| | | Yiheyuan
Summer Palace
Pékin (People's Republic of China)
| | | | Virtual tour |  | 42 sections and 23 items |
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Building(s) (35)
Palace
|  | East Palace Gate (2)
The East Palace Gate is the major entrance to the Summer Palace with two side doors for royal family members and court officials, and three grand doors in the middle exclusively for the Emperor, Empress and queen mothers.
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|  | Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (2)
Renshou Dian
between 1750 and 1888
The furnishings in the hall remain as they were in the past. In the midst of the hall is a platform with a throne furnished with nine dragons, along with peacock-feather fans, a monster-shaped censer, and a red sandalwood screen.
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|  | Wenchang Tower
Wenchang Ge
between 1750 and 1860
The Wenchang Tower is the biggest of the six gate forts（Purple Cloud Tower - Tower of Cloud-Retaining Eaves - Tower of Dawn Light - Tongyun Chengguan - Qianfengcaicui Chengguan - Wenchang Tower）in the Summer Palace garden
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|  | Hall of Jade Ripples
Yulan Tang
between 1750 and 1860
Originally built in the 15th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1750) with passageways in all directions, the hall was burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in the 10th year of Emperor Xianfeng's reign (1860).
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|  | Yiyun Hall
Yiyun Guan
between 1750 and 1886
Yiyun means the collection of books. The hall was originally built in the 15th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1750) with two side wings, each with five bays. The east wing was named the "Method Keeping Room" and the west one was named the "Nearing the West Room".
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Chang Lang
|  | Long Corridor (1)
Chang Lang
1749
The Long Corridor was originally built in the 15th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1750) and then rebuilt in the 12th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1886) because the Anglo-French Allied Forces burned it down in 1860.
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|  | Hall for Listening to Orioles
Tingli Guan
Initially built by Emperor Qianlong for his mother to watch operas, this theater with its two-storey stage was named the "Hall for Listening to Orioles" because in old times, people often compared beautiful voices to the singing of orioles.
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KunMingHu Qu
|  | Heralding Spring Pavilion
Zhichun Ting
Built on the small island in front of the Hall of Jade Ripples, beside Kunming Lake's east bank, the pavilion backs onto a hill and to the south it faces the sun. This position permits a privileged view of spring's arrival, thus it was christened Heralding Spring Pavilion.
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|  | Spacious Pavilion
Kuoru Ting
Pavilion of Eight Dimensions
Covering an area of over 130 square meters, this is the most spacious pavilion of its type. When the Summer Palace was named the Garden of Clear Ripples, there was no wall on the east bank, so one could see far and wide from all four sides of the pavilion.
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|  | Temple of Timely Rains and Extensive Moisture
Guangrun Lingyu Ci
This temple, built on the east bank of the West Lake, used to be known as the Dragon God Temple but was popularly referred to as the Dragon King Temple. When the lake was expanded during Emperor Qianlong's reign (1736-1795), the temple and its surrounding land were spared to form a new island, which was named the "South Lake Island".
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WanShouShan Qianshan Jingqu
|  | Hall of Cloudlike Brocade
Yunjin Dian
Yunjin Dian
1886
Built in the 1886, the hall was a lounge for dukes, princes and cabinet ministers when in the Summer Palace to celebrate Empress Dowager Cixi's birthdays. The cultural relics on display here are birthday presents from the dukes, princes and cabinet ministers to Cixi.
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|  | Hall of Finest Jade
Yuhua Dian
1886
Built in the 1886, the hall was a lounge for dukes, princes and cabinet ministers when in the Summer Palace to celebrate Empress Dowager Cixi's birthdays. The cultural relics on display here are birthday presents from the dukes, princes and cabinet ministers to Cixi.
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|  | Hall of Fragrant Splendor
Fanghui Dian
Fanghui Dian
1886
Built in the 1886, the hall was a lounge for dukes, princes and cabinet ministers when in the Summer Palace to celebrate Empress Dowager Cixi's birthdays. The cultural relics on display here are birthday presents from the dukes, princes and cabinet ministers to Cixi.
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|  | Purple Heaven Hall
Zixiao Dian
1886
The hall was a lounge for princes, patriarchs and cabinet ministers when in the Summer Palace to celebrate Empress Dowager Cixi's birthdays. The cultural relics on display here are birthday presents from the princes, patriarchs and cabinet ministers to Cixi.
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|  | Hall of Virtuous Glories
Dehui Dian
1886
This hall was built in the 12th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1886) on the original site of the Hall of Many Treasures, when the Summer Palace was still named the Garden of Clear Ripples.
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|  | Marble Screen Wall with Murals
1754
Built in 1754 during Emperor Qianlong's reign, the murals of the wall utilized the natural grains and colors of the marble.
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|  | Baoyun Bronze Pavilion
Baoyun Ge Tongdian
1755
This pavilion, where Qing emperors and empresses used to pray and chant scriptures, was built in the 20th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1755). It is 7.55 meters high and weighs 207 tons.
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|  | Sea of Wisdom Temple (4)
Zhihui Hai
Constructed in the reign of Emperor Qianlong(1736-1795), the Sea of Wisdom Temple was an arch-shaped structure built with bricks and stones without the support of a single beam or pillar. It therefore came to be known as the "Beamless Hall".
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WanShouShan Houhu Jingqu
WanShouShan Xibu Jingqu
|  | Tower of Cloud-Retaining Eaves
Suyunyan Chengguan
Originally built during Emperor Qianlong's reign (1736-1795), this gate tower was also called Beique. Inside the tower, there was once a silver statue of Guan Yu, a historical hero worshiped as a protection-giving god, but it did not survive the ravages of the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860.
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|  | Clear and Peaceful Boat
Qingyan Fang
between 1755 and 1893
Initially called the Marble Boat, it was built in the 20th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1755). The 36-meter boat was carved out of huge rocks. There was originally a Chinese-style cabin on the boat, which was burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860.
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Civil engineering structure(s) (5)
KunMingHu Qu
|  | Kunming Lake (3)
Kunming Lake, once a natural lake where numerous mountain springs in the northwest of Beijing converged, was previously known as Great Lake and Jar Hill Lake.
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|  | Seventeen-Arch Bridge (2)
Shiqi Kong Qiao
1750
Built in the 15th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1750), this 150-meter bridge links the east bank and the South Lake Island. It is the longest bridge in any Chinese imperial garden and was named for its seventeen arches.
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|  | Nanhu Island (1)
Nanhu Island lies southeast of Kunming Lake opposite Longevity Hill. It is the largest island in the Summer Palace. When Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) enlarged Kunming Lake, he ordered workers to save the temples and buildings but to excavate the earth - thus creating Nanhu Island.
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WanShouShan Houhu Jingqu
WanShouShan Xibu Jingqu
|  | Bridge of Banana-Plant (1)
Xing Qiao
Originally built during Emperor Qianlong's reign (1736-1795), the pavilion on the bridge was burned down in 1860 by the Anglo-French Allied Forces. It was rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Guangxu.
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WanShouShan Houhu Jingqu
Streets, avenues (1)
|  | Suzhou Street
Suzhou Jie
circa between 1750 and 1900
Originally called Merchants Street, it was built in the style of South China towns during Emperor Qianlong's reign (1736-1795). A street where emperors and empresses could pretend to go shopping as ordinary people, it was burned to the ground by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860 and restored in 1990.
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Hours :
du 1er avril au 31 octobre :
08h00 à 17h00
du 1er novembre au 31 mars :
08h30 à 16h00,
Admissions :
fom April 1 to October 31 :
08:00 à 17:00
from November 1 to March 31 :
08:30 à 16:00
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| | Description | |
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The Summer Palace in Beijing, which was first built in 1750, largely destroyed in the war of 1860, and restored on its original foundation in 1886, is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, integrating the natural landscape of hills and open water with man-made features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole.
The Summer Palace covers an area of 2.97km2, three-quarters of which is covered by water. The main framework is supplied by the Hill of Longevity and Kunming Lake, complemented by man-made features. It is designed on a grandiose scale, commensurate with its role as an imperial garden.
It is divided into three areas, each with its particular function: political and administrative activities, residence, and recreation and sightseeing.
The political area is reach by means of the monumental East Palace Gate. The central feature is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, where matters of state were dealt with by Guangxu and Cixi; it is an imposing structure with its own courtyard garden.
This area connects directly with the residential area, which is made up of three complexes of buildings. The Hall of Happiness in Longevity was the palace of Cixi and the Hall of Jade Ripples that of Guanxu and his Empress, whilst the Hall of Yiyun housed his concubines. They are all built up against the Hill of Longevity, with fine views over the lake, and are connected to one another by means of roofed corridors.
These communicate with the Great Stage to the east and the Long Corridor (728m), with more than 10,000 paintings on its walls and ceilings, to the west. In front of the Hall of Happiness in Longevity there is a wooden quay giving access by water to their quarters for the imperial family.
The remainder of the Summer Palace, some 90% of the total area, is given over to recreation and sightseeing. The steeper northern side of the Hill of Longevity is a tranquil area, through which a stream follows a winding course. From the gentle slopes of the southern side there is a magnificent view over the lake and the rest of the Garden.
There are many halls and pavilions disposed within the overall frame provided by the lake and the low hills around them, in accordance with the basic principle of Chinese garden design - "man-made yet natural".
The Tower of the Fragrance of Buddha forms the centre of the structures on the south side of the hill. It is octagonal in plan and its three storeys rise to a height of 41m. It is supported on eight massive pillars of lignum vitae and roofed with a great variety of glazed tiles. East of the Tower is the Revolving Archive, a Buddhist structure with a pillar on which is carved an account of the creation of the garden. To the west are the Wu Fang Pavilion and the Baoyun Bronze Pavilion, the latter 7.5m high and constructed entirely in bronze. Between the Tower and the lake is the complex known as the Hall that Dispels the Clouds. Other pavilions and halls cluster around these main features.
Kunming Lake has many of the features of the natural scenery of the region south of the Yangtze River. It contains three large islands, corresponding with the traditional Chinese garden element, the "fairy hill within the sea". The South Lake Island is linked to the East Dike by the stately Seventeen Arch Bridge. The West Dike consciously follows the style of the famous Sudi Dike built in the West Lake at Hangzhou during the Song Dynasty in the 13th century; six bridges in different styles along its length lend variety to the view as seen up against the background of the West Hill, which is an essential feature of the overall design of the Garden.
Other notable features are the temples and monasteries in Han and Tibetan style on the north side of the Hill of Longevity and the Garden of Harmonious Pleasure (familiarly known as "The Garden within a Garden"), built in imitation of private gardens in Wuxi, in the north-eastern part of the Garden. There are more than three thousand buildings within the total area of the Garden.
The imperial gardens are an important branch of Chinese gardening. hey were created by bringing together the best of materials, manpower, know-how, craft, and art, and developed into an independent and unique school. As the last imperial garden in China, the Summer Palace fully reflects the theories and practices of Chinese gardening. It has survived intact to the present day and is protected effectively by the Chinese government and people.
The conception the Summer Palace is fully representative of the oriental garden tradition. The relationships between the yin and the yang, between the genuine and the artificial in traditional Chinese philosophy, and the integration of hills and water are very harmonious. The layout and nature of palace structures in China conform with the feudal system laid down by Confucius. The construction of the three fairy islands in the Kunming Lake reflects the Taoist philosophy of seeking longevity and immortality. The religious structures on the summit of the Hill of Longevity manifest the wish to pray for Buddhist protection. All these elements are integrated into a beautiful landscape of lakes and mountains. The Summer Palace, using natural hills and water as a framework, is an exceptional example of Oriental gardening for the way in which it makes use of and transforms nature, and it serves as the ideal illustration of the differences between east and west.
Over its several thousand years of history the Chinese nation has developed its own unique cultural model. As the last imperial garden created during the feudal period, the Summer Palace epitomizes the architectural and garden techniques of that long history, making use of many scientific and artistic achievements. Its structure is complete and intact, demonstrating an ideal harmony between the functions of palace buildings and gardening techniques. It inherits the artistic traditions of all the Chinese ruling dynasties and the gardening skills of all the regions of China, from the splendor of the north to the exquisite charm of the south. It combines the magnificence of imperial palaces with the beauties of private residences and the solemnity of temples and monasteries. Its landscapes and views are diversified and constitute a harmonious whole with the natural environment.
For nearly two centuries the Qing rulers used the Summer Palace for their political activities and the daily life of their courts, and it witnessed many important historical events. It thus reflects and epitomizes the social, political, economic, and cultural development and the modern history of China. Its wealth of history and culture is a rich source for research into the modern history, garden technology, architecture, aesthetics, religion, social life, humanities,
and environmental protection of China.
The Summer Palace, constructed using traditional Chinese methods, illustrates the technical achievements of the Chinese nation in architecture and in the cultivation of plants in the landscape. The engineering technique used bear witness to the skills of the craftsmen of ancient China. Even today, the creativity shown in the handling of many buildings, hills, and stretches of water within the garden is the source of worldwide admiration. Complete engineering records and technical standards used in the creation of the Summer Palace and its predecessor, the Garden of Clear Ripples, have been preserved and constitute the most important testimony to the art of Chinese gardening. | | History | |
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During the reigns of the Qing Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong (1663-1795) several imperial gardens were created around Beijing, the last of them being the Summer Palace, based on the Hill of Longevity and Kunming Lake in the north-western suburbs of the city.
Kunming Lake (known earlier as Wengshan Pond and Xihu Lake) had been used as a source of water for irrigation and for supplying the city for some 3500 years. It was developed as a reservoir for Yuan Dadu, capital of the Yuan Dynasty, by Guo Shoujing, a famous scientist of the period, in 1291. Between 1750 and 1764 Emperor Qianlong created the Garden of Clear Ripples, extending the area of the lake and carrying out other improvements based on the hill and its landscape. It was to serve as the imperial garden for him and for his successors, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Xianfeng.
During the Second Opium War (1856-60) the garden and its buildings were destroyed by the allied forces. Between 1886 and 1895 it was reconstructed by Emperor Guangxu and renamed the Summer Palace, for use by Empress Dowager Cixi. It was badly damaged in 1900 by the international expeditionary force during the suppression of the Boxer Rising, in which Cixi had played a significant role, and restored two years later.
The Summer Palace became a public park in 1924 and has continued as such to the present day. | | More pictures | |
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