Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Understand
The Rise & Fall & Rise of the Summer Palace
It was the Qing emperor Qianlong who created the Summer Palace on the site of what had long been a royal
garden, which was then known by the romantic, but not very regal, name of the 'Garden of Clear Ripples'. With
the same determination he displayed expanding China's borders, Qianlong enlisted 100,000 workers in 1749 to
enlarge the gardens and deepen Kunming Lake, while giving Longevity Hill its name in honour of his mother's
60th birthday.
Thankfully, Qianlong was long dead by the time British and French soldiers rampaged through the palace in
1860 at the end of the Second Opium War. Apart from pillaging anything not nailed down, they trashed many of
the temples and pavilions. That left Empress Cixi to restore it to its former glory, and to re-name the complex
the 'Summer Palace', only for foreign soldiers to return again in 1900 in the wake of the Boxer Rebellion, when
yet more damage was done. Not until after 1949 and the communist takeover did work begin to repair this dam-
age.
South Lake Island 南湖岛
南湖岛
Linked to the lakeshore by the graceful 17-Arch Bridge , this island houses a fine
Dragon King Temple , where the emperors used to come and pray for rain in times of
drought. At sunset, the nearby east shore is popular with photographers looking for a
spectacular shot of the sun disappearing behind the hills. You can also get here by boat
(¥15).
Wenchang Gallery 文昌阁
文昌阁
South of the main entrance; come here to take at look at Empress Cixi's handwriting
(some of her calligraphy is on display), as well as porcelain, bronzes and a jade gallery.
Various other Qing-era artefacts are on show as well.
Top Tips
Boats ply Kunming Lake ( Click here ) , but you can hire a pedalo for ¥60 per hour (¥300 deposit) and float
around at your own pace.
The restaurants around the palace itself are expensive and mediocre.
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