Summer Palace

Overview

The Summer Palace, known as Yiheyuan (颐和园) in Chinese, is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing. As a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, it combines natural beauty with artificial features in harmonious balance. The palace covers an area of 2.97 square kilometers (0.74 square miles), with water accounting for approximately three-quarters of the total area. Comprising Longevity Hill (万寿山) and Kunming Lake (昆明湖), the site features over 100 scenic spots, more than 20 courtyards, 3,000 buildings covering nearly 70,000 square meters, and 1,600 ancient trees. The Summer Palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and is recognized as one of China's most important cultural relics.

History

Before the Garden's Construction

In the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, there was originally a mountain range, a remnant of the Yan Mountains. At its heart, two small hills rose from the plain: Jade Spring Mountain (玉泉山) and Longevity Hill. Below these hills lay a lake called Qili Lake, Dabo Lake, or West Lake.

As early as the Liao and Jin dynasties (10th-13th centuries), imperial villas were established on Fragrant Hills and Jade Spring Mountain. In 1153, Jin Emperor Hailing Wang Wanyan Liang built Jinshan Palace (金山行宫) in this area. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Longevity Hill was known as Weng Hill (瓮山), named for its resemblance to an earthen jar. The southern low-lying area collected water from springs of Jade Spring Mountain and Western Hills, forming Weng Hill Lake (瓮山泊), also called Qili Lake or Dabo Lake—the precursor to Kunming Lake. In 1292, the hydraulic engineer Guo Shoujing diverted water from the springs of Baifu Village and other sources into the lake, increasing its water volume to serve the imperial court and support grain transport via the Tonghui River.

During the early Ming Dynasty, the Grand Canal ceased operation temporarily when the capital was moved to Nanjing. After Emperor Yongle moved the capital back to Beijing in 1421, the canal was restored. In 1476, the water source was redirected from Jade Spring Mountain to West Lake to supply the Tonghui River and the imperial palace. The landscape of Jade Spring Mountain, Weng Hill, and West Lake became interconnected, with numerous private gardens constructed in the area, expanding the scenic zone eastward.

Qing Dynasty Period

By the time the Qianlong Emperor ascended the throne in 1735, four large imperial gardens had been established in the western suburbs of Beijing, though they lacked organic connection. In 1750, to prepare for the 60th birthday of his mother, Empress Xiaoshengxian, the Qianlong Emperor ordered the expansion of West Lake. He intercepted water from Xishan, Jade Spring Mountain, and Shou'an Mountain, and excavated Gaoshui Lake and Yangshui Lake to the west of West Lake, creating three reservoirs to ensure water supply for the imperial gardens and surrounding farmland. Following the example of Emperor Wu of Han, who excavated Kunming Lake to train his navy, Qianlong renamed West Lake as Kunming Lake and renamed Weng Hill as Longevity Hill.

In 1764, Qingyi Garden (清漪园) was completed at a cost of over 4.8 million taels of silver. The garden was designed based on the mythical "Three Immortal Mountains of the Sea" (海上三仙山), with three islands—South Lake Island, Tuancheng Island, and Zaojiantang Island—representing Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou. The main building was Dabao'en Yanshou Temple, and a 700-meter-long corridor featured exquisite architectural and artistic decorative paintings. The garden contained few administrative or residential buildings, as the Qianlong Emperor typically visited for day trips only.

After the Daoguang Emperor's reign, the state declined, and Qingyi Garden gradually fell into disrepair. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, the garden was burned by British and French forces. In 1886, Prince Yixun proposed rebuilding Qingyi Garden under the pretext of naval training, establishing the "Kunming Lake Naval Academy." Empress Dowager Cixi used naval funds (reportedly 5-6 million taels of silver) to reconstruct the garden as a summer resort, supervised by Lei Tingchang, the seventh-generation descendant of the Lei family of imperial architects. In 1888, the garden was renamed Yiheyuan (颐和园), meaning "Garden of Nurturing Harmony." The restoration was completed in 1895, and Empress Dowager Cixi resided there frequently, making it the political center of the time.

In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, the Eight-Nation Alliance occupied Beijing, and the "Three Mountains and Five Gardens" area, including the Summer Palace, was looted and damaged again. Restoration began in 1902, though the quality of many buildings was reduced due to funding constraints. Some structures were shortened, such as Wenchang Pavilion (from three to two stories) and Leshou Palace (from double-eaved to single-eaved roofs). Others were enlarged, such as the Grand Theater. Suzhou Street was never rebuilt after being destroyed, and many buildings were decorated with Suzhou-style paintings instead of the original He-style paintings, altering the garden's original appearance.

Republican Period

After the Xinhai Revolution in 1912, the Summer Palace remained private property of the Qing imperial household but faced increasing pressure to open to the public. In 1914, it began selling tickets to visitors. On July 1, 1928, the Nanjing National Government's Ministry of the Interior took control, making it a national park managed by the Beiping Special Municipal Government. During this period, some restoration and protection work was carried out, but the garden continued to decline amid national crises.

In 1933, fearing war, ancient artifacts from the Summer Palace were moved south, returning to Beijing only after the victory in the Civil War. During the Japanese occupation (1937-1945), the garden was temporarily closed and used for propaganda purposes. In 1948, as the Chinese Civil War intensified, the Summer Palace was occupied by troops of Fu Zuoyi's "North China Headquarters." However, following instructions from Mao Zedong to preserve this "safe oasis," attacking forces bypassed the area, allowing the garden to survive intact.

People's Republic of China

After the Peace Liberation of Beiping in 1949, the Summer Palace came under state protection. In April 1949, the Summer Palace Administration was established, and the garden reopened with tickets priced at 40 (old currency). Restoration work continued throughout the 1950s, with financial support from various government regions. Major restorations included the Foxiang Pavilion (1954), the Long Corridor (1959), and Xiequ Garden (1962).

During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the Summer Palace suffered damage, being renamed "People's Park" and targeted as "Four Olds" (四旧). Red Guards defaced the Long Corridor's paintings and removed Buddha statues from Foxiang Pavilion. However, Premier Zhou Enlai intervened to preserve the East Palace Gate and other structures. In 1971, the garden's original name was restored, and regular restoration work resumed.

In the 1980s, the garden adopted a policy of combining scientific protection with rational use. Foreign investment helped restore the East Eight Mansions, which were converted into a royal garden hotel. The Suzhou Street (买卖街) restoration began in 1986 and was completed in 1990. In 1989, the first "Overall Protection Plan" was formulated, guiding subsequent restorations of historical areas like Jingming Tower (1992) and Danning Hall (1997).

In 2000, the "Summer Palace Development and Protection Plan (2000-2020)" was developed, implementing projects such as the restoration of Gengzhitu area (2004) and the construction of the Wenchang Palace cultural relics repository. Major restorations continued in the 2000s, including the Foxiang Pavilion, Paiyun Palace, and Long Corridor (2006) and the Four Great Continents building complex (2010-2012). In 2014, the garden walls underwent their most extensive restoration since the founding of the PRC.

Key Information

Cultural Significance

The Summer Palace represents the pinnacle of Chinese garden design, integrating natural landscape with artificial architecture in perfect harmony. Its layout embodies traditional Chinese philosophical concepts, particularly the harmony between humanity and nature. The garden's design reflects the aesthetic principles of "borrowed scenery" (借景), where distant views are incorporated into the garden's composition.

The Summer Palace also holds significant political importance. During the late Qing Dynasty, it served as the secondary political center where Empress Dowager Cixi effectively ruled China while nominally under the authority of the young Guangxu Emperor. The political activity area, centered on Renshou Palace (仁寿殿), hosted numerous diplomatic meetings and state affairs.

The garden's numerous buildings and artworks provide valuable insights into Qing Dynasty architecture, painting, and craftsmanship. The Long Corridor alone contains over 14,000 paintings depicting historical events, myths, and landscapes. The Suzhou Street reconstruction represents a unique example of incorporating commercial and folk elements into an imperial setting.

Modern Status

Today, the Summer Palace stands as one of Beijing's premier tourist attractions, receiving millions of visitors annually. It serves as both a recreational space and an educational resource, showcasing traditional Chinese garden design and Qing Dynasty culture. The garden continues to undergo careful restoration and preservation efforts, balancing public access with conservation needs.

Recent developments include the opening of new recreational areas, such as the 20,000-square-meter ice and snow entertainment zone at Zaojiantang Lake in 2022. In 2024, the copper window cores of Baoyun Pavilion, which had been lost overseas, were returned to the Summer Palace, completing another chapter in the garden's preservation story.

References

1. Steinhardt, Nancy Shatzman. "Chinese Imperial City Planning." University of Hawaii Press, 1990.

2. Clunas, Craig. "Art in China." Oxford University Press, 1997.

3. Kuhn, Philip A. "Soulstealers: The Chinese Sorcery Scare of 1768." Harvard University Press, 1990.

4. Fairbank, John King. "The Great Chinese Revolution: 1800-1985." Harper & Row, 1986.