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The Summer Palace on the northwestern outskirts of Beijing is the largest ancient preserved garden in China and a former summer retreat for Emperors and the chosen few! A large sale expansion project strarted here in 1750 and was completed in 15 years. It has a history of over 800 years.
Mainly consists of Longevity Hill (which can be divided into Front Hill and Rear Hill) and Kunming Lake, this present Summer Palace covers a vast area of 294 hectares, in which three quarters are water. With its perfect layout, magnificent buildings and enchanting landscape, the Summer Palace is the most splendid classical garden in China.
The Summer Palace divides into four parts:
I. The Emperor's dwelling place includes Renshou Dian (the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity) and Leshou Tang (the Palace of Happiness and Longevity). Renshou Dian was the place where the emperor granted audiences to his minitters and handled government affairs when residing there. It still preserves the original conditions today. Leshou Tang, Yulan Tang (the Hall of Jade Ripples) and Yiyun Guan (the Lodge of Propriety of Weeding) were the living quarters for Empress Dowager Cixi,Emperor Guangxu and his consorts respectively. Dehe Yuan (the Garden of Virtue and Harmony) and Grand Stage were the places where the Emperor and his consorts watched theatrical performances.
II. The Front of Longevity Hill is the cream and the centre of the Summer Palace. Going upwards from Paiyun Men (the Gate of Dispelling Clouds) at the foot of the hill, one passes halls and pavilions, up to Zhihui Hai (the Sea of Wisdom Temple) on the top of the hill. They are made to stand out at the vertical axis with foxiang Ge (the Tower of Buddhist Fragrance) in the centre. The exquisitely designed and painted Long Corridor, over 700 metres long, links the buildings together at the foot of the front hill.
III. Twice sabotaged by imperialist invading troops in 1860 and in 1900, only the ruins of a few buildings and Liuli Duobao Ta (the Pagoda of Glazed Treasures) remain in the area around the Back Lake and the Back of Longevity Hill. At the eastern and the Back Lake is the well-constructed Xiequ Yuan (the Garden of Harmonious Interests) in a gorgeous posture. It is an imitation of Jichang Garden of Huishan, Wuxi. With verdant woods on both sides the Back Lake, spreading wide here and narrow there, presents a landscape of rivers and lakes similar to those south of the Yangtze River.
IV. The Front of Kunming Lake includes the vast surface of the southern and western parts of the Lake. Xi Di (the West Dyke) with six bridges in different shapes is a copy of the Su Dongpo Dyke on the West Lake in Hangzhou. Buildings and pavilions on the tiny islands dot the South Lake,and Shiqikong Qiao (the Seventeen-Arch Bridge) Runs across the Lake. They made the Lake far more splendid, offering an impression of fairy islands on the sea.
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