The Mountain Resort and the Surrounding Temples

Author: Zhao Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-01
Features: Chengde Mountain Resort, known as the summer palace of the Qing Dynasty, is located in Hebei Province and was constructed from 1703 to 1792. It is a vast architectural complex composed of numerous palaces and other buildings used for government affairs and ceremonial events. The temples and royal gardens, with their diverse architectural styles, are skillfully integrated with the lakes, pastures, and forests surrounding them. The Mountain Resort not only holds significant aesthetic research value but also preserves rare historical relics from the late period of feudal society in China.
The Mountain Resort was built in the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703) and completed in the 55th year of the Qianlong reign (1790), covering an area of approximately 5.6 million square meters, making it the largest imperial garden remaining in China. In the 20th year of the Kangxi reign (1681), the Kangxi Emperor established the Maluan Hunting Ground for hunting activities. The purpose was twofold: practical military training and inspecting the northern borders. At the same time, numerous imperial palaces were constructed along the route from Beijing to the hunting ground, with the Mountain Resort serving as the central palace among them.
The Mountain Resort adopts a design that combines imperial gardens and palaces. From the perspective of landscape characteristics and topographical features, it is divided into four scenic areas: palaces, lakes, plains, and mountains. Within these areas, over a hundred various types of buildings—such as palaces, halls, pavilions, towers, temples, and trees—are strategically placed amidst the hills, streams, lakes, forests, and flowers, creating a harmonious and picturesque scene. The Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors visited the Mountain Resort almost every year for summer retreats, making it the second political center of the Qing Dynasty.
At the Mountain Resort, the Qing Emperors held audiences in places like the Hall of Tranquil Splendor and the Garden of Ten Thousand Trees, meeting figures such as the 6th Panchen Lama and the British envoy Macartney, engaging in a series of political activities. The foreign temples, such as the Putuo Zongcheng Temple, built by the Qing Emperors "preserving their teachings while adapting to local customs," form a harmonious architectural ensemble with the Mountain Resort.
This book, written in elegant prose and accompanied by over a hundred exquisite photographs, uses a dynamic interplay of text and images to recreate the historical charm of the Mountain Resort and its surrounding temples over the past 300 years.