Summer Palace,One of the finest sights in Beijing, It includes an immense park that tends to pack out during the summer months. The site had long been a royal garden and was considerably enlarged and embellished by Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century. It was later abandoned. Empress Dowager Cixi began rebuilding in 1888 using money that was supposedly reserved for the construction of a modern navy, although she did restore a marble boat sits immobile at the edge of the lake. In 1900 foreign troops, annoyed by the Boxer Rebellion, had a go at torching the Summer Palace. Restorations took place a few years later and a major renovation occurred after 1949,by which time the palace had once more fallen into disrepair.

The original palace was used as a summer residence. It was divided into four sections: court reception, residences, temples and strolling or sightseeing areas. Three-quarters of the park is occupied by Kunming Lake, and most items of structural interest are towards the east or north gates.

The main building is the Benevolence & Longevity Hall, just off the lake towards the east gate. It houses a hardwood throne and has a courtyard with bronze animals. Along the northern shore of the lake is the Long Corridor, over 700m long, which is decorated with mythical scenes. If the paint looks new, its because a lot of pictures were whitewashed during the Cultural Revolution.

On Longevity Hill are a number of temples. The Precious Clouds Pavilion on the western slopes is one of the few structures to escape destruction by the Anglo-French forces. It contains some elaborate bronzes. At the top of the hill sits the Buddhist Sea of Wisdom Temple, made of glazed tiles; good views of the lake can be had from this spot.

Other sights are largely associated with Empress Cixi, like the place where she kept Emperor Guangxu under house arrest, the place where she celebrated her birthdays and held exhibitions of her furniture and memorabilia.

Another noteworthy feature of the Summer Palace is the 17-arch bridge spanning 150m to South Lake Island; on the mainland side is a beautiful bronze ox. Also note the Jade Belt Bridge on the mid-west side of the lake and the Harmonious Interest Garden at the northeast end, which is a copy of a Wuxi garden.

The park is about 12km northwest of the center of Beijing. The easiest way to get there on public transport is to take the subway to Xizhimen (close to the Beijing zoo), then a minibus. Bus No 332 from the zoo is slower, but will get you there eventually. Lots of minibuses return to the city center from the Summer Palace, but get the price and destination settled before departure. You can also get there by bicycle - it takes about 1 1/2 to two hours from the center of town.

Admission for foreigners is a steep 45 Yuan plus. There are some additional fees for various sights inside the walls.

Travel Tips:

Address: West of Peking University, Haidian District
Entry ticket: 30 yuan/person, park admission only; 50 yuan/person, including park admission and charged exhibitions inside some of the halls.
Traffic: About 20 buses go to Yiheyuan from all parts of Beijing, stopping at the parks east, north or south gate. These include: Bus No.s 301, 303, 332, 374, 375, 726, 826, 801 and 808;

Recommended Tour:  Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Shanghia Tour

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