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Victor Lim | profile | all galleries >> Mainland China >> Beijing >> Beijing Sights >> Yuan Ming Yuan tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

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Yuan Ming Yuan

Visited Yuan Ming Yuan on May 16
The visit started with disappointment. Yuan Ming Yuan was burnt to the ground by alied forces, so there is nothing much to see. Whatever left is now being made into a theme park, with fun rides and all. Very disturbing. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the 10,000 Flower Maze. I love garden mazes and this one is huge. It started raining very soon after, and I took a boat ride back. This turns out to be the high point of my day. Riding in a paddle boat with raindrops splashing in the water in an almost deserted Yuan Ming Yuan. I will rememeber this wonderful experience for a long long time!
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Jian Bi Pavilion, sitting on a island in the lake.
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Jian Bi Pavilion, sitting on a island in the lake.

 The garden is full of islands and rivers.
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The garden is full of islands and rivers.

 Duck.
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Duck.

 Remains of some buildings.. ruins are all that is left of Yuan Ming Yuan.
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Remains of some buildings.. ruins are all that is left of Yuan Ming Yuan.
Lotus pond overrun by wild grass.
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Lotus pond overrun by wild grass.

 Bridge in Lion Forest.
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Bridge in Lion Forest.

 The most famous set of ruins in Yuan Ming Yuan.
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The most famous set of ruins in Yuan Ming Yuan.

 This building is European style, and is made of stone.
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This building is European style, and is made of stone.
Close up.
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Close up.

 Details.
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Details.

 Yuan Ming Yuan in its glory days.
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Yuan Ming Yuan in its glory days.

 List of all the unfair treaties signed by China in the course of history.
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List of all the unfair treaties signed by China in the course of history.
Ruins of Shi Bei Qiao.
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Ruins of Shi Bei Qiao.

 Can almost imagine the original pavilion standing on this site.
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Can almost imagine the original pavilion standing on this site.

 Posed shot.
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Posed shot.

 10,000 Flower Maze. Fully restored.
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10,000 Flower Maze. Fully restored.
It is a joy to wander around the maze.
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It is a joy to wander around the maze.

 Pavilion in the middle of the maze. That is the end point of the maze.
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Pavilion in the middle of the maze. That is the end point of the maze.

 Another tree in maze.
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Another tree in maze.

 It started raining, so I took a boat. I was the only passenger.
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It started raining, so I took a boat. I was the only passenger.
Me in the boat.
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Me in the boat.

 Rain getting heavy.
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Rain getting heavy.

 Close up of Hui Xin bridge.
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Close up of Hui Xin bridge.

 Paddle boats.
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Paddle boats.
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comment | share
WHK 28-May-2011 01:19
Thanks for sharing these photos. I went to a high school just next to Yuan Ming Yuan. It was the happiest time in my life. I get to run track around this ruined garden of the world. I felt in love with the Roman, Greek looking pillars... It reminded me about our Chinese Imperial history... most very sad losing to the west... My daughter said to me: "mom, if I were the French, I would not be living..." What a huge validation!
Yuan Ming Yuan is magical to me! A glorious World Heritage Site in Beijing!
Remember our history!!!
W101
Jurgen 27-Oct-2009 08:04
Please don' t push England to return everything they have stolen. It would be a fully naked island.
Shame on England, shame on Lord Elgin and shame on his father. I hope you will get back all they took along with them, but the will say NO as they did to Greece, Egypt, India and many others.
But don' t worry, in the end, they will destroy themselves. Jurgen.
Guest 25-Feb-2009 12:53
Recently, the auction in France again make me feel more hatre toward the damn Ang Mo again... they preached about rightous, honest, dignity, and those other craps.. while they being the thief of world, stole artifacts from China soil, and yet have the cheek of claiming what they stole as their rights, and sell for monies... what a shame... if their mother did teach them about what is called SHAME !!!

Hence, look at their youngs today, riots, protest, burning of cars and buildings, drugs, prostitution, crimes and long list of the more shitty stuff.... That's the kind of morale value they have.... Well it's not surprise as their elder are once a thief, and still a "Proud" thief until today... so, how you expect they know what is the right value to teach and bring up their youngs !!!!...

SHAME on those damn Ang Mo.... Shit them.
Francis ong 09-May-2008 08:18
I first visited the Yuan Ming Yuan in 1998, I was saddened to see the lost of China's natural treasure. As I had read before the palace complex had an extremenly high level of artistic architectural design a fusion of Chinese and European design. Sad to say its now a pile of ruins. The foreign powers who had ransacked the palace must return the national treasures back to China where it rightfully belongs-its people. Most of the beautifull object d'arts are seating in some of the world's famous museum, each time I see one of them my heart bleeds for China. The destruction of the Palace complex may at that time means victory for the foreign forces but one thing for sure the Passion and National Pride of the Chinese national will also prevail.
X Liu18-Nov-2005 20:50
When I was in junior high school, I often went to Yuanmingyuan to recite notes of politics courses. By then there's no lake, not many trees, and no blocking walls. Thank you for the nice capture of how it looks today. It's more beautiful, but regrettable, more like a regular park.
Guest 28-Nov-2003 13:28
Hi Towkay, (Chinese businessman?)
very wonderful pix and thank you for taking them.That was a damn memorable time of China.We should never forget the history.Hope you didn't get lost in Yuanming Yuan.
Take care and ciao,
Claire
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