Rediscovering Childhood Joy – A Return to the Summer Palace, September 2022 (Part IV)
Born in the 1960s, the happiest time of the year during my elementary and middle school years was the spring or autumn outing. Back then, we usually went to parks, mostly in the city or suburbs, like the Summer Palace, Beihai Park, Zhongshan Park and so on. The news of a park visit would fill me with excitement for days. My parents would prepare bread, biscuits and other treats for me to take. Some kids from poorer families might just bring a piece of flatbread, or even sweet potatoes and steamed corn buns. Hardly anyone brought water, let alone drinks. I don't think drinks even existed back then—we just drank tap water, in Beijing slang called 'bent-over tailpipe' drinking from the spout. The water in the parks seemed fancier, with special drinking fountains for visitors. It was the same tap water, but the spout pointed upward and was thinner. That water tasted sweet and refreshing, much better than today's purified water.
Back then, kids had so many games to play, all outdoors. Things like hitting a wooden top (da ga'er), ice sledges, spinning tops (chou hanjian), marbles, slapping cigarette cards, tugging leaf stalks, rolling iron hoops, making simple kites and so on. Before and after school, we'd run wild through the streets, filled with boundless joy. But we rarely got to go to parks, so a school-organized outing held a special fascination for us as children. When we arrived at the park, we were like a flock of happy birds, chattering nonstop. Though we didn't understand much about the park's sights or know how to appreciate them, the novelty, the happiness, and the sense of freedom are memories I still deeply cherish.
As I grew older, saw more of the world, and living conditions improved, happiness became harder to find. I often traveled outside Beijing, but almost never visited the city's parks. Those childhood happy times are indelible memories. During the pandemic, when long-distance travel isn't possible, I decided to explore Beijing's parks again, to seek out those joyful childhood memories and try to understand things I had only vaguely grasped before. It's truly a wonderful thing to do.
The Summer Palace covers a large area (3.09 square kilometers) and has two main parts: Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. There is so much to see and do inside that if you looked closely, ten days or half a month might not be enough. My wife and I spent four days (some of which were half days) taking a quick, cursory tour, mainly just to walk around, stretch our legs, and recapture the feeling of childhood park visits.
Day One: Entered through the New Palace Gate and walked counterclockwise (northward) around Kunming Lake, passing the Kunlun Stone Tablet, Wenchang Tower, Zhichun Pavilion, Ouxiang Gazebo, Hall of Joy and Longevity, the Long Corridor, the Cloud-Bright Universe Archway, the Marble Boat, Suyunyan Fortress, Banbi Bridge, Jiehu Bridge, West Causeway, Xiuyi Bridge, Langru Pavilion, and the Bronze Ox—essentially a circuit counterclockwise around Kunming Lake.
Day Two: Entered through the New Palace Gate and headed north: Wenchang Tower, Yulan Hall, Yiyun Hall, Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, Purple Cloud from the East Gate, Garden of Harmonious Interests, Tiaoyuan Pavilion, Yinhui Gate, Suzhou Street, Yanqing Shanglou, the Marble Boat, Long Corridor, Wenchang Tower, Seventeen-Arch Bridge, South Lake Island, then back to the New Palace Gate—a full loop around the foot of Longevity Hill.
Day Three: In the morning, entered through the West Gate, took the south path of Tuancheng Lake, West Causeway, Jade Belt Bridge, Farming and Weaving Scenic Area, west path of Tuancheng Lake, and returned to the West Gate—essentially a circuit around Tuancheng Lake. In the afternoon, entered again through the West Gate, walked the west shore of Kunming Lake's western section, West Causeway, Willow Bridge, Jingming Bridge, then back to the West Gate.
Day Four: Started at the Hanxu Archway, entered through the East Palace Gate, strolled the Long Corridor, went up through the Cloud-Dispelling Gate to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, then up from Cloud Pine Nest and Green Terrace Pavilion to the Zhishulin (Jeta Grove), the Sea of Wisdom, and the Four Great Regions. Then descended the back hill, passed the Purple Cloud from the East Gate, visited the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, and exited through the East Palace Gate.
The Summer Palace has extraordinarily rich content; to understand it more thoroughly requires a lot of time. Four days are far from enough. In the future, I'll take time to explore it gradually, piece by piece, and keep supplementing and updating.
As an imperial garden of the Qing Dynasty, the Summer Palace was modeled after Hangzhou's West Lake, conceived with the ancient Chinese myth of the 'Three Immortal Mountains at Sea,' and incorporates replicas of southern-style gardens and famous landscapes, with the West Hills serving as a backdrop. Therefore, the most visually rich views are seen from east to west. It opens at 6 a.m., when there are few people and the light is just right—the best time for sightseeing.
Access to the Summer Palace is very convenient, with a total of seven gates:
1. East Palace Gate: Near Xiyuan. Inside you'll find the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony.
2. Wenchang Courtyard Gate: South of the East Palace Gate. Inside is Wenchang Courtyard, Wenchang Tower, and Zhichun Pavilion.
3. North Palace Gate: Opposite the Central Party School.
4. New Palace Gate: South of Wenchang Courtyard Gate, directly facing New Palace Gate Road. Inside you can see the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and the Bronze Ox.
5. South Ruyi Gate: In the southeast corner of the Summer Palace. Inside is Xiuyi Bridge, near the West Causeway.
6. West Gate: On the southwest side of the Summer Palace's western lake, near Changguan Hall and the West Causeway.
7. North Ruyi Gate: In the northwest corner, west of the North Palace Gate, close to Banbi Bridge.
Transportation to the Summer Palace is very extensive and convenient, whether by bus or car.
There are parking lots at the East Palace Gate, New Palace Gate, North Palace Gate, and West Gate, though on holidays spaces can be very tight, so public transport is recommended.
Many bus routes stop at the Summer Palace, Subway Line 4 has a station at Beigongmen, and the Xijiao Tram Line has a stop at Summer Palace West Gate.
Due to the pandemic, we drove for safety, mostly arriving before morning rush hour or around three or four in the afternoon to avoid peak traffic. The parking lots at the New Palace Gate, West Gate, and East Palace Gate are quite large and not far from the gates.
For ease of recounting, I'll describe it in chronological order. Day Four. Morning, entered through the East Palace Gate.
There's no parking lot directly in front of the East Palace Gate. Several nearby lots are on Erlongzha Road and East Kunming Lake Road, about a five- or six-minute walk away. The section of Kunming Lake Road leading to the East Palace Gate prohibits vehicles from traveling south to north after 9 a.m.
Before entering, admire the Hanxu (Encompassing Emptiness) Archway. It stands directly east of the East Palace Gate at the west end of Tongqing Street, and you might miss it if you're not paying attention.
According to historical records, in the 15th year of the Qianlong reign (1750) when the Garden of Clear Ripples (Qingyi Yuan) was built, a wooden archway of four columns, three bays, and three roofs was erected outside the main palace gate (today's East Palace Gate). The archway had tablets on its east and west sides: 'Yanxiu' (Gathering Beauty) on the east and 'Hanxu' on the west. This archway became the first landmark of the Summer Palace.
In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the Garden of Clear Ripples was restored and renamed the Summer Palace. The main palace gate was renamed the East Palace Gate. The archway outside, after more than 130 years of weathering, was dilapidated. So it was dismantled and rebuilt about 200 meters east of the East Palace Gate. The new archway was upgraded from four columns, three bays, and three roofs to four columns, three bays, and seven roofs, still facing east-west, but the inscriptions on the tablets were swapped: east side now read 'Hanxu' and west side 'Yanxiu.'
Some articles claim the archway's inscriptions were by Emperor Qianlong's own hand, but they aren't.
According to protocol, inscriptions on major structures in imperial gardens should be written by the reigning emperor. For unknown reasons, this archway's tablets lack the 'Treasure of the Imperial Brush of Qianlong' seal, commonly called 'unsigned and unsealed.' Legend has it that after the main gate archway was completed, the Minister of Works specially asked Emperor Qianlong to inscribe the tablets. The emperor bestowed the names 'Hanxu' and 'Yanxiu' and ordered the then Grand Councilor Wang Youdun to do the calligraphy. Wang Youdun was very nervous and dared not write hastily; he wrote it ten times before he was satisfied. Emperor Qianlong was full of praise upon seeing the characters and ordered them carved into stone tablets to be set into the archway. But Wang Youdun, as a subject, didn't dare put his own name on tablets with imperial inscriptions. That's why the tablets have no signature or seal.
The Hanxu Archway is of very high rank and exceptionally exquisite. The front and rear eaves feature openwork panels of dragons and phoenixes, with painted golden dragons and phoenixes on both sides. The roof has seven ridges of varying heights, adorned with neatly arranged ridge beasts, showcasing the magnificence and grandeur of an imperial archway.
Directly west of the archway is the East Palace Gate.
The East Palace Gate is the main entrance of the Summer Palace. The gatehouse has five bays, three open and two concealed.
High on the gate's eave hangs a gold-lettered plaque inscribed by the Guangxu Emperor with the characters 'Summer Palace' (Yiheyuan). On the plaque are engraved five seals: 'Treasure of the Guangxu Emperor's Brush,' 'Treasure Viewed by the Empress Dowager Cixi,' 'A Few Plum Blossoms Reflect Heaven and Earth's Heart,' 'Peace and Benevolence to Concur with Heaven and Earth,' and 'Beautiful Sun, Long Spring.' The plaque is surrounded by nine golden dragons, hence it's called the 'Nine-Dragon Gold Plaque,' the most prestigious and highest-ranking plaque in the Summer Palace.
Echoing the plaque, in the middle of the steps on both sides, is a stone slab carved with 'Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl,' with two dragons flying vividly—a rare masterpiece.
In front of the East Palace Gate stand a pair of bronze lions: the male on the left toys with a brocade ball under his right paw, symbolizing authority; the female on the right teases a cub under her left paw, symbolizing succession. Lions are an import, generally seen as auspicious beasts to ward off evil.
After entering, you come to the Gate of Benevolence and Longevity.
This is the second palace gate.
Straight ahead inside is a large rock called the Longevity Star Stone. Beyond it is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (previously introduced).
On either side of the hall, several osmanthus trees thrive. Though only lightly blooming, their fragrance fills the garden. It's said they reach full bloom around National Day; I'll come back then to enjoy the scent.
Passing the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity and walking towards the lake, I once again arrive at Zhichun Pavilion.
Standing on Zhichun Isle, the beautiful scenery of Kunming Lake unfolds before my eyes.
The West Causeway and the six bridges, distant hills and close reflections—so enchanting.
The twin pagodas of Jade Spring Hill are charmingly graceful.
The water is azure, the hills emerald, with pavilions and towers rising among them.
In front of the Hall of Joy and Longevity, the 'Sea-Searching Magic Lantern'; atop the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the wisdom of the fragrant realm.
Passing the Moon-Inviting Gate and walking west along the Long Corridor, the central pagoda stands tall, pavilions and bridges appear in haze, water ripples, and pleasure boats glide lightly.
In front of the Cloud-Dispelling Gate, bronze lions bare their teeth with fierce, imposing postures.
To climb the Tower of Buddhist Incense, you enter through this gate. Since it was still early (opening at 8:00), I strolled around the vicinity first.
To the west of the Cloud-Dispelling Gate is a small courtyard called Qinghua Pavilion, originally the Hall of Five Hundred Arhats during the Garden of Clear Ripples period. When rebuilt in the Guangxu era, it became the present two-courtyard compound.
The white marble bridges and other structures are from that time.
At eight o'clock, I bought a ticket (10 yuan) and entered the Cloud-Dispelling Gate.
Inside the Cloud-Dispelling Gate, a plaque on the gate reads 'Duo Zhi You Ji' (A Gathering of Many Blessings), indicating that many auspicious energies are gathered here. The phrase comes from an ancient sacrificial ode, 'Sheng Ya,' from the Sui Dynasty: 'The cook moves his knife with ease, Ge Lu tests the sound. Many blessings gather here, great fortune comes together.'
(This picture is from the internet.)
As introduced earlier, the Cloud-Dispelling Hall is located in the middle of the front hill of Longevity Hill, on the central axis of the front-hill buildings. Starting from the Cloud-Bright Universe Archway and ascending through the Cloud-Dispelling Gate, the Golden Water Bridge, the Second Palace Gate, the Cloud-Dispelling Hall, the Dehui Hall, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and the Sea of Wisdom, it rises step by step, forming the most central and magnificent architecture in the Summer Palace.
The Cloud-Dispelling Hall was originally the Great Temple of Gratitude and Longevity, built by Emperor Qianlong for his mother's 60th birthday. When Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt it, she renamed it the Cloud-Dispelling Hall, where she resided in the garden and received court greetings on her birthday.
The Second Palace Gate is the gate to the second courtyard of the Cloud-Dispelling Hall complex, where the congratulations text was read during Cixi's longevity celebrations. In the center of the courtyard is a single-arch stone bridge, also called the Golden Water Bridge, with pools on each side serving both fire prevention and feng shui purposes.
The Second Palace Gate stands on a high platform, with a black-lacquered plaque in gold characters: 'Boundless Longevity.'
On both sides of the courtyard are east and west side halls.
The East Side Hall – Yuhua Hall – was where the emperor rested during Cixi's longevity celebrations.
The plaque above the door reads 'Zhu Wei Lian Hui' (Pearls and Stars Shining Together).
The West Side Hall – Yunjin Hall – was a temporary resting place for princes and high-ranking officials above the second rank during the celebrations.
The plaque above: 'Xiang Ying Chang Ji' (Auspiciousness Reflecting a Prosperous Foundation).
Passing through the Second Palace Gate, you arrive at the Cloud-Dispelling Hall. Built on the original site of the Great Temple's main hall, the hall houses a Nine-Dragon Throne where Cixi received congratulations on her birthday. The interior is currently closed to visitors.
The Cloud-Dispelling Hall is a dougong and beam structure with double-eaved hipped-gable roofs of yellow glazed tiles, seven ridge beasts on the diagonal ridges, preceded by an immortal riding a chicken. The main ridge has a large chiwen (dragon-head ridge ornament) with a gilded kiss-locking chain. Though smaller in scale than the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, it is the highest-ranking building in the Summer Palace.
Inside the hall hangs a plaque reading 'Da Yuan Bao Jing' (Great Round Mirror), with double-dragon gilded heyxi patterns on the beams.
On the front terrace are bronze dragons, phoenixes, tripods, and incense burners. The bronze dragons and phoenixes, possibly for protection, are wrapped in wire mesh.
Below the terrace, four large bronze vats stand symmetrically on both sides, each cast with 'Heaven and Earth in One Spring' and 'Made in the Guangxu Reign' inscriptions.
The courtyard is planted with Chinese quince and crabapple trees, along with two white-bark pines with full branches, symbolizing a noble and wealthy household and longevity.
Around the courtyard are many open-air display pedestals, each a fine piece.
The Cloud-Dispelling Hall also has east and west side halls.
East Side Hall – Fanghui Hall,
with a plaque 'Qi Rong Fu Fen' (Equal Glory, Spreading Fragrance).
West Side Hall – Zixiao Hall,
with the plaque 'Deng Xiang Jian Zhi' (Ascending to Auspiciousness and Offering Blessings).
The Cloud-Dispelling Hall is very high in rank and also quite special. Besides the east and west side halls, there are east and west backing halls flanking the main hall, similar to wing-rooms connected by corridors to the main hall. They also feature dougong and beam structures with double-eave hipped-gable roofs of yellow glazed tiles, five ridge beasts on the diagonal ridges, and gilded kiss-locking chains on the main ridge chiwen. Among surviving ancient Chinese buildings, this combination of a main hall with backing halls is unique, demonstrating the hall's exceptional status.
The east backing hall bears a plaque 'Feng Zao Teng Wen' (Phoenix's Literary Talents Soar).
In addition to the corridors linking the side halls and backing halls, there are also covered walkways along the courtyard walls, called hill-climbing corridors, leading directly to the upper buildings, though they are currently closed.
Behind the Cloud-Dispelling Hall, climb 88 steps and you reach the Dehui Hall. The hill-climbing corridors on the sides have a gentler slope and would save effort if open.
Looking down at the Cloud-Dispelling Hall from above, you see seven ridge beasts on the diagonal ridges, an immortal riding a chicken at the front, a qiang beast at the rear, and a large gilded kiss chain on the main ridge chiwen.
Dehui Hall is the last building in the Cloud-Dispelling Hall complex. Under the eaves hangs a Manchu-Chinese bilingual plaque, 'Dehui' meaning the radiance of benevolence. Above the central door is a horizontal plaque 'Fugui Rongqing' (Spreading Glory and Celebration), meaning grace is widely bestowed and blessings enjoyed for ten thousand years.
Dehui Hall also has dougong and beam structure with yellow glazed tiles, but with a single-eave hipped-gable roof, a chiwen with gilded kiss chain on the main ridge, and gilded double-dragon heyxi patterns on the beams.
Throughout the Cloud-Dispelling complex, from the Cloud-Dispelling Gate to Dehui Hall, every main hall and gate hall has gilded kiss chains on their main ridge chiwen, indicating a building rank nearly on par with the first three halls of the Forbidden City.
Dehui Hall was the Duobao Hall during the Garden of Clear Ripples period. Now it exhibits some calligraphy and paintings presented to Cixi on her birthday. This chiwen is an original Qing dynasty main ridge chiwen removed during major renovation of the Cloud-Dispelling Hall.
Overlooking from in front of Dehui Hall, the entire front-hill landscape of the Summer Palace is in view. It can be said this is the best spot to appreciate its beauty.
Looking south: the central pagoda stands tall, small boats drift, the golden roof of the Cloud-Dispelling Hall glitters, Kunming Lake is a vast blue, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge lies quietly across the lake, and South Lake Island is lush and green.
Looking east: a verdant foreground, with towering buildings in the distance, the Olympic Park Watchtower rises conspicuously like a crane among chickens.
Looking southwest: the West Causeway has weeping willows shading it, the six bridges dot the scene, ripples on the lake, and excursion boats weave back and forth.
Looking west: layered green hills with the silhouette of Jade Peak Pagoda.
On the back of Dehui Hall is a plaque 'Chun He Yuan Qi' (Spring and Primal Energy), framed by a longevity character border, with three seals of the Empress Dowager Cixi.
From the terrace behind Dehui Hall, you can see that on both the east and west sides of the Tower of Buddhist Incense are a pavilion and a group of buildings, none of which are open to the public.
Both pavilions are built on high platforms of piled giant rocks, identical in style. They were the east and west side halls of the Tower of Buddhist Incense during the Garden of Clear Ripples period—the east one called Fuhua, the west one Xie Fang.
The complex on the east is called the Revolving Scripture Repository, a Buddhist structure built during the Qianlong reign, burned down along with the Tower of Buddhist Incense in 1860, and rebuilt in the Guangxu reign.
In the center stands a stone tablet, inscribed on the front with the six large characters 'Wan Shou Shan Kunming Hu' (Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake) in Emperor Qianlong's own calligraphy. The back of the tablet bears 'The Record of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake,' describing the dredging of Kunming Lake. The sides are carved with Qianlong's poems, all in his handwriting. At the top, four dragons support a pearl. It is said the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square was modeled after this tablet.
On the three spire roofs of the Revolving Scripture Repository's main hall, there are ceramic statues of Fu, Lu, Shou (Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity), which are quite rare. Though this is a Buddhist building, the presence of Daoist figures shows a strong flavor of 'syncretism' at the time. It is said the current ceramic statues are replicas; the originals are preserved in storage.
The complex on the west is called the Pavilion of Five Directions, corresponding to the Revolving Repository on the east. In its center stands the famous bronze hall, Baoyun Pavilion (Precious Clouds Pavilion), the only surviving cast-bronze building in Qing imperial gardens. Precious and rare, unfortunately it is now closed and cannot be visited.
From the rear courtyard of Dehui Hall, climb another 115 steps to reach the courtyard gate of the Tower of Buddhist Incense. The gate connects to a semi-enclosed covered walkway.
Looking up at the Tower of Buddhist Incense: an octagonal three-story building with multiple eaves. The first floor has a surrounding veranda, and each eave is supported by dougong brackets. The roof is covered with yellow glazed tiles with green trim edges, five ridge beasts on the diagonal ridges. The spire is a gilded double-layered inverted bowl on an octagonal yellow-and-green glazed Sumeru pedestal.
The tower stands on a five-chi-high white marble Sumeru pedestal, surrounded by a white marble balustrade. The sculptures on the pedestal are exquisite and well preserved.
The balustrade posts are carved with stone patterns; the balusters bear tangled floral motifs, and the post heads have cloud designs.
Under the first-floor eaves of the front facade hangs a plaque 'Yun Wai Tian Xiang' (Heavenly Fragrance Beyond the Clouds), the second floor 'Qi Xiang Zhao Hui' (Atmosphere and Light Radiate), the third floor 'Shi Yang Feng Jiao' (Promoting Moral Education).
Currently, the Tower of Buddhist Incense is closed to interior viewing; you can only peek inside from the doorways.
On the first floor, a gilded bronze statue of a thousand-armed Guanyin (Avalokitesvara) is enshrined. It originally came from the rear hall of Guanghua Temple in Ya'er Hutong near Houhai in Beijing and was invited here in 1989, placed on the altar of the first floor.
The veranda around the Tower of Buddhist Incense has doors on all four sides; now only the south main door is open, the others are shut. (From the courtyard looking east...)
In terms of sheer height, the Tower of Buddhist Incense is definitely the highest point among the front-hill buildings, but topographically, it is not on the mountain's summit. From the first-floor terrace of the tower looking toward the hilltop, beyond the north gate, above a rockery of piled stones, stands a glazed-tile archway shimmering with color. Behind this glazed archway is the glazed-tile hall on the peak of Longevity Hill.
The south-facing tablet of the archway reads 'Zhong Xiang Jie' (Realm of All Fragrances), and the north-facing one reads 'Zhi Shu Lin' (Jetavana Grove), both Buddhist terms.
The architectural form of this archway is similar to the Zhao Temple in Fragrant Hills: an imitation wood structure of four columns and seven roofs with hip-and-gable roofs. The side-bay tie beams feature a pattern called 'Double Dragons Upholding Longevity.'
On the main ridges of the three roofs over the central and side bays, each has an inverted-bowl-shaped ridge spire. Below is a glazed pedestal, followed by a colorful glazed inverted bowl, then a dew plate, nine layers of rings, above them a canopy, and at the very top a yellow glazed jewel. The three ridge spires are identical in structure, only differing in...
The main ridge chiwen and five beasts on the diagonal ridges; secondary ridge chiwen and three beasts on the diagonal ridges. The glazed components are vividly shaped and brightly colored.
Since there is no access to the back hill from here, we had to retrace our steps, rest a bit, and then climb up from the west side later.
Before, it was possible to go from the Tower of Buddhist Incense directly to this glazed archway. Now, if you want to reach the hilltop behind, you have to go back down and climb up again from either side. I don't know what considerations the management had, but it effectively doubles the effort for visitors. Think about it: from the Cloud-Dispelling Gate to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, there are about three hundred steps altogether. Previously, after reaching the tower, you could easily get to the glazed archway and then explore the back-hill complex. But now, you have to climb all over again. Couldn't those in charge put themselves more in the visitors' shoes, listen more to their opinions, and not make decisions on a whim?
At present, under the pandemic, managers at all levels are indeed under great pressure, but a common fault is oversimplifying problems, which is essentially shirking responsibility. Controlling visitor flow, wearing masks, banning gatherings, closing indoor spaces—all that is fine. But for problems that could be solved with simple efforts, they don't bother to fix them; instead, they just close, stop, or cut off access—easy and risk-free for them. Whether it's convenient for the service recipients isn't their main concern. Their main concern is making leaders happy, superiors satisfied, and avoiding trouble and responsibility. This is the reality, a sad reality. I can only vent a little. Sigh.
We descended, exited the Cloud-Dispelling Gate, and walked west along the Long Corridor. I had planned to go up from the Painting-in-the-Poetry scenic area, but were told the path was blocked for repairs, so we took a path on the east side of it.
Between the Tower of Lake and Mountain in One View and the Autumn Water Pavilion, flanked by two uphill paths, on a platform piled with rocks stands a courtyard with a closed floral-hanging gate—the Cloud Pine Nest. Though the floral-hanging gate looks a bit shabby, it is said to contain a hidden gem inside. The writer Ding Ling and Chen Ming once lived here, and Mao Zedong also visited.
Following the path in front of the Cloud Pine Nest uphill, passing the Green Terrace Pavilion and Shaowo Hall, the path becomes steeper.
Further up, we were basically skirting the outer wall of the Tower of Buddhist Incense. There was no proper path left, just a trail trodden by walkers, with no steps; we had to use both hands and feet. Not recommended for older people.
Before long, we arrived at the glazed archway seen from the Tower of Buddhist Incense—the Realm of All Fragrances.
The north-facing tablet of this archway reads 'Zhi Shu Lin' (Jetavana Grove) in red characters on a white background, bordered by winding golden dragons, again with the 'Double Dragons Upholding Longevity' pattern.
The stone arch gate is exquisitely carved; opening it leads to the Tower of Buddhist Incense.
Opposite the Jetavana Grove is the highest religious building on the summit of Longevity Hill—the Sea of Wisdom. It is a beamless Buddhist hall built entirely of bricks and stones, composed of intersecting arch structures. This building contains not a single piece of wood, all constructed with brick arch masonry without any beams or purlins for support, thus called a 'Beamless Hall.'
The Sea of Wisdom was first built in the 15th year of the Qianlong reign. Its name comes from the Sutra of Immeasurable Life: 'The Tathagata's sea of wisdom, a divine mansion without bottom or limit.' It faces south, stands on a white marble platform, seven bays wide, two stories high, with a five-colored glazed tile roof in the xieshan (hip-and-gable) style, and five small pagodas on the main ridge. The exterior walls are entirely decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, with the top parts interspersed in purple and blue. Above the central doorway of the front facade hangs a stone plaque 'Sea of Wisdom', and on the rear facade another stone plaque 'Auspicious Clouds.'
The front facade has solid doors in each bay, with square lattice windows above. The rear facade has white marble arch doors, as do the gable sides. The main ridge bears three small pagodas, and the diagonal ridges have chiwen beasts and immortals.
The most distinctive feature of the Sea of Wisdom is the more than a thousand glazed Buddha statues inlaid in the exterior walls—1,110 in total.
Examining these statues closely, many are delicate and intact below the head, but the faces are damaged or blurred. This is because, although the Realm of All Fragrances and the Sea of Wisdom, being masonry structures, survived the fire set by the Anglo-French forces in 1860, the wooden shrines inside were all destroyed. In the 14th year of the Guangxu reign, the glazed archway and the Sea of Wisdom were rebuilt. In the 26th year of Guangxu (1900), during the invasion by the Eight-Nation Alliance, many of the glazed Buddha heads on the Sea of Wisdom's outer walls were knocked off, and further damage was done during the Cultural Revolution, leaving very few. So what we see now are largely repaired ones. Due to the kiln-firing techniques of the time, the heads and bodies of the Buddhas were fired separately and then glued together. Over time, they easily become detached, and combined with vandalism, we see the present condition.
The Sea of Wisdom is currently closed and cannot be entered for touring.
Proceeding further east and downhill, weaving through pagoda pavilions and towers built among the rocks, we came to the Four Great Regions.
(Picture from the internet)
The Four Great Regions are the highest point among the back-hill buildings, at the top of the back-hill architectural axis. The back-hill axis is east of the front-hill axis. Axis-wise, the Sea of Wisdom and the Tower of Buddhist Incense are on the same axis—the front-hill axis. At the same time, the Sea of Wisdom acts as a transition, linking the front-hill and back-hill complexes.
(Picture from the internet)
During the Garden of Clear Ripples period, the entire back-hill Buddhist complex was collectively called the Rear Great Temple. It and the Puning Temple in Chengde were both built simultaneously during the Qianlong era, in the same Han-Tibetan mixed style, modeled after the famous Tibetan lamasery Samye Monastery in Tibet, facing south.
This complex, blending Han and Tibetan styles, consists of two parts. The northern half is in Han style, centered on the Sumeru Spiritual Realm. The southern half is Tibetan, centered on the Xiangyan Zongyin Pavilion (Pavilion of the Seal of the Fragrant Rock), surrounded by many Tibetan-style blockhouses and lama pagodas—the Four Great Regions—with a strong Tibetan flavor.
The Four Great Regions are built on high platforms constructed of Tibetan-style diamond walls. The lowest level is ten meters high, narrowing as it goes up, making it appear particularly tall and stable. The platform is surrounded by many rockeries, highlighting its ruggedness and solidity, complementing the front-hill architecture.
In 1860, all the wooden structures of the Rear Great Temple were destroyed by fire set by the Anglo-French forces. In the 14th year of the Guangxu reign (1888), the Xiangyan Zongyin Pavilion was rebuilt on the original site, but the rest remained rubble.
The current layout was reconstructed according to the original appearance in 1980. Although not as splendid as in the Qianlong period, it still exudes a strong, magnificent highland aura. The Four Great Regions used the same blueprints as those in Puning Temple (one of the Eight Outer Temples of the Chengde Mountain Resort), so they are identical.
According to the Agama Sutras, there are four continents in the human world—the Four Great Regions—representing four types of sentient beings in social strata: Uttarakuru in the north, Jambudvipa in the south, Purvavideha in the east, and Aparagodaniya in the west, all in the salty seas around Mount Sumeru.
The Four Great Regions were built based on ancient Indian philosophical concepts. They and the Eight Lesser Regions are arranged around the Xiangyan Zongyin Pavilion, which symbolizes Mount Sumeru, the center of the world. In the southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest of the pavilion stand four lama pagodas in red, white, black, and green, representing the 'Four Wisdoms' of Buddhist scriptures.
Main structures of the Four Great Regions:
1) Sutra Pillars: Two Buddhist decorations in front, adorned with small Buddha figures and engraved with the Diamond Sutra.
2) Diamond Wall: A brick wall that elevates the entire Four Great Regions, displaying its majesty.
3) Main Hall: Built of glazed tiles, resplendent and magnificent, representing Mount Sumeru at the center of the Buddhist world.
4) Four Great Regions and Eight Lesser Regions: Represent the four continents and eight subcontinents around Mount Sumeru.
5) Sunlight Bodhisattva and Moonlight Bodhisattva Temples: Represent the sun and moon circling Mount Sumeru.
6) Black, Red, White, and Green Lama Pagodas: Symbolize the four wisdoms: White – Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom; Red – All-Accomplishing Wisdom; Black – Equality Wisdom; Green – Wonderful Observing Wisdom.
Xiangyan Zongyin Pavilion
It symbolizes Mount Sumeru, the center of the Buddhist world. Originally a square two-story Buddhist tower with triple eaves and a hip-and-gable central roof, surrounded by pointed pavilions at the corners, modeled after the Uce Hall of Samye Monastery in Tibet.
Uttarakuru, Jambudvipa, Purvavideha, and Aparagodaniya are respectively square, triangular, crescent-shaped, and circular, corresponding to the Buddhist 'Four Elements': earth (square), fire (triangle), wind (crescent), and water (circle).
South of the pavilion is Uttarakuru, a Buddhist hall on a square blockhouse-style platform, topped with a single-eave pointed lu roof. The existing structure is rectangular, facing south, two stories, hip-and-gable roof with a round baoding on the main ridge, yellow glazed tiles.
Jambudvipa is triangular, with a xieshan-style yellow glazed tile roof, featuring chiwen beasts and immortals. Purvavideha is on the west side of the pavilion, a crescent-shaped building facing south. The wooden structure on the blockhouse platform has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof with yellow glazed tiles and ornamental beasts.
Aparagodaniya is on the east side of the pavilion, elliptical in plan, with a small hip-and-gable roofed hall on the blockhouse, facing west. Two stories, yellow glazed tile roof with chiwen beasts and immortals.
The Eight Lesser Regions, also known as Eight Intermediate Regions, are legendary geographical terms: 'Videha,' 'Tideha,' 'Varaja-Samudra,' 'Samudra,' 'Uttara-mantrini,' 'Sheti,' 'Lava,' and 'Kaurava.'
North and south of Purvavideha are two rectangular lesser regions, representing 'Videha' and 'Tideha.'
East and west of Jambudvipa are two hexagonal lesser regions, representing 'Varaja-Samudra' and 'Samudra.'
North and south of Aparagodaniya are two hexagonal lesser regions, representing 'Uttara-mantrini' and 'Sheti.'
East and west of Uttarakuru are two hexagonal lesser regions, symbolizing 'Lava' and 'Kaurava.'
In the southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest of the pavilion stand four different-colored lama pagodas—white, green, black, and red—each with distinct shapes, patterns, and decorations. There are different explanations for their symbolism: one says they represent the four wisdoms—white pagoda for Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom, green for Wonderful Observing Wisdom, black for Equality Wisdom, red for All-Accomplishing Wisdom. Another says they represent four Buddhist sects—white for Mahayana Exoteric, green for Hinayana Sravaka, black for Mahayana Esoteric, red for Self-Arising Buddha.
The four lama pagodas are pure Tibetan-style structures, each consisting of a base, a stupa body, rings (xiang lun), and a spire. The bases are square granite; the stupa bodies are round-bellied in white, green, black, and red; thirteen layers of rings; the spires consist of canopies and jewels. The rings and spires symbolize the Buddha's head, and the stupa bodies contain profound Buddhist meanings.
Symmetrically built on the slopes behind the pavilion are two identical rectangular blockhouse-style platforms, each with a small hip-and-gable Buddhist hall, called the Sun Platform and Moon Platform, symbolizing the sun and moon rising and setting on either side of Mount Sumeru. The scriptures say: 'In that land are two bodhisattvas, one named Sunlight All-Illuminating, the other Moonlight All-Illuminating, leaders among countless bodhisattvas.' The Sun Platform sits west facing east; the Moon Platform sits east facing west. Yellow glazed tile roofs with chiwen beasts and immortals, green finials with six-colored waists, and yellow glazed wall caps.
Descending from the Sea of Wisdom, the first thing we passed was the mountain gate of the Four Great Regions. Located at the highest point of the area, directly facing the Xiangyan Zongyin Pavilion, the complex is enclosed by courtyard walls.
Passing through the mountain gate and descending the massive stone steps, on the east side is the rectangular Uttarakuru.
On the west side is Jambudvipa, also rectangular and visually similar to Uttarakuru, not the described triangle—perhaps the original was triangular, but the reconstruction took this form.
Below Uttarakuru, east of the pavilion, is the elliptical Purvavideha.
Corresponding to Purvavideha, on the west side of the pavilion below Jambudvipa, is the crescent-shaped Aparagodaniya.
Around the four great regions, either north-south or east-west, are distributed two lesser regions of similar appearance, totaling eight.
Southwest of the pavilion is the black pagoda.
Southeast is the white pagoda.
Northwest is the red pagoda.
Northeast is the green pagoda.
Canopies and jewels atop the pagodas.
The architecture of the Four Great Regions is of high rank: main ridge chiwen, five ridge beasts plus immortal on the diagonal ridges, yellow glazed roofs, and exquisite workmanship in chiwen, ridge beasts, glazed decorations, and paintings.
On the high platform, the main hall of Xiangyan Zongyin Pavilion has a screen-like mountain gate in front, echoing the one at the highest point. The central door is not open; entry is from the sides.
The glazed-tile hall—the Sea of Wisdom—stands southwest of the Four Great Regions.
Looking down from the Four Great Regions, you see a large empty area with exposed pillar bases—the ruins of the Sumeru Spiritual Realm. It may be rebuilt in the future.
Looking back from the bottom of the Four Great Regions: at the very bottom are the Sumeru Spiritual Realm ruins; above, in the middle, is the Xiangyan Zongyin Pavilion, with the Four Great Regions, Eight Lesser Regions, and four pagodas arrayed around.
Sutra pillars stand on either side at the bottom.
Stone lions at the base on both sides.
The ruins of the Sumeru Spiritual Realm and the Four Great Regions, and the Sea of Wisdom.
Further down are the Pine Hall and Cifu Archway, marking the end of the back-hill complex.
Descending to the square in front of the Cifu Archway, on the east and west you'll see several stone carvings; the stone beasts are partially broken, but the sculptures are still exceptionally fine. These are the pillar-holding stones of the east and west archways. Originally, there were three archways in front of the Sumeru Spiritual Realm—east, west, and north—but only the north one (Cifu Archway) was restored.
Continuing east, we passed the Yinhui Gate, intending to see the Duobao Glazed Pagoda.
But found it under renovation when we arrived.
Passing the Garden of Harmonious Interests and the Purple Cloud from the East Gate, we came to the Garden of Virtue and Harmony.
As introduced earlier, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony was where Empress Dowager Cixi watched operas and enjoyed music. Originally the site of the Yichun Hall from the Qianlong period, it was rebuilt under Guangxu. Its main structures are the Dressing Tower, the Great Stage, the Yile Hall, and the Viewing Corridor.
The Garden of Virtue and Harmony, along with the Changyin Pavilion in the Forbidden City and the Qingyin Pavilion at the Chengde Mountain Resort, were known as the three great stages of the Qing court. The Changyin Pavilion was dismantled during the Jiaqing reign; the Qingyin Pavilion was destroyed by the invading Japanese army. Only the Garden of Virtue and Harmony survives. Moreover, its stage is the most architecturally and historically significant of the three, standing as the pinnacle of ancient Chinese theater architecture.
Admission is 5 yuan. The gatehouse is modest, but the sparrow braces and eave edges are gilded, retaining an imperial touch.
Inside the gate stands a wooden screen wall.
At the center of the garden is a two-sided building, slightly narrower on the south side and wider on the north. The south-facing part is the Dressing Tower, two stories high, where actors put on makeup, waited, stored costumes, and changed props. Corridors on both sides connect and separate the courtyard.
Flanking the garden east and west are corridors that also serve as walls. The garden is fragrant with osmanthus blossoms of several varieties—golden, silver, four-season, day-fragrant, etc.—a favorite tree in imperial gardens, punning on 'preciousness' (jin gui). However, osmanthus cannot survive northern winters, so they are planted in wooden tubs and moved indoors to heated shelters in winter.
Past the corridors, you see the Great Stage, also called the Singing Stage, integrated with the Dressing Tower, divided into three levels named Fu, Lu, and Shou (Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity), with a round-ridge hip-and-gable roof, facing north.
The lower plaque: 'Huanlv Rongpu' (Joyful Revelry, Glorious Sunshine).
Middle plaque: 'Chengping Yutai' (Peaceful Times, Grand Harmony).
Upper plaque: 'Qingyan Changchen' (Celebrating Prosperous Times). All three plaques were personally written by Cixi.
The construction of the Great Stage is the ultimate achievement.
The lower stage is 17 meters wide and 16 meters deep, with eave columns 4.48 meters high. The middle stage is 12 meters wide, and the upper stage slightly smaller.
Behind the lower stage is a three-bay Immortal Tower, connected to the stage by four Immortal Bridges.
Beneath the lower stage, a brick well was dug to a depth of 10.1 meters, with an upper diameter of 1.1 meters and a lower diameter of 2.8 meters. On three sides (east, west, north) five additional pools, each about 1 meter square and 1.28 meters deep, were dug. These could create water effects during performances and amplify vocal resonance through water echo.
Corresponding to these five pools, five pulley systems were built above the middle and upper stages, allowing synchronized performances of grand scenes with water and magical effects.
The stage architecture is exquisitely refined, with sparrow braces, eave edges, and gilded paintings all displaying the noble, regal style.
Opposite the Great Stage is the Yile Hall, built especially for Cixi to watch performances. Inside were her throne, a lounge, and a nap room—unfortunately, visitors can no longer enter.
On both sides of the Great Stage are viewing towers where Cixi granted princes and nobles the privilege of watching. Each side has ten bays.
With the visit to the Garden of Virtue and Harmony complete, we exited through the East Palace Gate, ending the day's tour.
