Lost Paradise: The Old Summer Palace: The Old Summer Palace

Author: Zhang Baocheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-06-01
Features: Although the site of the Old Summer Palace has taken initial shape, and its landscape is gradually recovering its former glory, the original architectural and scenic features have vanished without a trace, lost forever. Regrettably, the former Old Summer, Changchun, and Yuanming Gardens once boasted nearly a hundred classical gardens, each a paradise on earth. Yet, there are remarkably few visual records left behind before the gardens were destroyed. First, the only existing color illustrations of the scenic divisions were the "Forty Scenes of the Old Summer Palace," drawn by imperial court painters Tang Dai and Shen Yuan in the ninth year of the Qianlong reign, and only one set survives today in Paris, France. Second, although panoramic views of the Old Summer Palace and Changchun Garden were drawn during the Qianlong era, both have long been lost. Third, the master plan of the Old Summer, Changchun, and Yuanming Gardens in their prime was not discovered until 1989. As a result, for a long time, the image of the Old Summer Palace in people's minds has been dim and unclear, with many misconceptions passed down through generations.