Summer Palace
» Beijing, He Bei

颐和园 造园艺术杰作 寓为海上仙山 佛香阁 智慧海 长廊 石坊 苏州街 谐趣园

Garden of Nurtured Harmony,Yiheyuan

The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), located in the northwestern outskirts of Beijing about 20 km (12.43 miles) from the central part of the city, is the largest and most famous imperial garden in China. It is the best-preserved imperial garden in the world and one of the largest of its kind still in existence in China today. The palace features hundreds of architecturally distinct buildings, halls, pavilions, pagodas, bridges and corridors dispersed among magnificent and elegant gardens. It has an area of 290 hectares (717 acres), three quarters of which is water. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage site in 1998.

The rough fate of Summer Palace

  • Birthday's present
    The construction of the Summer Palace first started in 1750. At that time, the Qing Dynasty was in its heyday and China was a powerful Asian country with vast territories. The monarch in power then was Emperor Qianlong. With supreme power and large sums of money, he summoned skillful and ingenious artisans from all over the country to carry out this construction work in honor of his mother's birthday. After 15 years and one seventh of the natio's annual revenue spent, the Garden of Clear Ripples was completed and served as a testimony to China's scientific and technological achievements.
  • The first misfortune
    The Summer Palace is reputed to be the "King of the Gardens," although it has faced two devastating attacks. In 1860 the Anglo-French Allied Forced invaded Beijing, and the Summer Palace, together with many other imperial gardens and resorts, was burnt to ashes. The invaders plundered the treasures from the garden and afterwards set fire to the buildings. In 1888, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1875 - 1898), Empress Dowager Cixi spent a fabulous sum of money (which she actually took from Navy funds) having the garden partly rebuilt, and she gave it the new name - the Summer Palace.
  • The second misfortune
    In 1900, however, the Eight Powers' Allied Forces invaded Beijing, and the Summer Palace was once again ravaged by foreign robbers. This time Empress Cixi and Emperor Guangxu fled to Xi'an. Two years later, they returned to Beijing and ordered the garden rebuilt. In 1924, after the last Emperor Puyi was driven out of the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace was changed from an imperial garden into a public park.

Layout of Summer Palace

Empress Cixi' office

The administration area is comprised primarily of the Halls of Benevolence and Longevity, and is where Cixi arranged her affairs of state and received officials.

The arrangement of the hall has been left untouched. In the middle of the hall stands a throne made of sandalwood and carved with beautiful designs. In the background there is a screen carved with nine frolicking dragons. On either side of the throne there are two big fans made of peacock feathers, two column-shaped incense burners, crane-shaped lanterns and an incense burner assuming the form of Luduan, a mythological animal which was suppose to have the power to prevent fire. The small chambers on eight sides were where the Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi rested and met officials on formal occasions.

On the verandah in the foreground of the hall there are bronze statues of dragon and phoenixes which served as incense burners on major occasions. They are hollow and smoke comes through holes on their backs. Also on the veranda is Tai Ping (Peace) bronze water vats made during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. As a precaution in case of fire, a fire was lit underneath the vats in the winter to keep the water in them from freezing.

Empress Cixi' entertainment places

The residential area is made up of the Hall of Jade Billows, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, and the Hall of Joyful Longevity.

The Garden of Virtue and Harmony

The Garden of Virtuous Harmony, where Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi were entertained with Beijing Opera performances. IT mainly consists of the Dressing House, The Grand Theater Building and the Hall of pleasure smiles. The grand Theater Building known as the "Cradle of Beijing Opera" was uniquely laid out and magnificently decorated. On September 10, 1984, the Garden of Virtuous Harmony opened its doors to visitors. There are also 7 exhibition halls with articles of daily use on display here. The staff here put up court dresses of Qing Dynasty in order to give the visitor a more vivid impression.

The Grand Theater Building

This building is 21 meters in height and 17 meters in width and features three tiers of tilted eaves and stages. All of the stages are connected to a raise, and a winch is installed at the top. A well and 5 ponds were sunk under the ground stage. There are trapdoors in the ceiling for fairies to descend, as well as on the floor for demons to surface. The underground passages also served as a means of improving resonance and making the performers` voices more audible .Of the three main theater building of the Qing Dynasty, the Grand Theater Building is the tallest and the largest. The other two are Changyin (Fluent Voice) Pavilion in Chengde, an imperial summer resort. The building played a major part in fostering the birth and development of Beijing opera: since the completion of the Grand Theater Building, many performances were held in it in honor of the Empress Dowager Cixi.

Longevity Hill Area

  1. The Longevity Hill Area faces Kunming Lake in the south and is backed by Rear Lake (Houhu) in the north. On the front hill, grand halls stand along a north-south axis. The halls are the Hall of Dispelling Clouds (Paiyundian), the Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiangge) and the Hall of the Sea of Wisdom (Zhihuihai).
  2. The Hall of Dispelling Clouds, with its red pillars and yellow tiles, is the most splendid building in the whole palace. The grand Tower of Buddhist Incense, towering 41 meters (134.5 feet), is the symbol of the Summer Palace. The Hall of the Sea of Wisdom on the top of Longevity Hill is a Buddhist hall, and the outside is decorated with glazed tiles.
  3. Suzhou Market Street (Suzhoujie) is located at the Rear Lake. With shops perched on the banks above the small waterways that run through the area, the street looks just the 'Water Country' of the southern region of the Yangtze River.

Kunming Lake Area

The 728-meter-long corridor (Changlang) that runs along the south bank of the beautiful lake is the longest and most famous of such paths in China. It serves as a link between Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. Around 14,000 impressive paintings of historical figures, landscapes, birds and flowers adorn this corridor, making it into a fantastic gallery.

  1. On the west bank is a large two-storey boat made from marble, which was built in 1755, in the hope that the governance of the Qing Dynasty would be impregnable under any circumstance. The base deck was built of large stone blocks of marble, while the upper part was made of wood. The boat, which is huge and immobile, was built as a symbol of stability of the Qing Dynasty.
  2. To the west of Kunming Lake, there is a long causeway, called "West Dike," and patterned after the West Lake in Hangzhou. A western bank divides the lake into two parts. Six graceful bridges act as connecters throughout the entire western bank, among which the Jade Belt Bridge was a favorite of the Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi.
  3. The spectacular Seventeen-Arch Bridge (Shiqikong Qiao) connects the eastern bank and Nanhu Island. The bridge is 150 meters (492 feet) long and eight meters (twenty-six feet) wide. 564 strikingly life-like stone lions with different expressions and gestures line the balusters.

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Day Entertainment & Sports

Shopping & Leisure

Shopping & Leisure

  Weather

  1. Is Beijing's weather fine all year round?
  2. Which is the best season to visit Beijing?

  Transportation

  1. Do taxes cost high in Beijing? Are taxi drivers friendly?
  2. Can I take subway in Beijing? Is it fast and easy to find?

  Food

  1. How much do you konw about Beijing cuisine? and local food?
  2. What taste is a must in Beijing? Why is Peking Duck so popular in Beijing?
  3. What should we pay attention to when having lunch or dinner in Beijing?

  Shopping

  1. Can I use my credit card when shopping in Beijing?
  2. What souvenirs can we buy in Beijing?

  Travel

  1. Are toliet facilities clean in Beijing?
  2. Where should I go if I love Beijing's nightlife?
  3. Do you want to visit Tai Chi and Kung Fu performance in Beijing?

  Customs

  1. Are you interested in chinese Facial Makeup?
  2. Have you ever heard of "Chineses tea culture"? Do you want to learn drinking custom?
  3. Why are "Hutong" so welcomed? May I take it as an symbol of Beijing?
  4. Are you familiar with courtyard house (siheyuan)? Where can I visit it in Beijing?
  5. What festivals do peking friends celebrate? How do they celebrate Spring Festival?
  6. How much do you know about Beijing opera?

  Other Hints

  1. What to pack for Beijing tours?
  2. What is emergency number in Beijing?
  3. What is Beijing time?
  4. What do I need to prepare if I want to visit Beijing attractions?

  • Is Beijing's weather fine all year round?

    No, The climate in Beijing is of the continental type, with cold and dry winters, due to the Siberian air massses that move southward across the Mongolian Plateau. The summers are hot owing to warm and humid monsoon winds from the southeast bringing Beijing most of its annual precipitation. January is the coldest month and July is the warmest. Winter usually begins towards the end of October. The summer months, June to August, are wet and hot with about 40% of the annual precipitation.


  • Which is the best season to visit Beijing?

    The autumn months between September and November have the best weather and fewer tourists. Summer (June to August) is considered peak season, when hotels typically raise their rates and the Great Wall nearly collapses under the weight of marching tourists. Spring is less pleasant not many tourists but lots of wind and dust. In winter, you'll have Beijing to yourself and many hotels offer substantial discounts, just remember it's an ice box outside. Everything is chock block during the Chinese New Year (usually in January or February).


  • Do taxes cost high in Beijing? Are taxi drivers friendly in Beijing?

    No, the cost is not expensive, around 1.6 yuan per kilometer. During the olym pic games is held in 2008, some tax's drivers are interested in learning English. They are so kind and friend that some may chat to you in English.


  • Can I take subway in Beijing? Is it fast and easy to find?

    Yes, the subway system in Beijing was rebuilt during 2008, until now it opened subway line 1, subway line 2, subway line 5, subway line 13, and line eight-passageway, covering the whole city and the airport. Morover, subway line 10 is plan to open during olym pic games period, which favor special for olym pic village. You may get to subway station easily in avenue. The subway is a great way to beat the growing Beijing traffic chaos.


  • How much do you konw about Beijing cuisine? and local food?

    Just like the capital's culture, Beijing cuisine has absorbed and been influenced by many of the flavours of China's regions. Chinese cuisine in general has the four distinct regional cooking styles of Sichuan (Chuan) to the West, Canton (Cantonese) to the South, Shangdong (Lu) to the East and Jiangsu (Huaiyang) to the North and the cuisine of Beijing brings together these contrasting styles. In Beijing you can find menus from around the world including Spanish, French and Italian restaurants that are well-established, and Japanese, Indian and Thai outlets, that are also very popular with local Beijingers.

    You can have steamed bread with bean filling, flour pancakes cooked with egg, coriander, chilli, and black onion seeds, pancakes stuffed with pork, egg and vegetables. These gems are available from little glass cabinettes on the back of three-wheeled bicycles or from stands on street corners, hidden down leafy hutongs.


  • What taste is a must in Beijing? Why is Peking Duck so popular in Beijing?

    Peking Duck, a delicious, lightly-smoked, rich meal complimented by pancakes, dipping sauce, vegetable filling and irresistible slivers of juicy meat, fat and crispy skin. As the favourit food in local Beijing, Peking duck is world famous nowadays.

    Peking duck has been prepared since the Yuan Dynasty, and is now considered one of China's national foods. Duck has been roasted in China since the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Peking Duck was first prepared for the Emperor of China in the Yuan Dynasty. The dish, originally named "Shaoyazi". In the Ming Dynasty, the Peking Duck was one of the main dishes on imperial court menus. By the Qianlong Period (1736-1796) of the Qing Dynasty, the popularity of the Peking Duck spread to the upper classes, inspiring poetry from poets and scholars who enjoyed the dish.

    Today, the Peking Duck had become a national symbol of China, favoured by tourists and diplomats alike. For example, Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State of the United States met Premier Zhou Enlai in the Great Hall of the People on July 10, during his first visit to China. After a round of inconclusive talks in the morning, the delegation was served Peking Duck for lunch, which became Kissinger's favourite. The Americans and Chinese issued a joint statement the following day, inviting President Richard Nixon to visit China in 1972. The Peking Duck was hence considered one of the factors behind the rapproachement of the United States to China in the 1970's. Following Zhou's death in 1976, Kissinger paid another visit to Beijing to savour Peking Duck.


  • What should we pay attention to when having lunch or dinner in Beijing?

    • Restaurants in Beijing usually do not require tips or a service charge. Some expensive restaurants will charge 15% service.
    • Opening times usually 11am-2pm and 5pm-10pm
    • Menus written in Chinese, so be warned: bring a friendly translator
    • Do not worry about getting the chopsticks right first time: practice not perfection
    • Do observe some of the taboos associated with eating in Chin.a


  • Can I use my credit card when shopping in Beijing?

    Yes, paying credit card is available in most shopping centre, Beijing. Just like Wangfujing walking street. however, It is easy to find the ATM bank in some downtown districts, and it will not be a problem if you want working staff help you handle routine banking bussiness. The money used in Beijing is the Chinese RenMinBi, or RMB for short. The Chinese call it Yuan or Kuai in Beijing. There are approximately 8 RMB to the US dollar. Most star hotels offer a good service for exchanging your cash into RMB. Anyway, you may not worry about it.


  • What souvenirs can we buy in Beijing?

    Fancywork, mintmark, fogle, tablecloth designed in dragon and phenix, herbal medicine, etc.

  • Are toliet facilities clean in Beijing?

    Most toliets are repaired two years ago. Most are some squat toilets to Western ones, as your body won't have to come into contact with anything in there that might be dirty. No need to sit on dirty toilet seats.


  • Where should I go if I love Beijing's nightlife?

    Yuandadu Street is developed on Yuandadu Relics and also belongs to an up-and-coming youngster. Distinctive feature theme is its enchantment. Madami Mosuo flavor bar, gliding umbrella theme bar, Tibet breeding dog bar. There are more than 20 bars here. It is relatively quiet because of lower recognition.

    Hou hai bar area (lotus lane) seems to be taking over from Sanlitun as the major bar area of Beijing. It is situated around a man-made lake at the north of Beihai Park. Boating is available on the lake till 11pm or 12am (in the summer of course). Very pretty area.

  • Do you want to visit Tai Chi and Kung Fu performance in Beijing?

    Tai Chi quan(shadow boxing) is a famous Chinese Kung Fu. All the Chinese Kung Fu can be divided into two kinds, the "In - style" and the "Out - style". Tai Chi is the representative kind of the "In-style". This kind of Kung Fu emphasizes on the stuffs inside the fighter's body, which include the calmness of the spirit, the sensitivity of the sense and the speed of the reaction. In contrast, the out - style Kung Fu is to fight before your opponent's move or try to destroy your opponent's attack.

    We will arrange you a nice Tai Chi lesson and Kung Fu performance if you like.


  • Are you interested in chinese Facial Makeup?

    The Chinese Facial Makeup art was developed from the mask painting art which was initiated by Lang-Ling Hwang in the Pei-Gee dynasty and by Wu-Hsiang Dee in the Song dynasty. The painted masks were originally used in the fields of battle to make dreadful figures to frighten the enemy. Later on the masks were employed in the stage to show.

    Social standing and disposition of characters. Owing to difficulty and inconvenience of manufacturing and wearing masks, the colors were directly painted on the faces, afterwards. Generally speaking, the face without painting represents faithful and nice fellows, the multi-colored face represents wicked people, the red face represents loyal and straight characters, the black face represent bravery and preseverance. The buffoons are painted with coloured spots. Up to now, there are many types of face-painting.


  • Have you ever heard of "Chineses tea culture"? Do you want to learn drinking custom?

    Chinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed in China. Tea culture in China differs from that of Europe, Britain or Japan in such things as preparation methods, tasting methods and the occasions for which it is consumed. Even now, in both casual and formal Chinese occasions, tea is consumed regularly. In addition to being a drink, Chinese tea is used in traditional Chinese medicine and in Chinese cuisine.

    There are several special circumstances in which tea is prepared and consumed:

    As a sign of respect
    For a family gathering
    To apologize
    To express thanks to your elders on one's wedding day
    To connect large families on wedding days
    To pass on the tradition


  • Why are "Hutong" so welcomed? May I take it as an symbol of Beijing?

    Hutong is a typical lane or small street in Beijing that originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). "Hutong" is a Mongolian word, meaning "water well". During that time, water well is the settlement around which people lived. There are tens of thousands of hutongs surrounding the Forbidden City. In the past, Beijing was composed of countless courtyards. Hutongs were formed when people left a passageway between two courtyards to make entering them more convenient.

    As the symbol of Beijing City, a hutong has its own layout and structure, which makes it a wonder in the world. When taking a bird's eye view of Beijing, you will find the combination of hutongs and courtyards just like an orderly chessboard with delicate gardens, fine rockeries, and ancient ruins. Hutongs have witnessed the development of Beijing. Where there is a hutong, there is a story.


  • Are you familiar with courtyard house(siheyuan)? Where can I visit it in Beijing?

    Traditionally most urban Chinese used to live in quadrangles called siheyuan or "four-side enclosed courtyards." These courts, as the name implies, are formed by inward-facing houses on four sides, closed in by enclosure walls. Such a residence offers space, comfort and quiet privacy. It is also good for security as well as protection against dust and storms. Grown with plants and flowers, the court is also a sort of garden.

    In feudal times, the courtyard dwellings were built according to the traditional concepts of the five elements that were believed to compose the universe, and the eight diagrams of divination. The gate was made at the southeast corner which was the "wind" corner, and house was made to face the south with the main building on the north side which was believed to belong to "water" - an element to prevent fire.

    Today, Beijing still has about 400,000 residential quadrangles, mainly distributed over the East, West, Xuanwu and Chongwen districts of the city. Those in the East and West districts are in the best shape.


  • What festivals do peking friends celebrate? How do they celebrate Spring festival?

    Spring festival, Lantern festival, Qingming festival, Dragon boat festival, Double seven festival, Mid-autum festival, Double ninth festival, Winter solstice festival. These festivals are celebrated by Peking friends.

    The Spring Festival, which falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar. It originated in the Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C. - 1100 B.C.) from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. It is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. All people living away from home go back, becoming the busiest time for transportation systems of about half a month from the Spring Festival.

    On spring festival, people decorate their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. All the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The content varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year. Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.


  • How much do you know about Beijing opera?

    Beijing opera is deemed the national opera of China. The accompanying music, singing and costumes are all fascinating and artistic. Full of Chinese cultural facts, the opera presents to the audience an encyclopedia of Chinese culture as well as unfolding stories, beautiful paintings, exquisite costumes, graceful gestures and acrobatic fighting. It is generally accepted that Beijing opera gradually came into being after 1790 when the famous four Anhui opera troupes came to Beijing. Beijing opera underwent fast development during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi under the imperial patron, and eventually became more accessible to the people.


  • What to pack for Beijing tours?

    Besides the medicines you usually take at home, you need to bring pain killers, anti-
    inflammatory prescriptions and medicines for colds, fever and diarrhea. These medicines are
    especially helpful if you are going to visit Beijing.

    You' better take apropriate cloth in season. In autumn, jeans and a sweater are usually enough. In the warmer months, T-shirts and light pants or shorts are the best bet. In the colder months, it is wise to dress in layers: long underwear and jeans, shirt, sweater and down jacket. If you want to go local, you can buy a thick cotton army coat (jun da yi) for less than 100 yuan (12 bucks). Rain gear is necessary, especially during the summer months.


  • What is emergency number in Beijing?

    Fire: 119
    Traffic: 122
    Ambulance: 120
    Police: 110


  • What is Beijing time?

    Beijing is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (London) and 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (New York), is the standard time used in China.


  • What do I need to prepare if I want to visit Beijing attractions?

    Some attractions need to pay cash, like Tian'an men square, summer palace, and other activities in hutongs. so it is much adivsible to take enough RMB when tour in local residents. A handerchief should be prepared for your Great wall explor. In addition, you'd better take storage battery with camera, because it costs expensive in some senenic spots.


With its handsome buildings, pretty scenery and tumultuous history, the Summer Palace is a wonderful place to explore. The most leisurely way to escape the crowd is to take a stroll on the willow-shaded paths and arched bridges that encircled the Kunming Lake - bring you camera and a picnic.

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