Summer Palace - Best of the Four Famous Gardens in China

To irrigate the royal gardens in the western region outside the Forbidden City, the Emperor Qianlong (乾隆皇帝) ordered to expand the West Lake in 1750, and renamed the lake Kunming Lake. The excavated earth from the expansion was moved to pile the Jar Hill which later was renamed as Longevity Hill. In 1764, Qianlong gave the order again to construct a real garden around Kunming Lake with the blueprint of the famous West Lake in Hangzhou. The garden, firstly named "Qingyiyuan" (清漪園; "Gardens of Clear Ripples"), was themed by ancient Chinese mythology about three holy mountains in the East Sea. So the artisans built three islands in the lake to represent the three mountains - Nanhu Island (南湖岛), Tuancheng Island (团城岛), and Zaojiantang Island (藻鉴堂岛). Many constructions in the palace imitated the designs of other famous sites around China, including Yueyang Tower (岳阳楼) in Hunan, Yellow Crane Tower (黄鹤楼) in Hubei, shopping streets in Suzhou and Yangzhou.

Destruction and Restoration

In 1860, at the end of the Second Opium War, the allied army of British and French destructed large parts of Qingyiyuan Palace. During 1884 ~ 1895, the empress Dowager Cixi (慈溪太后) rebuilt the palace and gave the present Chinese name "Yiheyuan" (颐和园). In 1900, the army of the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing again and destroyed the Summer Palace. Many artifacts stored in the palace were looted. Two years later, the palace was restored again under the order of Empress Cixi. Since then, the Summer Palace has been preserved well and served as a public park till today.

What to See in Summer Palace

Summer Palace can functionally be divided into three zones. The first, represented by solemn Renshou Palace (仁寿殿), is the administrative zone where Empress Cixi and Emperor Guangxu (光绪皇帝) deal with daily affairs and hold diplomatic activities. The second, represented by Leshou Palace (乐寿堂), Yulan Palace (玉澜堂) and Yiyun Palace (宜芸馆), is the living zone of Cixi, Guangxu and his princesses. The third zone is the largest as well as the most important part playing the role of entertaining, gardening and sightseeing, surrounding Longevity Hill, including the highlighting sites Foxiang Pavilion (佛香阁), Paiyun Pavilion (排云殿), Seventeen-Arch Bridge (十七孔桥), etc.

Renshou Palace - Hall of Benevolence and Longevity: Situated at the left side of the entrance of the eastern gate. It used to be the place where court sessions were held during the reign of the Emperor Qianlong and Emperor Guangxu.

Yulan Palace - Hall of Jade Billows: Located west of Renshou Palace, Yulan Palace served as the living quarters of the Qing emperors. The Empress Cixi once confined the Emperor Guangxu here for 10 years.

Leshou Palace - Hall of Joy and Longevity: Facing the Kunming Lake, back against Longevity Hill, Leshou Palace was the palace where Empress Cixi lived.

Longevity Hill - This 58-meter high hill is the seat of some most important buildings of Summer Palace located on the front and back hills, including Paiyun Pavilion, Foxiang Pavilion and some Tibetan Buddhist temples.

Foxiang Pavilion - This 41-meter high pavilion is a Buddhist temple for royal families to worship the Buddha in the Qing Dynasty. It has 8 stories and was propped up by 8 huge wooden pillars with fabulous design and decoration inside. It's also the highest position of the Summer Palace, and you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire Kunming Lake.

Kunming Lake - It is the body lake and covers more than 3/4 the entire size of Summer Palace. Three small islands sit in the lake standing for three holy mountains in ancient Chinese mythology legend. Many buildings, such as bridges and dikes, imitated the features of those of West Lake in Hangzhou.

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Seventeen-Arch Bridge - 8 meters wide and 150 meters long, the bridge is the largest and longest bridge in the Summer Palace with 17 different types of arches. It incorporates features of the Precious Belt Bridge in Suzhou and the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) in Beijing.

Long Corridor (长廊) - It lies at the southern foot of Longevity Hill facing Kunming Lake. The corridor is regarded as the longest of its kind in the world with a total length of 728 meters. More than 14,000 paintings of famous places and known stories from legends, folktales, novels and so on, hang on the corridor.

Garden of Harmonious Pleasures (谐趣园) - Modeled on the famous Jichang Garden (寄畅园) in Wuxi, Jiangsu. 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 this the best known “garden within a garden”.

Suzhou Street (苏州街) - Emperor Qianlong was keen on the prosperity of Jiangnan area (Suzhou, Hangzhou, etc.), so he ordered to built the imitated shopping street resembling Shantang Street in Suzhou. The eunuchs and maids in the royal palace would act as retailers when the emperors shopped on the street.

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Recommended Activities in Summer Palace

Kunming Lake Boating - Boating is very popular among travelers, especially families with kids, which provides a unique opportunity to experience the serene atmosphere of Summer Palace from a different perspective. As you glide across the calm waters, you will be captivated by the harmonious blend of natural beauty and architectural marvels. As you embark on a leisurely boat across Kunming Lake, the vast Kunming Lake allows you to enjoy the fascinating landscape at a slow pace on the boat. But it is not available during winter because the lake usually is frozen. Check more about Summer Palace Boat Ride Guide >>

Enjoy the Sunset View - One of the most enchanting sights at Summer Palace unfolds as the sun begins its descent. The iconic Seventeen-Arch Bridge, a masterpiece of Chinese stonework, becomes a canvas for a breathtaking spectacle. As the golden rays of the setting sun filter through the arched openings of the bridge, they create a mesmerizing interplay of light and shadow. The water beneath the bridge seems to shimmer with a golden hue, while the surrounding landscape is bathed in a warm, ethereal glow. If you visit Summer Palace in the afternoon, you can take some time to enjoy the beautiful sunset view and take great photos.

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Summer Palace Visiting Route

Classic Route - about 3 Hours

There are six entrances - East Gate, North Gate, Xinjiangongmen Gate, North Ruyi Gate, South Ruyi Gate and West Gate. Travelers usually enter from the East Gate and sightsee sites around, such as Renshou Palace, Wenchang Gallery, etc. Then stroll around to the living zone of the Royal families of the Qing Empire. Don’t miss the Yulan Palace, Yiyun Palace and Leshou Palace. Then go to explore the famous Long Corridor. Next is to visit some important architecture on the Longevity Hill, such as Paiyun Pavilion, Foxiang Pavilion, etc. Lastly, take a boat to Nanhu Island to see the iconic Seventeen-Arch Bridge, and exist from Xinjiangongmen Gate. The entire sightseeing takes about 3 hours to go through.

Extension Route - about 3 ~ 4 Hours

If time allows, you can extend your visit to the western dam region which features different types of bridges. The back hill of Longevity Hill also offers many interesting sites, such as Suzhou Street, Xiequ Garden (Garden of Harmonious Pleasures), etc. If you are interested in Tibetan Buddhism, don’t miss the Four Great Regions which resembles the Samye Monastery in Tibet.

Summer Palace is located in the northwest suburbs of Haidian District (海淀区), approximately 15 km away from the central Beijing, adjacent to Yuanmingyuan (圆明园) Park. Summer Palace region is also famous for having two most famous universities in China - Tsinghua and Peking both of which have a long history and outstanding reputation throughout China. Not just the youth and vigor, Tsinghua and Peking Universities are also a pleasant place for exploring some ancient historical sites and peaceful nature.

• about 18 km (about 40 minutes by car) from Lama Temple
• about 21 km (about 45 minutes by car) from Forbidden City
• about 23 km (about 50 minutes by car) from Tiananmen Square
• about 26 km (about 1 hour by car) from Temple of Heaven
• about 70 km (about 2 hours by car) from Mutianyu Great Wall

As the Summer Palace is located outside the center of the Beijing city, you may encounter troublesome traffic jam or language barriers along your way. If you want to get rid of the hustle of public transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a Summer Palace tour package that covers sightseeing, dining, lodging, and transfer from us. As part of our valuable Beijing tour packages, our skilled driver and experienced guide will pick you up wherever you are in Beijing including the airport, train stations, and busy scenic areas, etc. It's time-saving and much more safe and you will be escorted all the way to the Summer Palace with comfortable travelling experience and professional travelling guidance. If you need any help, please feel free to contact us >>

To explore Beijin's highlights, such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall (with Mutianyu as the top recommendation), the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the Beijing Hutongs - plan for about 4 days, including arrival and departure.

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If you have extra days, consider hiking the scenic Jinshanling Great Wall, enjoying the stunning night views of Simatai Great Wall, or visiting other sections like Huanghuacheng, Gubeikou, and Juyongguan.

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Families with children should not miss Universal Beijing Resort, while museum enthusiasts should visit the National Museum of China, home to the nation's most valuable treasures.

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As a major transportation hub, Beijing offers easy access to other top destinations in China by flight or train, such as Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, Chengdu, and Tibet. China Discovery provides a variety of tour packages from Beijing, or we can customize an itinerary to suit your preferences.

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