Chengde Mountain Resort, also known as "Chengde Li Palace" or "Rehe Palace," is located at No. 6 Shanzhuang East Road, Shuangqiao District, Chengde City, Hebei Province. The Chengde Mountain Resort was a summer palace built by the emperors of the Qing Dynasty of China for the political purpose of pacifying and uniting ethnic minorities in China's border regions and consolidating national unity. Covering an area of 5.64 million square meters, it is the largest existing royal garden in the world.
The construction of the Mountain Resort began in 1703 (the 42nd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi). It went through the three reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, and was completed in 1792 after 89 years. It is mainly divided into two parts: the Palace Area and the Garden Scenic Area (the Lake Area, the Plain Area, and the Mountain Area). The site and design of the Mountain Resort were based on the geographical features of China, with the topography of the northwestern mountain area, the southeastern lake area, and the northern plain area forming a miniature of China's territorial layout. The garden landscaping of the resort follows nature without artificial embellishment. More than 120 groups of buildings are nestled among the mountains, waters, and vegetation, creating a magnificent landscape that integrates the elegance of the south and the grandeur of the north, and gathers famous scenic spots from across the country into one garden. Outside the palace walls of the Mountain Resort, there are twelve royal temples, including Putuo Zongcheng Temple, Xumi Fushou Temple, Anyuan Temple, Pule Temple, Puren Temple, Pushan Temple, Guang'an Temple, Shuxiang Temple, Luohan Hall, Guangyuan Temple, Puning Temple, and Puyou Temple.
On March 4, 1961, the Mountain Resort was announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as one of the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. In December 1994, the Chengde Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples were listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. In 2007, the Chengde Mountain Resort and Its Outlying Temples Scenic Area was rated as a National AAAAA-Level Tourist Attraction.