The Summer Palace & Haidian - Beijing - page 195

Kunming Lake 昆明湖

昆明湖
Three-quarters of the palace complex is made up of the shallow Kunming Lake (Kunming
Hu) , which was modelled on the famed West Lake in Hangzhou. Apart from the Marble
Boat moored on the northwestern shore, note the nearby Qing dynasty boathouses and the
Gate Tower of the Cloud-Retaining Eves , which once housed an ancient silver statue of
Guanyu - the god of war.

West Causeway 西西堤
A great way to escape the crowds that converge here is to strike out along the West
Causeway (Xidi) and then do a circuit of the lake by returning along the east shore. The
causeway is lined with delightful willow and mulberry trees, and along the way you'll
come across the grey-and-white marble Jade Belt Bridge , which dates from the 18th
century.