The Summer Palace: The Last Dynasty's Flower Garden: The Last Dynasty's Flower Garden

Author: Lu Ying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The construction of the Summer Palace in Beijing began in 1750. It suffered severe damage in the war in 1860 and was rebuilt on the original site in 1886. Its pavilions, long corridors, halls, temples, and bridges, as well as its artificial landscapes, blend harmoniously and artistically with the natural mountains and expansive lakes, making it a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The Summer Palace is a world-famous royal garden located about 15 kilometers northwest of Beijing, formerly known as "Qingyi Garden." It was rebuilt in 1888 and renamed "Summer Palace," costing 30 million taels of silver and taking ten years to complete. The Summer Palace is vast, covering an area of 293 hectares, mainly consisting of the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. It has over 3,000 buildings of various types, which can be roughly divided into administrative, residential, and recreational sections. The administrative area, centered around the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, was where Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu held court, received foreign dignitaries, and conducted state affairs. Behind the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity are three large quadrangle courtyards: the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, the Hall of Jade Waves, and the Hall of Elegant Learning, which served as the residences for Empress Dowager Cixi, Emperor Guangxu, and imperial concubines, respectively. To the east of the Hall of Elegant Learning is the Grand Theater of Dehe Garden, one of the three major theaters of the Qing Dynasty. From the Wisdom Sea at the top of Longevity Hill, the central axis extends downward, passing through the Pavilion of Buddhist Fragrance, the Hall of Dehui, the Hall of Flying Clouds, the Gate of Flying Clouds, and the Cloud and Jade Pavilion, forming a clearly defined sequence. At the foot of the hill lies a "Long Corridor" over 700 meters long, with more than 8,000 painted beams and pillars, known as the "World's Longest Corridor." Beyond the Long Corridor is the crystal-clear Kunming Lake. The West Dyke of Kunming Lake was modeled after the Su Causeway of West Lake. The rear slopes and lakes of Longevity Hill are covered in ancient trees, creating a tranquil environment with Tibetan-style temples and the Ancient Commercial Street of Suzhou Creek. At the eastern end of the rear lake is the Xiequ Garden, modeled after the Yixi Garden in Wuxi, a charming and delicate garden known as the "Garden within the Garden." The entire garden of the Summer Palace features ingenious artistic conception and holds a significant position in the history of Chinese and foreign garden art. It is a rare masterpiece of garden art worldwide.