rides
Longevity Hill
Long Corridor
South Island
Where do ducks come from?
Beijing Tours with Summer Palace
| Beijing City Tour to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Summer Palace | |
 |
Tour Code: BJPCT1003 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Summer Palace |
| Beijing Day Tour to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park & Summer Palace | |
 |
Tour Code: BJPDT1001 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park & Summer Palace |
| Beijing Day Tour to Tiananmen, Forbidden City, Eunuch Tomb & Summer Palace | |
 |
Tour Code: BJPDT1006 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Eunuch Tomb & Summer Palace |
| Beijing Day Tour to Tiananmen, Forbidden City, Summer Palace & Temple of Heaven | |
 |
Tour Code: BJPDT1010 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace & Temple of Heaven |
| Beijing Day Tour to Badaling Great Wall & Summer Palace | |
 |
Tour Code: BJPDT1012 Highlights: Badaling Great Wall & Summer Palace |
| Beijing Day Tour to Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, Panda House & Summer Palace | |
 |
Tour Code: BJPDT1018 Highlights: Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, Panda House & Summer Palace |
