| Much has been written about the last Chinese dowager empress. She was the empress known as the Dragon Lady. It has been said that the Dragon Lady used money originally designated for the Chinese Navy to rebuild and enlarge the Summer Palace.
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| Central to the palace is a large man-made lake that was made from what was once a desolate swampy area. A long pristine canal was constructed to connect the Summer Palace's lake to the Imperial City in central Beijing. Via the canal the emperor traveled between to two palaces by handsome barge instead of having to engage the hot narrow roads of the city. |  |
 | George, our guide, left us at the entrance to the Long Corridor. He told us to meet him in an hour at the water taxis near the Marble Ship.
I had no idea where to find the Marble Ship but we started down the Long Corridor, snapping pictures as we went. |
| While walking the corridor I overheard someone say that the Guinness Book had declared it the longest corridor in the world, and that there were more than 14,000 paintings on the ceiling and beams. | 
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The Marble Ship |
