The Summer Palace

The Summer Palace is also known as Qingyi Garden, which is the most complete royal garden in China. It was built based on original landscape of Wenshanpo in western suburb of Beijing, which was used by Emperor Qianlong to celebrate his mother’s birthday. The Summer Palace features verdant hills, clear ponds, re f ned pavilions and winding path leading to secluded quiet place. It integrates the essence of the Chinese landscape art. It covers 500 mu, and consists of palace and living area and gar den area. Palace and living area is located in the east of Wanshou Hill. With small size, palace and living area consists of Rensho u Hall and other courtyards for the purpose of administration and daily life. Garden area consists of front lake area, front hill area, rear lake area and rear hill area. The Summer Palace highlights Wanshou Hill. The dotted buildings and vast Kunming Lake jointly constitute landscape of the Summer Palace.

A pond and three hills

According to ancient Chinese legend, Penglai, Yingzhou and Fangzhang were three mountains on the sea, where immortals lived. Emperors admired and pursued after these immortals, and often built three islands in the lakes inside gardens to symbolize the three hills on the sea, which are known as “a pond and three hills”. Kunming Lake also sees “a pond and three hills” as symbol of the three hills on the sea.

Borrowed Scenery

Kunming Lake lacks surrounding hills, which is diff cult to give people reverie space. The landscape ef fect is less. Fortunately , Yuquan Hill is close to Kunming Lake in the west. It is itself a royal garden, and there is a pagoda on it. The pagoda becomes an important borrowed scenery of the Summer Palace, which f lls the gap of broad Kunming Lake to some extent.

hancheng

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