3.13.1 Willow Bridge
3.13.2 Mirror Bridge
3.13.3 Jade Belt Bridge
3.13.4 Stones Carvings of “Pictures of Faming and Weaving”
3.13.5 Bridge of Pastoral Poems
3.13.6 Lake-Dividing Bridge

1. Outstanding Universal Value

The Summer Palace in Beijing integrates numerous traditional halls and pavilions into the Imperial Garden conceived by the Qing emperor Qianlong between 1750 and 1764 as the Garden of Clear Ripples (Qingyi Yuan). Using Kunming Lake, the former reservoir of the Yuan dynasty’s capital and Longevity Hill as the basic framework, the Summer Palace combined political and administrative, residential, spiritual, and recreational functions within a landscape of lakes and mountains, in accordance with the Chinese philosophy of balancing the works of man with nature. Destroyed during the Second Opium War of the 1850s, it was reconstructed by Emperor Guangxu for use by Empress Dowager Cixi and renamed the Summer Palace. Although damaged again during the Boxer Rebellion (Yihetuan Movement) in 1900 it was restored and has been a public park since 1924.

The central feature of the administrative area, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity is approached through the monumental East Palace Gate. The connecting residential area comprises three building complexes: the Hall of Happiness in Longevity, the Hall of Jade Ripples and the Hall of Yiyun, all built up against the Hill of Longevity, with fine views over the lake. These are linked by roofed corridors which connect to the Great Stage (inside the Garden of Virtue and Harmony) to the east and the Long Corridor to the West. In front of the Hall of Happiness in Longevity a wooden quay gave access by water for the imperial family to their quarters. The remaining 90% of the garden provides areas for enjoying views and spiritual contemplation and is embellished with garden buildings including various towers, pavilions, halls etc. Kunming Lake contains three large islands and the South Lake Island is linked to the East Bank by the famous Seventeen Arch Bridge. An essential feature is the West Causeway with six bridges in different styles along its length. Other important features include temples and monasteries in Han and Tibetan style located on the north side of the Hill of Longevity and the Garden of Harmonious Pleasure to the northeast.

In 1961, the garden was listed in the first batch of the Cultural Relics of National Importance under the Protection of the State, and since then, it’s been known as one of “China’s Four Most Famous Gardens” along with the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Lingering Garden in Suzhou, and the Mountain Resort of Chengde in Hebei Province. In 1998, it was included in the World Heritage list by the UNESCO and in 2007, it was approved as one of the first AAAAA-class Tourist Attractions by the National Tourism Administration. According to the World Records Association (formerly known as the China World Records Association), it is the biggest imperial garden extant in China.

As the culmination of several hundred years of imperial garden design, the Summer Palace incorporates the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole.
It epitomizes the philosophy and practice of Chinese garden design and has had a major influence on subsequent oriental garden art and culture.
The imperial gardens in China, illustrated by the Summer Palace, are a potent symbol of one of the major world civilizations.

2. Practical information

2.1 How to get there?

Occupying an area of 2.9 square kilometres, the Summer Palace has a few entrances and exits.

The North Gate (with ticket office):
- Buses No. 303, 330, 331, 332, 346, 375, 508, 563, 579, 584, 594, and Sightseeing Line 3
- Metro Line 4 (Beigongmen Station)
The North Ruyi Gate (no ticket office, bus, metro, or parking lot)
The East Gate (with ticket office):
- Buses No. 303, 330, 331, 332, 346, 375, 508, 563, 579, 584, 594, and Night Bus No. 8
- Metro Line 4 (Xiyuan Station)
Xinjiangongmen Gate (no ticket office):
- Buses No. 74, 374, 437, 952
The South Ruyi Gate (with parking lot, no ticket office):
- Buses No. 74, 374, 437, 952
The West Gate (with parking lot, no ticket office):
- Buses No. 469, 539

In total I visited the Summer Palace twice. The first time I entered through the North Gate and exited through the East Gate and only visited the area around the Hill of Longevity. The second time I both entered and exited though the North Gate and mainly had a walk around Kunming Lake. I prefer to take the metro because for me it’s much more convenient than taking a bus.

2.2 How to buy ticket?

To visit the Summer Palace there’s a general admission fee. Inside, there are a few attractions with extra charge. They are the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Garden of Virtue and Harmony, Suzhou Street and Wenchang Gallery. Depending on the season (high season: 1st April – 31st October, low season: 1st November – 31st March), the ticket prices vary.

Admission ticket of the Summer Palace:
- high season: 30 yuan
- low season: 20 yuan
Combined ticket (including admission to the Palace and to all the attractions):
- high season: 60 yuan
- low season: 50 yuan

Please note:

If after reading this post you decide to visit only one or two of the attractions with extra charge, separate tickets can be bought at their entrances respectively, which cost 5 – 20 yuan.
Seniors (60 and above 60 years old) and children (6 and under 6 years old or shorter than 1.2 meters) can visit the garden free of charge.
Children (7 – 18 years old) and students can purchase discounted tickets which are 50% off the full prices.
Ticket offices are located at the North and East Gate, from which tickets can be purchased from the staff. It’s also possible to book tickets online (only available in Chinese) or scan the QR code on site to buy the ticket with your smartphone (pay with WeChat Pay or Alipay), but according to my experience, in both cases a Chinese phone number is required to register an account to proceed.
I don’t remember showing my ID card when buying the ticket on site, but if you decide to book it online, it’s compulsory to type in your ID card number. Bring your ID card (or passport if you are not a Chinese citizen) just in case.
Rumour has it that in the high season (in particular from mid-June to mid-September), lines for buying tickets can be quite long.

2.3 Opening hours and suggested length of visit

1st April – 31st October: 6:30 – 20:00
1st November – 31st March: 6:30 – 19:00
Tickets will stop being sold two hours before the Palace closes and from then on, visitors aren’t allowed to enter anymore (if you are already inside the Palace, you can still stay until it closes).
Attractions inside the garden including the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Garden of Virtue and Harmony, Suzhou Street and Wenchang Gallery, and Garden of Harmonious Pleasure close three hours before the Palace closes.

You can easily spend a whole day here, if not more. For me, I visited the Palace twice: once for around five hours visiting the areas to the north and to the west of the Longevity Hill, the administrative and residential areas, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Garden of Virtue and Harmony, and Wenchang Gallery, and the other time for around four hours visiting the Garden of Harmonious Pleasure, the east shore of Kunming Lake and the West Causeway. To be honest, it will be quite tiring if you try to visit everything at one time, because there will be quite some walking and climbing. If you want to see everything, you can divide the visit into two parts like I did. Or, after reading this post, you can choose the attractions that you are most interested in and only visit them. Either way, wear comfortable shoes and take some snacks and enough water with you.

2.4 Audio guide and guided tour

Audio guide service is available in the Palace and can be rented from and returned to any gates except the South Ruyi Gate and West Gate. The guide is available in 19 languages including English, French, German etc. and the rental fee is 40 yuan with a refundable 50 yuan deposit.

Guided tour in English, French or Japanese is available everyday. You can call +86 01062865056 to ask about the fee and payment method and make a reservation. Make sure to book at least three days in advance. There are three routes you can choose from, which last 1.5h, 2h, and 2.5h respectively. Please click here for detailed information about the routes. The guided tour desk is at the East Gate, and if you have booked a tour through the phone, please go to the East Gate directly.

On site, there are lots of info boards explaining the history of the Palace. For me, the information (both in Chinese and English) was enough so I didn’t rent an audio guide. When I saw some place or object that I was particularly interested in, I just googled them for more information. Korean and Japanese versions of the introduction are available once you use your phone to scan the QR code on the board.

2.5 Recommended route

There isn’t an official route for visitors to explore the whole Palace but on the website, a few itineraries are suggested to help organise and better orient your trip. Depending on which gate you want to enter from and how much time you have, you can choose one route or combine a few of them. My suggestion is after reading this post, you should first select the sites that you are interested in and then by referring to the recommendations, design your own route.

2.6 Leisure activities

With an area of 2.2 square kilometres, Kunming Lake covers approximately three quarters of the Summer Palace grounds. Together with the Longevity Hill, it forms the key landscape features of the gardens. In the summer you can go boating and in the winter, you can go ice biking and skating on the lake. As for boating, there are two types of boats (electronic and pedal) and for information about their rental fees and locations (docks) please click here.

3. The Summer Palace

3.1 To the north of the Longevity Hill

3.1.1 Suzhou Street

Originally called Business Street, the Suzhou Street was built in the style of South China towns during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, who visited the region six times. If you are interested, please read my posts about the classical gardens in Suzhou to find out why the emperor was in love with the region. As a street where the emperors and empresses could pretend to go shopping like ordinary people, it was burnt to the ground by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860 and restored in 1990. The 300-meter street is built over water with shops and stands on the bank. More than 60 businesses including a teahouse, a restaurant, a pharmacy, a bank, a hat store, a jewellery store, and a grocery store operate on the bank, presenting a concentrated illustration of commerce in South Chine towns in the 18th century. If you have visited the ancient streets in Suzhou such as the Pingjiang Street and Shantang Street, you will notice that they share quite some similarities.

3.1.2 Gate Tower of Dawn Light

Built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, the gate tower was one of the six major passage gates to the Summer Palace. The stone inscription on the east side means “Dawn Light” and the one on the west means “Scooping up Coolness”. This tower is paired with the “Connecting to the Clouds” gate tower in the west, and the two of them form two major land access points to the Suzhou Street.

3.1.3 Four Great Regions

These Tibetan-style Buddhist structures were built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign. They correspond to the four Buddhist continents surrounding Mt. Meru: Jambudvīpa (south), Uttarakuru (north), Purvavideha (east), and Aparagodaniya (west). Burnt down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, they were rebuilt according to the original plan in the 1980s.

Hall of the Buddha Confirming His Doctrine

This hall, once a three-storey structure, was first built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign. It was burnt down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860 and gained the present appearance during Emperor Guangxu’s reign. Inside are statues of the Buddhas of Three Times, often represented by Dipamkara (past), Shakyamuni (present) and Maitreya (future), as well as of the Eighteen Arhats. Unfortunately it’s forbidden to take photos of the interior.

Sea of Wisdom Temple

The Sea of Wisdom is a beamless Buddhist temple at the highest point of the Summer Palace. Except for its top, which is covered with a small amount of purple and blue glazed tiles, the exterior is decorated with exquisite yellow and green glazed tiles. A magnificent feature of the structure, which makes it distinctive, is the more than 1000 glazed Buddhas embedded in the outer walls.

3.2 To the West of the Longevity Hill

3.2.1 Gate Tower of Cloud-Retaining Eaves

Originally built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, this gate tower was called “Beique”. Inside the tower, there was once a silver statue of Guan Yu, a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. His life was lionised and his achievements glorified to such an extent after his death that he was deified during the Sui dynasty. Even today, he is worshipped as a god giving protection. Unfortunately the statue didn’t survive the ravages of the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860. When the Summer Palace was rebuilt during Emperor Guangxu’s reign, the pavilion we see today was erected with a memorial tablet inside in praise of the hero.

3.2.2 The Boathouse

The Boathouse was built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign and expanded during Emperor Guangxu’s reign. As a complex comprising one big dockyard and two small dockyards, it served as the exclusive berth for the emperors’ and empresses’ boats. It is the largest remaining royal dockyard. Precious timber from southeast Asia was imported and utilised in the complex’s construction and that’s why it has been well preserved.

3.2.3 The Clear and Peaceful Boat

Originally called the “Marble Boat”, it was built in 1755 during Emperor Qianlong’s reign. The 36-meter long boat was carved out of huge rocks. There was a Chinese-style cabin on the boat, which was destroyed by Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860. In 1893, the cabin was rebuilt in the western style and the boat was renamed “Clear and Peaceful Boat”, after the saying “Let the river be clear and the sea be peaceful.”

3.3 The Long Corridor

The Long Corridor was originally built in 1750 and rebuilt in 1886 after being destroyed by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860. It starts from “Yaoyue Men” (Gate of Inviting the Moon) in the east and ends at “Shizhang Ting” (Stone Old Man Pavilion) in the west–a distance of 728 meters with 273 sections. It is the longest of all corridors in Chinese classical gardens. On the beams are more than 14,000 colourful paintings depicting birds, flowers, landscapes and stories from Chinese classic novels. Four octangular pavilions with double eaves–“Memorizing Scenery”, “Harmonizing with the Lake”, “Autumn Water” and “Clear and Carefree”–are built intermittently along the corridor. Taking the Hall of Dispelling Clouds as the centre, the Long Corridor stretches symmetrically to the east and to the west along the foot of the Longevity Hill and the lakeshore, linking all the structures scattered along the hill into a whole.

3.4 The Tower of Buddhist Incense

3.4.1 Hall of Dispelling Clouds

Originally, the Hall of the Great Buddha of the Temple of Immerse Gratitude and Longevity in the Garden of Clear Ripples stood here. After being burnt down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, the Hall of Dispelling Clouds was constructed as a place to celebrate Empress Dowager Cixi’s birthdays. Today, inside the hall some of the birthday presents offered by princes and ministers are on display.

3.4.2 Hall of Virtuous Splendour

Built in 1886 on the site of the Hall of Many Treasures, which was destroyed by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860 when the Summer Palace was still named the Garden of Clear Ripples, this hall served as the dressing room for Empress Dowager Cixi before she went on to the Tower of Buddhist Incense to pray.

3.4.3 Tower of Buddhist Incense

Originally built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign and burnt down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, the tower was rebuilt according to its original design during Emperor Guangxu’s reign. The octagonal tower has three storeys with four layered eaves, altogether 36.44 meters tall. Standing on a 200-meter tall stone foundation, it constitutes the centre of the Summer Palace and serves to accentuate its magnificence. A statue of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin Buddha, cast in bronze and gilded with gold, stands inside. 5 meters tall and five tons in weight, it was cast during the reign of Emperor Wanli of the Ming dynasty. Supported by eight imposing pillars, it glows with beauty, grandeur and brilliance. Its historical, cultural, artistic and architectural values can never be overstated.

Thousand-Hand Guanyin Buddha

Cast in 1574, the statue was originally named the “Statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva”. It has a head of four tiers, each with three faces–a total of twelve faces and twenty-four arms. It stands on a lotus seat which is decorated with nine layers of 999 petals in total.

3.4.4 Real of Multitudinous Fragrance

This archway is built with bricks and stones and decorated with colourful glazed tiles. A text from the Buddhist Hymn, which reads “The realm of popular fragrance, the forests of god; the seas of wisdom and the auspicious clouds” is inscribed on both sides of the archway as well as on the two lintels on both sides of the temple, suggesting this place resembles the Holy Land of the Buddha.

3.5 The Residential Area

3.5.1 Hall of Happiness and Longevity

Built in 1750 during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, the hall originally had two floors. Burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, it was reconstructed in the 12th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign (1886) to serve as the living quarters for Empress Dowager Cixi during her stay in the Summer Palace.

3.5.2 The Blue Iris Stone

This stone is popularly known as the “Stone of the Wastrel”. According to historical records, an official of the Ming dynasty named Mi Wanzhong found this large, dark and sleek stone, shaped like a fungus, at Fangshan in the southwest of Beijing. While having the stone moved to his home “Shaoyuan”, he fell into financial difficulties and had to abandon it. Years later, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty had it moved here at huge expense and named it “Blue Iris Stone”. It is the largest decorative stone in any Chinese classical gardens.

3.5.3 Dock of the Natural Affinity of Water and Tree

This is a royal dock on the Kunming Lake. When Empress Dowager Cixi travelled to the Kunming Lake through the Yixiu Bridge, she often disembarked at this dock and entered the Hall of Happiness and Longevity.

3.5.4 Hall of Jade Ripples

Originally built with passages in all directions in 1750 during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, the hall was burnt down by the Anglo-French Allied Forced in 1860. It was reconstructed in 1886 as the emperor’s living quarters. Following the failure of the Hundred Days’ Reform, a failed 103-day national, cultural, political, and educational reform movement from 11 June to 22 September 1898 in late-Qing-dynasty China, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered that the courtyard be blocked off and put the Guangxu Emperor under house arrest.

3.5.5 Yiyun Hall

The hall was originally built in the 15th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1750) with two side wings, each with five bays. Burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in the 10th year of Emperor Xianfeng’s reign (1860), the complex was rebuilt in 1886 to serve as the living quarters for the Empress when she, as Emperor Guangxu’s wife, stayed in the Summer Palace. A niece of Empress Dowager Cixi, she had the title of empress bestowed on her in 1889. When Emperor Guangxu and the Empress Dowager died and Puyi became emperor in 1908, she was elevated to the position of empress dowager under the imperial title of “Long Yu”. With her power, she issued an order to give up the throne in 1911 after the Wuchang Uprising, an armed rebellion against the ruling Qing dynasty, which was the beginning of the Xinhai Revolution that successfully overthrew China’s last imperial dynasty.

3.6 The Administrative Area

3.6.1 Hall of Benevolence and Longevity

First built in the 15th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1750), this building was named the Hall of Diligent Government when the whole Summer Palace area was still called the Garden of Clear Ripples. In the 12th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign (1886), the hall was rebuilt. Citing the saying “the benevolent enjoy longevity” from the Analects of Confucius, it was renamed the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. This was where Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu handled court affairs, accepted laudations and received foreign diplomats during their stay in the Summer Palace. As such, it was the Summer Palace’s main government building. In 1898, Emperor Guangxu met Kang Youwei here, leader of the reformers, and appointed him the reform counsellor, declaring an institutional reform.

3.6.2 Kylin (Qilin)

This statue was cast during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Kylin is an auspicious legendary animal which has the power to punish the evil and repel the wicked. Its form is peculiar: dragon head, lion tail, ox hooves and deer antlers with scales all over its body.

3.6.3 Stone of the God of Longevity

This stone was moved here from the Mergen Garden (now inside the Peking University) when the Summer Palace was being reconstructed in 1886. This dark and sleek stone is shaped like the God of Longevity, hence the name.

3.7 Garden of Virtue and Harmony

Lying north to the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, the garden was built as a theatre for Empress Dowager Cixi. Its construction began in 1891 and lasted four years. The garden consists of the towering Grand Stage, the largest imperial stage in ancient China, the spacious and exquisite Hall of Nourishing Pleasure, the exclusive box for the Empress Dowager, and the Hall of Celebrating Virtues. The three-storey theatre stage is the best-preserved wooden stage of delicate design and magnificent structure, and is therefore of much historical and artistic value. Famous Beijing opera actors of the Qing dynasty such as Yang Xiaolou and Tan Xinpei came here to perform for the Empress Dowager and the stage is regarded as the “Cradle of Beijing Opera”. The Empress Dowager also granted special permission for some of the princes, dukes and cabinet ministers to watch Beijing opera here.

A large number of precious articles used by the emperors and empresses as well as some of the gifts presented to the Qing court by foreign states are on display here.

3.7.1 Make-up Building

Originally built in 1891, the south part of this structure was a two-storey hall with the north section connected to the Grand Stage. Actors applied their makeup here. Today, it is an exhibition room.

3.7.2 The Veranda

There are ten chambers on the east and west veranda respectively, each accommodating 2 – 5 people. Princes, dukes and ministers used to watch Beijing opera here at the invitation of Empress Dowager Cixi.

3.7.3 The Grand Stage and Hall of Nourishing Pleasure

Originally built in 1891 and completed in 1895, the Grand Stage is a complex structure comprising a three-storey building for performances and a two-storey makeup building. The performance building consists of the “Good Fortune”, “Wealth”, and “Longevity” stages, where different operas and plays could be performed at the same time. There were also performance props such as a spinning board, a windlass, and a high-pressure water machine, which made it possible to enact scenes of gods coming down to earth, apparitions fleeing underground, and water spewing forth. The Grand Stage in the Summer Palace, the Belvedere of Pleasant Sounds in the Forbidden City and the Belvedere of Clear Sounds in Chengde Summer Resort, Hebei Province, are renowned as the Three Great Stages of the Qing Dynasty. Among them, the Grand Stage is the biggest. Distinguished Beijing opera actors such as Yang Xiaolou and Tan Xinpei performed here for Empress Dowager Cixi.

3.7.4 Hall of Celebrating Virtues

Empress Dowager Cixi rested here during opera intermissions. In 1903, the American artist Carl painted her portrait here.

3.8 Garden of Harmonious Pleasure

The Garden of Harmonious Pleasure was first built in the 16th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1751). Modeled on the famous Jichang Garden in Huishan, Wuxi, Jiangsu province, it was first known as Huishan Garden and obtained the present name following its refurbishment in 1811. Burnt down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, it was rebuilt in the 18th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign (1892). The pond is small and peaceful; a winding corridor, composed of over one hundred sections, connects the towers, pavilions, halls, chambers, bridges and terraces along the waterside. These ingeniously interconnected structures form a diverse landscape, making it the best known “garden within a garden” in China.

3.8.1 Bridge of Knowing the Fish

Built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the bridge got its name from a conversation between two ancient Chinese philosophers Zhuangzi and Huishi, who talked while watching swimming fish. The bridge was built close to the surface of the pond to make watching fish easier. Inscribed on the stone archway at the end of the bridge are poems written by Emperor Qianlong.

3.8.2 Hall of Clearness

Located in the northeast corner of the Summer Palace, the complex was built in the 19th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1754). It was originally a part of the Garden of Harmonious Pleasure (Huishan Garden) and only became an independent garden during Emperor Jiaqing’s reign. There is a gorge named Qingqin in the centre, through which a stream flows east. The main structure–the Hall of Clearness–locates at the top of the south side of Qingqin Gorge and occupies an area of 114.2 square meters. The other halls and pavilions are all built upon the gorge and linked by hillside corridors. In the 16th year of Emperor Jiaqing’s reign (1811), a Confidential Military Administration was set up at the northeast corner. After being burnt down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces, the complex was rebuilt in 1891 with a few additional rooms, one of which was for having dairy.

3.9 Gate Tower of Purple Cloud

The gate tower was built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign. The stone inscription on the south side means “Purple Cloud Coming from the East”, a phrase from a story about the Chinese philosopher Laozi trying to get through a major military pass. The inscription on the north side means “Rise of Rosy Clouds in Chicheng Mountain”, a famous line written by Sun Chuo, a writer of the Jin dynasty, in his verse “An Ode to Tiantai Mountain”. The gate was both a scenic spot and a pass for defence within the Garden.

3.10 Wenchang Gallery

Located to the east of the Wenchang Gate Tower, the Wenchang Gallery is the largest and most impressive gallery of its kind in any Chinese classical gardens.

On display in its six halls are thousands of artifacts selected from the Summer Palace collections, covering some 3,600 years of history from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. The exhibits include bronzeware, jewelry, chinaware, furniture, paintings, calligraphy, ancient books, enamels, clocks, handicrafts made of gold, silver, bamboo, wood, ivory, horn and lacquer, and other miscellaneous items, representing almost all types of Chinese antiques. As one would expect in an imperial garden, these artifacts demonstrate the highest techniques and craftsmanship of their times, and many were once highly important symbols of the state. Also on display in the halls are objects related to the everyday life of the emperors and empresses in the Qing court. They are of great historical value and provide some of the most reliable material evidence of the court culture in imperial China.

3.11 East shore of Kunming Lake

3.11.1 Wenchang Gate Tower

The Wenchang Gate Tower was first built in the 15th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1750) and rebuilt under Emperor Guangxu after being burnt down in 1860 by the Anglo-French Allied Forces. It is the biggest of the six gate towers (Purple Cloud, Cloud-Retaining Eaves, Dawn Light, Tongyun, Qianfengcaicui and Wenchang) in the Summer Palace. A bronze statue of Wenchang, the God of Culture and Literature, statues of two celestial boys and a bronze steed were placed in the two-storey pavilion. This tower pairs up with the Tower of Cloud-Retaining Eaves, in which a statue of Guan Yu, the Martial God, was placed. The twin towers symbolize the support of both scholars and warriors for the ruling emperor.

3.11.2 Kunlun Stele of the East Causeway

This stone was erected in the 29th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1764). It is inscribed with two poems by Emperor, one of which records the historical change of the East Bank. The East Bank of Kunming Lake was once the protective bank for Changchun Garden (Garden of Eternal Spring). Therefore, a line of the poem says: “Now the west bank becomes the east bank, and the origin of names and substances can all be ascertained.” The other poem acknowledges the flood control function of the Kunming Lake.

3.11.3 The Bronze Ox

Cast in the 20th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1755), this lifelike statue was called the “Golden Ox”. Crouching on the carved stone base, it was positioned here, as legend has it, to control floods. The eighty-word ode entitled “Inscription on the Golden Ox” inscribed on its back was written by the Qianlong Emperor in an ancient style of Chinese calligraphy known as the seal script.

3.11.4 The Seventeen-Arch Bridge

If you don’t have enough time to walk along the entire Kunming Lake, I recommend you to reach the Seventeen-Arch Bridge at least. I remember seeing it in my Chinese text book in primary school, which left me a deep impression. Built in 1750 during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, the 150-meter long bridge links the East Bank with the South Lake Island. It is the longest bridge in any Chinese imperial gardens and is named after the seventeen arches. Over 500 stone lions in different poses are carved on the posts of the railings. Four peculiar animals are carved at both ends of the bridge; strong and powerful, they are outstanding examples of Qing-dynasty stone carving skills.

3.12 Yixiu Bridge and the Grand Canal of China

The Yixiu Bridge links the Kunming Lake with the Chang River of Beijing and was the largest estuary of the lake. Historically, water under the bridge flowed into the Chang River for replenishing the Moat and then reached the Tonghui River for supporting the Grand Canal. In the Qing dynasty, a movable wooden bridge built to the south of Yixiu Bridge was guarded and used exclusively by royal boats. The flood gate that we see today to the south of the bridge was built in 1993. Nearby is the Kunlun Stele of Yixiu Bridge, which was erected in the 29th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1764). Inscribed on it is a poem written by the Emperor, which depicts the scenery of the Chang River banks, water facilities and landscape of agriculture that he enjoyed during the cruise from the Gaoliang Bridge outside the Xizhimen Gate to the Garden of Clear Ripples in the summer.

Did you notice some of the names of the sites I mentioned above are in italics? This is because the Kunming Lake is an integral part of the Grand Canal’s cultural legacy, and many structures around it, in particular the bridges and docks, belong to two UNESCO World Heritage properties–the Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing, and the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal is the longest and oldest canal in the world. Together with the associated structures, it’s the world’s largest and most extensive civil engineering project ensemble prior to the Industrial Revolution. For more information about its outstanding universal value please click here.

In the 14th year of Qianlong’s reign (1749), the Emperor ordered to dredge spring sources and waterways surrounding the Fragrance Hill and Jade Spring Hill and expand the Kunming Lake. Such efforts helped control floods in the western suburbs and provided sufficient and quality water for urban water supply, irrigation, river-based grain transportation and garden construction. Thus, the river system in the nation’s capital that linked the Jade Spring Hill, the Jade River, the Kunming Lake, the Chang Lake, the Moat, the Tonghui River and the Grand Canal came into being. The Kunming Lake is the first large reservoir in Beijing’s history and has played a significant role in the city’s history of water conservation as well as the history of the Grand Canal. While walking around the lake in the Summer Palace, you will discover a large number of remains of hydraulic works such as ancient piers, bridges, stone steles, culverts and water gates.

3.13 The West Causeway

The West Causeway is modeled on the Su Causeway of the West Lake in Hangzhou. From north to south, it is connected by six bridges, each unique in style: the Lake-Dividing Bridge, the Bridge of Pastoral Poems, the Jade Belt Bridge, the Mirror Bridge, the Silk Bridge and the Willow Bridge. Between the Silk Bridge and Willow Bridge is the Pavilion of Bright Scenery, named after the famous essay “On the Yueyang Tower” by Fan Zhongyan, a well-known writer of the Song dynasty. He wrote, “The spring is peaceful and the scenery is bright; the waves are asleep”. Peach and willow trees are planted on the causeway; when spring comes, the green of willow trees and the red of peach blossoms will recreate the fine scenery of South China.

3.13.1 Willow Bridge

Originally built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign and rebuilt during Emperor Guangxu’s reign, the bridge got its name from a line of a poem reading “The day is fine with willow catkins fluttering above the Willow Bridge.”

3.13.2 Mirror Bridge

Originally built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign and rebuilt during Emperor Guangxu’s reign, the bridge got its name from a poem by Li Bai, a Tang-dynasty poet acclaimed from his own day to the present as a genius and a romantic figure who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. In the poem he wrote, “Two rivers converge like a bright mirror; two bridges hang over the river like rainbows.”

3.13.3 Jade Belt Bridge

Built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, this high and narrow bridge is named “Jade Belt” because its body and railings are made of grey and white marble which resemble a jade belt. Under the bridge, the largest Kunming Lake inlet led to the Jade River. When the emperors and empresses travelled by boat between the Garden of Clear Ripples and the Jade Spring Hill, they always passed under this bridge.

3.13.4 Stones Carvings of “Pictures of Faming and Weaving”

Drawing pictures of farming and weaving was an important way adopted by Chinese emperors and officials to encourage the people to work hard on agriculture. Therefore, such pictures have a long history. In 1769, the Qianlong Emperor corrected and approved 21 farming pictures and 24 silk weaving pictures by the Yuan-dynasty painter Cheng Qi, and added three frames of imperial foreword and postscripts. These 48 frames were then carved onto stones, which took three years to finish. To celebrate the completion of the carvings, which successfully portray the scenes of men farming and women weaving in ancient China, the Emperor invited princes and senior officials and organised a grand gala.

3.13.5 Bridge of Pastoral Poems

This bridge was originally named “Sangning” when the Summer Palace was still the Garden of Clear Ripples. As the name sounds similar to the name of Emperor Xianfeng (Yining), it had to be changed to avoid the imperial naming taboo, which discouraged the use of an emperor’s given name and those of his ancestors. The present name comes from the title of a section from the “Classic of Poetry” (Shijing), the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry comprising 305 works dating from the 11th to 7th centuries BC. This section depicts the agricultural life of peasants in the Western Zhou dynasty and is entitled “The Pastoral Poem”. Both the original and present names demonstrate the great attention that emperors paid to agriculture in imperial China.

3.13.6 Lake-Dividing Bridge

Originally built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, this bridge used to have a pavilion on it, which was destroyed in 1860 by the Anglo-French Allied Forces. Its position, separating the inner lake from the outer lake, gives it the present name.

Summer Palace – an Imperial Garden in Beijing was last modified: January 10th, 2021 by Dong