The Summer Palace () is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

. It was an imperial garden during the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

. Inside includes Longevity Hill ()

Kunming Lake Kunming Lake ( zh, c=, p=Kūnmíng Hú) is the central lake on the grounds of the Summer Palace in Haidian District, Beijing, China. Together with the Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake forms the key landscape features of the Summer Palace gardens. W ...

and Seventeen Hole Bridge. It covers an expanse of , three-quarters of which is water. Longevity Hill is about high and has many buildings positioned in sequence. The front hill is the site of splendid halls and pavilions, while the back hill, in sharp contrast, is quiet with natural beauty. The central Kunming Lake, covering , was entirely man-made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill. The Summer Palace, which is inspired by the gardens of South China, contains over 3,000 Chinese ancient buildings that house a collection of over 40,000 valuable historical relics from various dynasties. In December 1998,

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

included the Summer Palace on its

World Heritage List World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...

. It declared the Summer Palace "a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value". Notably in Chinese history, it is also the Central Route terminus of the South-North Water Transfer Project having traversed from Danjiangkou Reservoir,

Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...

, making it Beijing's main water supply.

History

Pre-Qing dynasty

The origins of the Summer Palace date back to the Jurchen-led

Jin dynasty Jin may refer to: States Jìn 晉 * Jin (Chinese state) (晉國), major state of the Zhou dynasty, existing from the 11th century BC to 376 BC * Jin dynasty (266–420) (晉朝), also known as Liang Jin and Sima Jin * Jin (Later Tang precursor) ...

. In 1153, when the fourth ruler,

Wanyan Liang Digunai (24 February 1122 – 15 December 1161), also known by his sinicised name Wanyan Liang and his formal title Prince of Hailing (海陵王, ''Hǎilíng Wáng''), was the fourth emperor of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty of China. He was the ...

(r. 1150–1161), moved the Jin capital from

Huining Prefecture Huining Fu (), or Shangjing Huiningfu (), was a Fu (administrative division), Fu in the Shangjing region of Northeast China. It served as the first superior capital of the Jurchen people, Jurchen-led Jin dynasty (1115-1234) from 1122 to 1153 ...

(in present-day

Acheng District Acheng District (Manchu Language: Alcuka Hoton) is one of nine districts of the prefecture-level city of Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China, covering part of the southeastern suburbs. The district was approved to est ...

Harbin Harbin, ; zh, , s=哈尔滨, t=哈爾濱, p=Hā'ěrbīn; IPA: . is the capital of Heilongjiang, China. It is the largest city of Heilongjiang, as well as being the city with the second-largest urban area, urban population (after Shenyang, Lia ...

Heilongjiang Heilongjiang is a province in northeast China. It is the northernmost and easternmost province of the country and contains China's northernmost point (in Mohe City along the Amur) and easternmost point (at the confluence of the Amur and Us ...

) to Yanjing (present-day

), he ordered the construction of a palace in the Fragrant Hills and Jade Spring Hill in what is now the northwest of Beijing. Around 1271, after the

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...

established its capital in

Khanbaliq Khanbaliq (; , ''Qaɣan balɣasu'') or Dadu of Yuan (; , ''Dayidu'') was the Historical capitals of China, winter capital of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty in what is now Beijing, the capital of China today. It was located at the center of modern ...

(present-day

), the engineer

Guo Shoujing Guo Shoujing (, 1231–1316), courtesy name Ruosi (), was a Chinese astronomer, hydraulic engineer, mathematician, and politician of the Yuan dynasty. The later Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1591–1666) was so impressed with the preserved astro ...

initiated a waterworks project to direct the water from Shenshan Spring (神山泉) in Baifu Village (白浮村), Changping into the Western Lake (西湖), which would later become Kunming Lake. Guo aimed to create a water reservoir that would ensure a stable water supply for the palace. In 1494, the

Hongzhi Emperor The Hongzhi Emperor (30 July 1470 – 9 June 1505), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Xiaozong of Ming, personal name Zhu Youcheng, was the tenth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1487 to 1505. He succeeded his father, the Ch ...

(r. 1487–1505) of the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

had a Yuanjing Temple (圓靜寺) built for his

wet nurse A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeding, breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, if she is unable to nurse the child herself sufficiently or chooses not to do so. Wet-nursed children may be known a ...

, Lady Luo, in front of Jar Hill (瓮山), which was later renamed Longevity Hill. The temple fell into disrepair over the years and was abandoned, and the area around the hill became lush with vegetation. The

Zhengde Emperor The Zhengde Emperor (26 October 149120 April 1521), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Wuzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Houzhao, was the 11th List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1505 to 1 ...

(r. 1505–21), who succeeded the Hongzhi Emperor, built a palace on the banks of the Western Lake and turned the area into an imperial garden. He renamed Jar Hill "Golden Hill" (金山) and named the lake "Golden Sea" (金海). Both the Zhengde Emperor and the

Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor (4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shenzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Yijun, art name Yuzhai, was the 14th List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, emperor of the Ming dynasty, reig ...

(r. 1572–1620) enjoyed taking boat rides on the lake. During the reign of the

Tianqi Emperor The Tianqi Emperor (23 December 1605 – 30 September 1627), personal name Zhu Youjiao, was the 16th emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1620 to 1627. He was the eldest son of the Taichang Emperor and an elder brother of the Chongzhen ...

(r. 1620–27), the court

eunuch A eunuch ( , ) is a male who has been castration, castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2 ...

Wei Zhongxian Wei Zhongxian (1568 – December 12, 1627), born Wei Si (魏四), was a Chinese court eunuch who lived in the late Ming dynasty. As a eunuch he used the name Li Jinzhong (李进忠). He is considered by most historians as the most notorious eu ...

took the imperial garden as his personal property.

Qing dynasty

In the early

, Jar Hill served as the site for horse stables in the imperial palace. Eunuchs who committed offences were sent there to weed and cut grass. At the beginning of the reign of the

Qianlong Emperor The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, personal name Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China pr ...

(r. 1735-1796), many imperial gardens were built in the area around present-day

Haidian District Haidian () is a northwest urban district of Beijing, bordering Xicheng, Beijing, Xicheng and Fengtai, Beijing, Fengtai. It is in area, making it the second-largest district in urban Beijing area (after Chaoyang, Beijing, Chaoyang), and is home ...

and accordingly, water consumption increased tremendously. At the time, much of the water stored in the Western Lake came from the freshwater spring on Jade Spring Hill, while a fraction came from the Wanquan River (萬泉河). Any disruption of the water flow from Jade Spring Hill would have affected the capital's

water transport Maritime transport (or ocean transport) or more generally waterborne transport, is the transport of people (passengers or goods (cargo) via waterways. Freight transport by watercraft has been widely used throughout recorded history, as it pr ...

and water supply systems. Around 1749, the Qianlong Emperor decided to build a palace in the vicinity of Jar Hill and the Western Lake to celebrate the 60th birthday of his mother, Empress Dowager Chongqing. He ordered the Western Lake to be expanded further west to create two more lakes, Gaoshui Lake (高水湖) and Yangshui Lake (養水湖), with the aim of improving the capital's waterworks system. The three lakes served not only as a reservoir for the imperial gardens but also as a source of water for the surrounding agricultural areas. The Qianlong Emperor collectively named the three lakes "

" after the Kunming Pool (昆明池) constructed by Emperor Wu (2nd century BC) in the

Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

for the training of his navy. The earth excavated from the expansion of Kunming Lake was used to enlarge Jar Hill, which was renamed "Longevity Hill". The Summer Palace, whose construction was completed in 1764 at a cost of over 4.8 million silver

taels Tael ( ),"Tael" entry
at the

Chinese mythology Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature throughout the area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology encompasses a diverse array of myths derived from regional and cultural tradit ...

about three divine mountains in the East Sea, namely Penglai, Fangzhang (方丈) and Yingzhou (瀛洲). The three islands in Kunming Lake – Nanhu Island (南湖島), Tuancheng Island (團城島) and Zaojiantang Island (藻鑒堂島) – were made to represent the three mountains, while the lake itself was based on a blueprint of the

West Lake The West Lake (; ) is a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, China. Situated to the west of Hangzhou's former Hangzhou City Walls, walled city, the lake has a surface area of , stretching from north to south and from east to west. In the lake are four ...

Hangzhou Hangzhou, , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly romanized as Hangchow is a sub-provincial city in East China and the capital of Zhejiang province. With a population of 13 million, the municipality comprises ten districts, two counti ...

. Moreover, many architectural features in the palace were also built to resemble or imitate various attractions around China. For example, the Phoenix Pier (鳳凰墩) represented

Lake Tai Taihu (), also known as Lake Tai or Lake Taihu, is a lake in the Yangtze Delta and the third largest freshwater lake in China. The lake is in Jiangsu province and a significant part of its southern shore forms its border with Zhejiang. With ...

; the Jingming Tower (景明樓) resembled

Yueyang Tower Yueyang Tower () is an ancient Chinese pavilion in Yueyang, Hunan Province, on the shore of Lake Dongting. Alongside the Pavilion of Prince Teng and Yellow Crane Tower, it is one of the Three Great Towers of Jiangnan. Yueyang Tower became famous ...

Hunan Hunan is an inland Provinces of China, province in Central China. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the Administrative divisions of China, province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to the east, Gu ...

; the Wangchan Pavilion (望蟾閣) resembled

Yellow Crane Tower Yellow Crane Tower () is a traditional Chinese tower located in Wuhan. The current structure was built from 1981 to 1985, but the tower has existed in various forms from as early as AD 223. The current Yellow Crane Tower is high and covers a ...

; the shopping streets were designed to imitate those in

Suzhou Suzhou is a major prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province, China. As part of the Yangtze Delta megalopolis, it is a major economic center and focal point of trade and commerce. Founded in 514 BC, Suzhou rapidly grew in size by the ...

and

Yangzhou Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, East China. Sitting on the north bank of the Yangtze, it borders the provincial capital Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou, Jiangsu, ...

. The centrepiece of the Summer Palace was the "Great Temple of Gratitude and Longevity" (大報恩延壽寺). There was also a Long Corridor more than 700 metres (2,300 ft) long which was furnished with artistic decorations. As the palace was not equipped with facilities for long-term residence and the daily administration of state affairs, the Qianlong Emperor never dwelt there and only remained for the day whenever he visited it. As the Qing Empire started declining after the reign of the

Daoguang Emperor The Daoguang Emperor (16 September 1782 – 26 February 1850), also known by his temple name Emperor Xuanzong of Qing, personal name Mianning, was the seventh List of emperors of the Qing dynasty, emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the sixth Qing e ...

(r. 1820–1850), the Summer Palace gradually became more neglected and the architectural features on the three islands were ordered to be dismantled because the costs of maintenance were too high. During the

Second Opium War The Second Opium War (), also known as the Second Anglo-Chinese War or ''Arrow'' War, was fought between the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the United States against the Qing dynasty of China between 1856 and 1860. It was the second major ...

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and French forces occupied the Summer Palace and the nearby

Old Summer Palace The Old Summer Palace, also known as Yuanmingyuan () or Yuanmingyuan Park, originally called the Imperial Gardens (), and sometimes called the Winter Palace, was a complex of palaces and gardens in present-day Haidian District, Beijing, China. I ...

in December 1860, sacking both and burning the latter. The occupations came as part of an invasion of Northern China by Britain and France to force the government of the Qing dynasty to come to the negotiating table. Despite being looted, the Summer Palace was not burned, however, as the British High Commissioner to China, Lord Elgin, had not issued orders to do so. Between 1884–95, during the reign of the

Guangxu Emperor The Guangxu Emperor (14 August 1871 – 14 November 1908), also known by his temple name Emperor Dezong of Qing, personal name Zaitian, was the tenth Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China ...

(r. 1875–1908),

Empress Dowager Cixi Empress Dowager Cixi ( ; 29 November 1835 – 15 November 1908) was a Manchu noblewoman of the Yehe Nara clan who effectively but periodically controlled the Chinese government in the late Qing dynasty as empress dowager and regent for almost 50 ...

reportedly ordered up to 22 million silver taels, originally designated for upgrading the Qing navy (the

Beiyang Fleet The Beiyang Fleet (Pei-yang Fleet; , alternatively Northern Seas Fleet) was one of the Imperial Chinese Navy#Fleets, four modernized Chinese navies in the late Qing dynasty. Among the four, the Beiyang Fleet was particularly sponsored by Li Hong ...

), to be used for reconstructing and enlarging the Summer Palace to celebrate her 60th birthday; however, some other sources state that a maximum of six million taels were allotted, of which none came from the Navy's capital budget, but only the accrued bank interest paid. As the funds were limited, the construction works were concentrated on the buildings at the front of Longevity Hill and the dams around Kunming Lake. The Summer Palace was also given its present-day Chinese name, "Yiheyuan" (頤和園), in 1888. In 1900, towards the end of the

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...

, the Summer Palace suffered damage again when the forces of the

Eight-Nation Alliance The Eight-Nation Alliance was a multinational military coalition that invaded northern China in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion, with the stated aim of relieving the foreign legations in Beijing, which were being besieged by the popular Boxer ...

destroyed the imperial gardens and seized many artifacts stored in the palace. The palace was restored two years later.

Post-Qing dynasty

In 1912, following the abdication of the

Puyi Puyi (7 February 190617 October 1967) was the final emperor of China, reigning as the eleventh monarch of the Qing dynasty from 1908 to 1912. When the Guangxu Emperor died without an heir, Empress Dowager Cixi picked his nephew Puyi, aged tw ...

, the Last Emperor, the Summer Palace became the private property of the former imperial family of the Qing Empire. Two years later, the Summer Palace was opened to the public and entry tickets were sold. In 1924, after Puyi was expelled from the

Forbidden City The Forbidden City () is the Chinese Empire, imperial Chinese palace, palace complex in the center of the Imperial City, Beijing, Imperial City in Beijing, China. It was the residence of 24 Ming dynasty, Ming and Qing dynasty, Qing dynasty L ...

by the warlord

Feng Yuxiang Feng Yuxiang (; ; 6 November 1882 – 1 September 1948), courtesy name Huanzhang (焕章), was a Chinese warlord and later general in the National Revolutionary Army. He served as Vice Premier of the Republic of China from 1928 to 1930. A ...

, the Beijing municipal government took charge of administering the Summer Palace and turned it into a public park. After 1949, the Summer Palace briefly housed the Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party. Many of

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...

's friends and key figures in the Communist Party, such as Liu Yazi and

Jiang Qing Jiang Qing (March 191414 May 1991), also known as Madame Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary, actress, and political figure. She was the fourth wife of Mao Zedong, the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, Chairman of the Communis ...

, also lived there. Since 1953, many major restoration and renovation works have been done on the Summer Palace, which is now open to the public as a tourist attraction and park. In November 1998, the Summer Palace was designated a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

. Towards the end of 2006, the Chinese government also started distributing

commemorative coins A commemorative coin is a coin issued to commemorate some particular event or issue with a distinct design with reference to the occasion on which they were issued. Some coins of this category serve as collector's items only, while most commemora ...

to celebrate the Summer Palace as a cultural relic of the world.

Attractions

Summer Palace - Stele of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake

The entire Summer Palace is centered around Longevity Hill and

, with the latter covering about three-quarters of the area. Most of the important buildings were built along the north–south axis of Longevity Hill, which is divided into the front hill and the back hill. There are three small islands within Kunming Lake: Nanhu Island, Zaojiantang Island and Zhijingge Island. The West Dam of Kunming Lake divides the lake into two. The East Dam was constructed during the reign of the

. The attractions in the Summer Palace may be divided into six different sections or scenic areas: the Halls, Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake, the Farming and Weaving Picture Scenic Area, the Long Corridor, and the Central Axis area. Summer Palace is among the most-visited destinations in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, ranking in the top five, and attracts about 10 million tourists annually.

Front Hill

* Eastern Palace Gate (

simplified Chinese Simplification, Simplify, or Simplified may refer to: Mathematics Simplification is the process of replacing a mathematical expression by an equivalent one that is simpler (usually shorter), according to a well-founded ordering. Examples include: ...

: 东宫门;

traditional Chinese A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examp ...

: 東宮門;

pinyin Hanyu Pinyin, or simply pinyin, officially the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet, is the most common romanization system for Standard Chinese. ''Hanyu'' () literally means 'Han Chinese, Han language'—that is, the Chinese language—while ''pinyin' ...

: ''Dōnggōngmén''): The main entrance to the Summer Palace. The two bronze lions on either side of the gate are preserved from the Qianlong Emperor's time while the Cloud Dragon Steps in front of the gate are relics from the

. The three

Chinese characters Chinese characters are logographs used Written Chinese, to write the Chinese languages and others from regions historically influenced by Chinese culture. Of the four independently invented writing systems accepted by scholars, they represe ...

"Yiheyuan" on the sign above the gate were written by the Guangxu Emperor. * Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (仁寿殿; 仁壽殿; ''Rénshòudiàn''): The hall where court sessions were held. It was called the "Hall of Good Governance" (勤政殿) in the Qianlong Emperor's time but was given its present-day name by the Guangxu Emperor. The well north of the hall is called the "Year-Prolonging Well" (延年井) while the

rockery A rock garden, also known as a rockery and formerly as a rockwork, is a garden, or more often a part of a garden, with a landscaping framework of rocks, stones, and gravel, with planting appropriate to this setting. Usually these are small ...

behind the hall was designed to imitate the Lion Grove Garden in

. The

stalactites A stalactite (, ; , ) is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble and that can be deposited as a colloid, or is in suspension, or is ca ...

are relics from the Old Summer Palace. * Hall of Jade Billows (玉澜堂; 玉瀾堂; ''Yùlántáng''): Located west of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It was the living quarters of the Qing emperors. The Guangxu Emperor was once confined here by Empress Dowager Cixi. * Yiyun Hall (宜芸馆; 宜芸館; ''Yíyúnguǎn''): Located north of the Hall of Jade Billows. It was originally a library in the Qianlong Emperor's time but became the living quarters of Empress Longyu in the Guangxu Emperor's time. It housed a collection of stone carvings of calligraphy written by the Qianlong Emperor. * Dehe Garden u(德和园; 德和園; ''Déhéyuán''): Houses the three-storey Great Opera Hall (大戏楼; 大戲樓), where opera performances were staged. * Hall of Joy and Longevity (乐寿堂; 樂壽堂; ''Lèshòutáng''): The living quarters of Empress Dowager Cixi. * Long Corridor (长廊; 長廊; ''Chángláng''): Stretches from the Hall of Joy and Longevity in the east to Shizhang Pavilion in the west. The entire corridor is 728 metres (2,388 ft) long and contains artistic decorations, including paintings of famous places in China, and scenes from

and folktales, ''

The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars ''The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars'', also translated as ''The Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety'' (), is a classic text of Confucianism, Confucian filial piety written by Guo Jujing ()() Wang, Qi (). ''Xu Wenxian Tongkao'' () vol. 71. duri ...

'' and the

Four Great Classical Novels Classic Chinese Novels () are the best-known works of literary fiction across pre-modern Chinese literature. The group usually includes the following works: Ming dynasty novels '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', '' Water Margin'', ''Journey to t ...

. * Hall of Dispelling Clouds (排云殿; 排雲殿; ''Páiyúndiàn''): Situated on the centre of the central axis of Longevity Hill. Originally the Great Temple of Gratitude and Longevity (大報恩延壽寺), it was renovated in 1892 and became a place for Empress Dowager Cixi to receive guests, host grand ceremonies, and celebrate her birthday. * Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁; 佛香閣; ''Fóxiānggé''): Located right in the centre of the front hill of Longevity Mountain. The tower was originally meant to be a nine-storey Buddhist pagoda built to resemble the

. The Qianlong Emperor ordered the construction to be stopped just after the eighth storey was built. The tower was built on a 20 m (66 ft) tall stone base, measures three stories and 41 metres (135 ft) in height, and is supported by eight

ironwood Ironwood is a common name for many woods that have a reputation for hardness, or specifically a wood density that is denser than water (approximately 1000 kg/m3, or 62 pounds per cubic foot), although usage of the name ironwood in English ma ...

pillars. Empress Dowager Cixi visited the tower to offer incense and pray. * Sea of Wisdom (智慧海; ''Zhìhuìhǎi''): Located on the peak of Longevity Hill. It was built from coloured glass and houses over 1,000 statues of Buddhist figures. It was partially damaged during the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...

. * Stele of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake (万寿山昆明湖碑; 萬壽山昆明湖碑; ''Wànshòushān Kūnmínghú Bēi''): Located east of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds. The stele bears six Chinese characters written by the Qianlong Emperor. * Pavilion of Precious Clouds (宝云阁; 寶雲閣; ''Bǎoyúngé''): Located west of the Tower of Buddhist Incense. It was originally called the "Bronze Pavilion" (铜亭; 銅亭) and was built in 1755. The doors and windows were stolen by soldiers from the

in 1900. In the 1980s, they were purchased by overseas Chinese and donated back to the Summer Palace. * Stone Boat (石舫; ''Shífǎng''): The Stone Boat is 36 metres (118 ft) long. The original wooden boat was burnt in 1860 and has been replaced with a marble copy with western-style paddle wheels. * Oriole-Listening Hall (听鹂馆; 聽鸝館; ''Tīnglíguǎn''): Located west of Longevity Hill. It used to be where Empress Dowager Cixi watched opera performances. The hall is now converted into a restaurant specialising in Qing imperial cuisine. * Huazhongyou (画中游; 畫中游; ''Huàzhōngyóu''): Located west of Longevity Hill, just above the Oriole-Listening Hall, with a view over Kunming Lake. * East of the Front Hill (前山东部; 前山東部; ''Qiánshān Dōngbù''): Has many pavilions and halls. * West of the Front Hill (前山西部; ''Qiánshān Xībù''): Has many pavilions and halls. * West of the Long Corridor (长廊西端; 長廊西端; ''Chángláng Xīduān''): There is a "West Four Hall" (西四厅; 西四廳) located north of Shizhang Pavilion. The Guangxu Emperor's Consort Zhen was confined in the hall by Empress Dowager Cixi. It used to be the west entrance into the Summer Palace during the Qianlong Emperor's time.

Back Hill

* Suzhou Street (苏州街; 蘇州街; ''Sūzhōujiē''): In 1762, after returning from touring the

Jiangnan Jiangnan is a geographic area in China referring to lands immediately to the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, including the southern part of its delta. The region encompasses the city of Shanghai, the southern part of Jiangsu ...

region, the Qianlong Emperor ordered the construction of a shopping street resembling Shantang Street in

. The street was destroyed by the British and French in 1860 and was only restored in 1988. * Garden of Harmonious Pleasures (谐趣园; 諧趣園; ''Xiéqùyuán''): Located in the northeast corner of the Summer Palace. In 1751, when the Qianlong Emperor toured the Jiangnan region, he was so impressed with Jichang Garden in

Wuxi Wuxi ( zh, s=无锡, p=Wúxī, ) is a city in southern Jiangsu, China. As of the 2024 census, it had a population of 7,495,000. The city lies in the southern Yangtze delta and borders Lake Tai. Notable landmarks include Lihu Park, the Mt. Lings ...

that he ordered a Huishan Garden (惠山園) to be built in the Summer Palace modelled after Jichang Garden. Huishan Garden was renamed "Xiequ Garden" in 1811. * Four Great Regions (四大部洲; ''Sìdàbùzhōu''): Located on the centre of the central axis of the back hill. It was designed to resemble the

Samye Monastery Samye Monastery (, ), full name Samye Migyur Lhundrub Tsula Khang (Wylie: ''Bsam yas mi ’gyur lhun grub gtsug lag khang'') and Shrine of Unchanging Spontaneous Presence, is the first Tibetan Buddhist and Nyingma monastery built in Tibet, during ...

in Tibet and houses statues of

Bhaisajyaguru Bhaiṣajyaguru (, zh, t= , , , , ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabha-rāja ("Medicine Master and King of Lapis Lazuli Light"; zh, t=藥師琉璃光(王)如來, , , ), is the Buddha of healing and medicine i ...

the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...

and

Amitābha Amitābha (, "Measureless" or "Limitless" Light), also known as Amituofo in Chinese language, Chinese, Amida in Japanese language, Japanese and Öpakmé in Tibetan script, Tibetan, is one of the main Buddhahood, Buddhas of Mahayana, Mahayana Buddh ...

. It was destroyed by the British and French in 1860 but was restored later. * Flower Pavilion and Glass Tower (花承阁琉璃塔; 花承閣琉璃塔; ''Huāchénggé Liúlítǎ''): Located east of the back hill. It was destroyed by the British and French in 1860; only the Glass Tower remains. During the

, the Buddhist statue at the bottom of the tower was disfigured by the

Red Guards The Red Guards () were a mass, student-led, paramilitary social movement mobilized by Chairman Mao Zedong in 1966 until their abolition in 1968, during the first phase of the Cultural Revolution, which he had instituted.Teiwes According to a ...

. * Former Location of Gaichunyuan (赅春园遗址; 賅春園遺址; ''Gāichūnyuán Yízhǐ''): Located west of the back hill. A small garden was built there during the Qianlong Emperor's time and the emperor also had his study room there. Gaichunyuan was mostly destroyed by the British and French in 1860. * Former Location of Qiwang Pavilion (绮望轩遗址; 綺望軒遺址; ''Qǐwàngxuān Yízhǐ''): Located west of the back hill beside the lake. A small garden was built there during the Qianlong Emperor's time.

Eastern Dam

*Zhichun Pavilion (): Located on the east bank of Kunming Lake at the south of the Hall of Jade Billows. * Wenchang Tower (): Built to resemble a city gate. It served as an important entry point into the Summer Palace from the east and south during the Qianlong Emperor's time. The Wenchang Hall (), often called a Gallery, is located beside Wenchang Tower and displays cultural artefacts from the Summer Palace. * Kuoru Pavilion (): Situated in the middle of the eastern dam, east of the 17 Openings Bridge. It covered an area of . * Bronze Ox (): A bronze statue of an ox built in 1755. * Yelü Chucai Shrine (): A shrine built by the Qianlong Emperor to commemorate

Yelü Chucai Yelü Chucai (; "Longbeard", written in Chinese characters as "", July 24, 1190 – June 20, 1244), courtesy name Jinqing (), was a Khitan statesman from the imperial clan of the Liao dynasty, who became a vigorous adviser and administrator of ...

, an influential statesman in the

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire was the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in human history, history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Euro ...

. It was closed down after 2003 and its front section was converted into a souvenir shop.

Nanhu Island

* 17-Arch Bridge (十七孔桥; 十七孔橋; ''Shíqīkǒngqiáo''): Has 17 different types of arches on it. It incorporates features of the

Precious Belt Bridge The Precious Belt Bridge, also known by other names, is a stone arch bridge near Suzhou in Jiangsu, China. It is located at the intersection of the Grand Canal and Tantai Lake about southeast of central Suzhou. Names The names Precious Belt ...

in Suzhou and the Lugou Bridge in Beijing. The entire bridge is 150 metres (490 ft) long and 8 metres (26 ft) wide. * Dragon King Temple (龙王庙; 龍王廟; ''Lóngwángmiào''): A temple built to worship the

Dragon King The Dragon King, also known as the Dragon God, is a Chinese water and weather god. He is regarded as the dispenser of rain, commanding over all bodies of water. He is the collective personification of the ancient concept of the '' lóng'' in ...

. * Hanxu Hall (涵虚堂; 涵虛堂; ''Hánxūtáng''): Located the north of Nanhu Island, directly facing the Tower of Buddhist Incense on the north bank.

Western Dam

* Lake Dividing Bridge (): The bridge that separates Kunming Lake from the northern lake. * Jade Belt Bridge () * Binfeng Bridge () * Jingming Tower (): It was destroyed by the British and French in 1860 and was restored only in 1992. It was designed to imitate

. * Mirror Bridge () * White Silk Bridge () * Willow Bridge (): Located most south of the western dam. * Farming and Weaving Picture Scenic Area (): Built during the Qianlong Emperor's time, it was designed to bring to life a scene from the daily lives of peasants. This area was excluded from the Summer Palace after it was renovated by Empress Dowager Cixi. In 1949, the area was occupied by the

People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the military of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). It consists of four Military branch, services—People's Liberation Army Ground Force, Ground Force, People's ...

and a paper-making factory was built there. In 2003, the area was incorporated back into the Summer Palace and some old buildings were restored.

Climate

Transport

* Beigongmen station on Line 4 of Beijing Subway, near the North Gate. * Summer Palace West Gate station on

Xijiao line The Xijiao Line of the Beijing Subway, also called No. 29 Line () is a light rail line in Haidian District of Beijing. It runs west and north from Bagou station, Bagou on Line 10 (Beijing Subway), Line 10 to the Fragrant Hills station (Beijing ...

of Beijing Subway, near the West Gate.

References

External links

* {{Authority control AAAAA-rated tourist attractions Chinese architectural history Buildings and structures in Haidian District Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Beijing Palaces in China Royal residences in China Tourist attractions in Beijing World Heritage Sites in China