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taboo5 | profile | all galleries >> China >> Beijing, China Photo Travelogues (March 2011) >> Beijing, China - The Summer Palace (March 2011) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Beijing, China - The Summer Palace (March 2011)

Beijing’s Summer Palace is one of the most outstanding classical gardens in the world. In 1998, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Composed mainly of the Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake (of which both were man-made), the Summer Palace comprises 726.5 acres, three quarters of which is water. Centered around the Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha on Longevity Hill, the Summer Palace consists of over 3,000 structures including pavilions, towers, bridges and corridors. The Summer Palace has over 800 years of history. Constructed in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), it was continuously expanded during the succeeding reign of emperors. By the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it had become a luxurious royal garden. Originally called “Qingyi Garden” (Garden of Clear Ripples), it was known as the “three hills and five gardens.” It could not elude the rampages of the Anglo-French allied forces and was destroyed by fire in 1860. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) had it restored with funds absconded from the navy and renamed it the Summer Palace. She spent much of her later years there, dealing with state affairs and entertaining. In 1900, the Summer Palace suffered again, during the Boxer Rebellion, in an attack by the eight allied powers. The garden survived and was rebuilt in 1902. After the 1911 Revolution, it was opened to the public.
Beijing, China - The Summer Palace cover page.
Beijing, China - The Summer Palace cover page.		 Map of China with the star indicating Beijing.
Map of China with the star indicating Beijing.		 View of the East Palace Gate, the main entrance of Summer Palace in Beijing.
View of the East Palace Gate, the main entrance of Summer Palace in Beijing.		 The Summer Palace, the largest imperial garden in the world, was used as a temporary palace by the royal family.
The Summer Palace, the largest imperial garden in the world, was used as a temporary palace by the royal family.
The Summer Palace was built in 1750, but was burned down by Anglo-French forces in 1860. It was rebuilt in 1888.
The Summer Palace was built in 1750, but was burned down by Anglo-French forces in 1860. It was rebuilt in 1888.		 Interior passageway in the Summer Palace.
Interior passageway in the Summer Palace.		 Male bronze lion guarding the Gate of Dispelling Clouds at the Summer Palace.
Male bronze lion guarding the Gate of Dispelling Clouds at the Summer Palace.		 Close-up of guardian lion. It is a male lion because his paw rests on a ball.
Close-up of guardian lion. It is a male lion because his paw rests on a ball.
The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity with a bronze Qilin statue in front.
The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity with a bronze Qilin statue in front.		 A Qilin is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature, which is an omen of rui (serenity or prosperity).
A Qilin is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature, which is an omen of "rui" (serenity or prosperity).		 The Qilin is often depicted with fire all over its body. Westerners often mistakenly call it a “Chinese unicorn.”
The Qilin is often depicted with fire all over its body. Westerners often mistakenly call it a “Chinese unicorn.”		 An unhappy Chinese boy at the Summer Palace.
An unhappy Chinese boy at the Summer Palace.
Another side of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It is where foreign ministers were met by the emperor and empress.
Another side of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It is where foreign ministers were met by the emperor and empress.		 Bronze dragon sculpture in front of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity.
Bronze dragon sculpture in front of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity.		 This beautiful Chinese woman outside of the hall looked like a model.
This beautiful Chinese woman outside of the hall looked like a model.		 Beside the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, was this smaller pavilion.
Beside the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, was this smaller pavilion.
Side view of the smaller pavilion.
Side view of the smaller pavilion.		 Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha on Wanshou Shan (Longevity Hill) overlooking Kunming Lake.
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha on Wanshou Shan (Longevity Hill) overlooking Kunming Lake.		 Small tourist boats docked at Kunming Lake. They were not in service yet, since it was March.
Small tourist boats docked at Kunming Lake. They were not in service yet, since it was March.		 Inert boats with the mid-afternoon sun shimmering on the water.
Inert boats with the mid-afternoon sun shimmering on the water.
The Culture Pavilion with the red Seventeen-Arch Bridge on Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace.
The Culture Pavilion with the red Seventeen-Arch Bridge on Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace.		 At the end of the bridge is the Knowing Spring Pavilion on the lake.
At the end of the bridge is the Knowing Spring Pavilion on the lake.		 Empress Dowager Cixi dined here on rainy days, to stay dry and to gaze upon the distant hills.
Empress Dowager Cixi dined here on rainy days, to stay dry and to gaze upon the distant hills.		 It is a great place to watch the winter ice thaw. Then you know it is spring at the Knowing Spring Pavilion.
It is a great place to watch the winter ice thaw. Then you "know it is spring" at the Knowing Spring Pavilion.
Tourist boats with the Knowing Spring Pavilion in the background.
Tourist boats with the Knowing Spring Pavilion in the background.		 Pathway along Kunming Lake with an impressive stone wall with decorative posts.
Pathway along Kunming Lake with an impressive stone wall with decorative posts.		 The pathway leads to more royal buildings.
The pathway leads to more royal buildings.		 Tourists were flocking along the pathway.
Tourists were flocking along the pathway.
With an area of 2.2 square kilometers, Kunming Lake covers approximately three quarters of the Summer Palace grounds.
With an area of 2.2 square kilometers, Kunming Lake covers approximately three quarters of the Summer Palace grounds.		 Looking back at the many tourists behind me on the pathway.
Looking back at the many tourists behind me on the pathway.		 Unusual windows in front of a wall of the imperial garden adjacent to Kunming Lake.
Unusual windows in front of a wall of the imperial garden adjacent to Kunming Lake.		 View behind me of the lake with more royal buildings.
View behind me of the lake with more royal buildings.
Close-up of one of the buildings.
Close-up of one of the buildings.		 Stone of the God of Longevity was brought from the Morgan Garden in 1886 when the Summer Palace was being rebuilt.
Stone of the God of Longevity was brought from the Morgan Garden in 1886 when the Summer Palace was being rebuilt.		 View of the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, which was Empress Dowager Cixi’s residence.
View of the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, which was Empress Dowager Cixi’s residence.		 After it was rebuilt in 1889, she lived there from May to October every year until her death in 1908.
After it was rebuilt in 1889, she lived there from May to October every year until her death in 1908.
The Blue Iris Stone called the Stone of the Wastrel. Emperor Qianlong (Qing Dynasty) moved it to the garden at great expense.
The Blue Iris Stone called the "Stone of the Wastrel." Emperor Qianlong (Qing Dynasty) moved it to the garden at great expense.		 Colorful gate to a the imperial garden and to a 728-meter long corridor alongside it.
Colorful gate to a the imperial garden and to a 728-meter long corridor alongside it.		 View as I exited the gate.
View as I exited the gate.		 There, I saw a pond, a bridge and landscaping of the imperial garden.
There, I saw a pond, a bridge and landscaping of the imperial garden.
The 728-meter long corridor was designed to connect parts of the garden. The interior of it is beautifully carved and painted.
The 728-meter long corridor was designed to connect parts of the garden. The interior of it is beautifully carved and painted.		 Exquisite ceiling decorations inside the corridor.
Exquisite ceiling decorations inside the corridor.		 View of the corridor from the lakeside.
View of the corridor from the lakeside.		 One of many colorful corridor exits that connect to the royal garden.
One of many colorful corridor exits that connect to the royal garden.
Another lakeside view that I saw after I exited from the corridor.
Another lakeside view that I saw after I exited from the corridor.		 As I headed back, I could see how the pathway winds along Kunming Lake.
As I headed back, I could see how the pathway winds along Kunming Lake.		 Some of the many tourist at the Summer Palace snapping pictures.
Some of the many tourist at the Summer Palace snapping pictures.		 View of the tourist boats near the Culture Pavilion, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and the Knowing Spring Pavilion.
View of the tourist boats near the Culture Pavilion, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and the Knowing Spring Pavilion.
Sign that I saw when I exited the Summer Palace saying it was recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage site in December 1998.
Sign that I saw when I exited the Summer Palace saying it was recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage site in December 1998.		 As I left the imperial Summer Palace, I admired this amazing relief sculpture of a dragon on a nearby wall.
As I left the imperial Summer Palace, I admired this amazing relief sculpture of a dragon on a nearby wall.

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