Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Don't Miss
Hall of Benevolence & Longevity
仁寿殿
仁寿殿
The main building at ground level, this
hall
(Renshou Dian)
sits by the east gate and
houses a hardwood throne. Look for the bronze animals that decorate the courtyard in
front, including the mythical
qilin
(a hybrid animal that appeared on earth only at times of
harmony).
The Long Corridor
长长廊
Awesome in its conception and execution, the
Long Corridor
(Chang Lang)
is absolutely
unmissable. It stretches for over 700m and its beams, walls and some of the ceiling are
decorated with 14,000 intricate paintings depicting scenes from Chinese history and
myths, as well as Chinese literature's classic texts. Your neck will ache from all that star-
ing upwards, but the pain is worth it.
Longevity Hill
万寿山
万寿山
The slopes of this 60m-high hill are covered in temples and pavilions, all arranged on a
north-south axis. The most prominent and important are the
Buddhist Fragrance Pavil-
ion
and the
Cloud-Dispelling Hall
, which are connected by corridors. Awaiting you at
the peak of the hill is the
Buddhist Temple of the Sea of Wisdom
. On a clear day, there
are splendid views of Beijing from here.
Marble Boat
石石舫
The
Marble Boat
(Shifang)
has come to symbolise the extravagance and otherworldliness
of the emperors in the final days of imperial rule. First built in 1755, it was restored in
1893 on the orders of Empress Cixi using money meant to go towards building real ships
for the Chinese navy! Much of it is actually wood painted to look like marble.
