Beijing Travel: A Brief Half-Day at the Summer Palace (Photos)

The Summer Palace in Beijing is an imperial garden of legendary fame. However, as a native Beijinger, it is not a place I visit often. When I was a child, there was only bus route 32 that started from the zoo to get there, and from the city center it required several transfers. So, my visits to the Summer Palace could be counted on one hand.

Tower of Buddhist Incense, Summer Palace (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

As one of the 'Three Hills and Five Gardens,' the Summer Palace holds an important place. It is said that the beauty of ancient Beijing lies in its magnificent palaces, altars, and temples, as well as in its abundant mountains, waters, and gardens. From the Western Hills in the west to Haidian in the east, there is a stretch of land with overlapping peaks, plentiful springs, and a harmonious blend of hills and water. Since the Liao and Jin dynasties, each successive dynasty built imperial retreats here.

Photo from a past visit to the Summer Palace (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Qing emperors, who came from beyond the Great Wall, were especially fond of places with 'mountains, water, and woods.' With a stroke of the brush by the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong emperors, a 'Royal Garden City' as vast as Beijing itself emerged—this is the 'Three Hills and Five Gardens.' The 'Three Hills and Five Gardens' is a collective name for the historical and cultural heritage, primarily Qing imperial gardens, in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing. The three hills are Longevity Hill, Fragrant Hills, and Jade Spring Hill. The five gardens are Qingyi Garden (Garden of Clear Ripples), Jingyi Garden (Garden of Tranquility and Pleasure), Jingming Garden (Garden of Tranquility and Brightness), Changchun Garden (Garden of Everlasting Spring), and Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace). Qingyi Garden is what we now call the Summer Palace.

Family photo from the 1980s (Photo: Wang Jue)

Precisely because I visited this renowned imperial garden so rarely, the memories are all the more vivid. Looking at those few surviving photos from a family outing in the 1980s—their colors faded and heavily distorted—with images of my parents who passed away many years ago, I am filled with deep emotion.

Family photo from the 1980s (Photo: passerby)

I especially remember a time in junior high when a classmate invited me to cycle to the Summer Palace. We arrived around lunchtime and went to the Tingli Guan (Listening to Orioles Hall) to eat. Everyone chipped in one yuan, and we enjoyed an unforgettable feast. So for me, the Summer Palace is not just a place of travel memories with family and classmates, but carries an exceptionally nostalgic sentiment.

Photo from a 1980s visit (Photo: passerby)

Time flies. Decades passed in the blink of an eye. I recall my most recent visit to the Summer Palace was on the afternoon of October 28, 2020, during the pandemic. Even though I live in Beijing, I hadn't been there for decades. On that day, I found some free time for a visit, arriving at the park at 3:30 p.m.

Entering the North Gate of the Summer Palace (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

I remember always entering through the main gate, the East Gate, but this time I took the subway, and the nearest station was Beigongmen (North Palace Gate). Entering from there, I found myself directly at Suzhou Street on the back hill. Pausing on a bridge over the lake to look down, the colorful signs and banners of the shops along Suzhou Street were especially eye-catching.

Overlooking Suzhou Street (Photo: Wang Jue)

Suzhou Street in the Summer Palace, also known as 'Market Street,' was built along both banks of the Back Lake in imitation of a Jiangnan water town. During the Qingyi Garden period, there were various shops along the banks, such as jade and antique stores, silk shops, pastry shops, tea houses, and gold and silver jewelry stores.

A corner of Suzhou Street (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The shop assistants were all eunuchs and palace maids in costume, and 'business' began when the emperor passed by. Dozens of shops along the Back Lake were burned down by foreign powers in the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860) and rebuilt in 1986.

Scenery of the back hill (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

After crossing the bridge over the Back Lake, I strolled from the back hill to the Garden of Harmonious Pleasures. Located at the eastern foot of Longevity Hill, it's an independent garden-within-a-garden in the style of a southern Chinese garden.

Entrance to the Garden of Harmonious Pleasures (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

When the Summer Palace was called Qingyi Garden, this place was known as 'Huishan Garden,' modeled after the Jichang Garden at Huishan in Wuxi. After a renovation in the 16th year of the Jiaqing reign (1811), it was renamed 'Garden of Harmonious Pleasures,' a name derived from the phrases 'finding tranquil delight beyond the mundane, harmonizing with the innermost peace' and Emperor Qianlong's verse 'every pavilion and path brims with harmonious charm.'

Entering the Garden of Harmonious Pleasures (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The garden contains thirteen structures including pavilions, terraces, halls, and waterside pavilions, connected by hundreds of meters of corridors and five bridges of differing designs.

Scenery in the Garden of Harmonious Pleasures (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

In the southeast corner of the garden, there is a stone bridge with a stone archway bearing the plaque 'Zhiyu Qiao' (Bridge of Knowing Fish) inscribed by Emperor Qianlong. The name comes from the famous debate between Zhuangzi and Huizi on the Hao River about the joy of fish.

Withered lotus leaves in the pond (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

As it was early autumn, the once-lush lotus blooms had turned to dry, withered stems and leaves. Yet the long corridors, pavilions, terraces, and towers still retained the unique beauty of the Garden of Harmonious Pleasures.

Corridors in the Garden of Harmonious Pleasures (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Leaving the garden and walking along the path, I came to the Pavilion of Knowing Spring by Kunming Lake. Nearby lie several famous sights, including the Tower of Literary Prosperity, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, and the 'Red Clouds of Dawn' scenic spot.

A photo with Longevity Hill in the background (Photo: passerby)

Moreover, the lakeside pier near the Pavilion of Knowing Spring is one of the best spots to take photos with Longevity Hill as the backdrop.

Pavilion of Knowing Spring (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Among all the pavilions in the Summer Palace, the Pavilion of Knowing Spring is the best viewpoint for taking in the full panorama of Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake, and the borrowed scenery of Jade Spring Hill and the Western Hills.

Tower of Literary Prosperity (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

From here, you can admire the Seventeen-Arch Bridge to the south and the intricately painted Tower of Literary Prosperity on the eastern bank. The low islets, tall pavilions, level bridge, and the tower are artfully arranged, enriching the garden's spatial depth and creating a lively, dynamic effect.

Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Around the pavilion grow mountain peach and weeping willow trees, which, around the time of 'the fifth and sixth nine' (a traditional Chinese seasonal marker in late winter), are the first to herald the arrival of spring. The Pavilion of Knowing Spring is particularly special: first, for its scenery; and second, as a vantage point for viewing the landscape.

Red Clouds of Dawn (Photo: Wang Jue)

Standing by the lake and gazing at the shimmering Kunming Lake and distant Longevity Hill is truly refreshing. Kunming Lake is the largest lake in the Qing imperial gardens, with a long causeway—the West Dyke—stretching from the northwest to the south. The West Dyke and its branches divide the lake into three water areas of different sizes, each containing a central island.

Marina on Kunming Lake (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

These three islands stand like a tripod on the lake, symbolizing the three mythical mountains in the Eastern Sea from ancient Chinese legend: Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou. The West Dyke and its six bridges were deliberately modeled after the Su Causeway and its six bridges on Hangzhou's West Lake.

Photo at the Pavilion of Knowing Spring (Photo: Wang Jue)

Along the West Dyke, green waves lap and willows sway, opening onto a vast natural landscape. Miles away, the graceful Jade Spring Hill and the shadow of its Jade Peak Pagoda are 'borrowed' as an integral part of the garden scenery.

Tower of Buddhist Incense on Longevity Hill (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Longevity Hill, a spur of the Yan Mountains, rises to 58.59 meters. Buildings are arranged along the hillside. On the front slope, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, an octagonal three-story structure with quadruple eaves, forms the center of a massive architectural complex. From the 'Yunhui Yuyu' archway at the foot, passing through the Cloud-Dispelling Gate, the Second Palace Gate, the Cloud-Dispelling Hall, the Hall of Virtuous Splendor, and up to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and finally the Hall of the Sea of Wisdom at the summit, a central axis rises step by step.

Autumn scenery in the Summer Palace (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Tower of Buddhist Incense stands on the central slope of the front hill, on a 21-meter-high square stone base. It is an octagonal, three-story building with quadruple eaves, 41 meters high. Inside, eight massive ironwood pillars support the complex structure, making it a masterpiece of classical architecture. The original tower was burned down by the Anglo-French forces in 1860. Reconstruction started in the 17th year of the Guangxu reign (1891) at a cost of 780,000 taels of silver and was completed in 1894, the largest project in the Summer Palace. The tower enshrines a 'Buddha of Guidance' for the imperial family to worship.

Kunming Lake scenery (Photo: Wang Jue)

Walking from the Pavilion of Knowing Spring along the embankment toward the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, memories of my past visits to the Summer Palace replayed in my mind like a movie. Along the way, I passed the famous Bronze Ox, another good spot for photographing the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.

Bronze Ox (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Bronze Ox, located on the eastern shore of Kunming Lake, to the north of the eastern end of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, was placed there to suppress floods. Cast in bronze in the 20th year of the Qianlong reign (1755), it is also called the 'Golden Ox.'

Photo at the Seventeen-Arch Bridge (Photo: passerby)

A short distance from the Bronze Ox is the famous Seventeen-Arch Bridge. Spanning Kunming Lake, it links the East Dyke and South Lake Island, serving as the largest stone bridge in the garden.

Walking onto the Seventeen-Arch Bridge (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Stepping onto the stone bridge, I took a leisurely stroll. It is 8 meters wide and 150 meters long, with 17 arches. Over 500 stone lions of various sizes and poses line the balustrades on both sides.

Stone lion statues on the bridge (Photo: Wang Jue)

It was just sunset when I arrived. Scores of photography enthusiasts had set up their cameras, capturing the iconic scene of the evening sun shining through the bridge's arches.

Sunset view through the bridge arches (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

And it was not just the bridge that was beautiful; the sunset glow over Kunming Lake was beyond words. Through the fluttering willow leaves along the shore, I saw crimson clouds reflected on the sparkling water—truly a magnificent natural scene.

Evening glow on Kunming Lake (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

This whirlwind half-day visit to the Summer Palace after so many decades barely scratched the surface. But as the saying goes, 'Since we're here, let's make the best of it.' With limited time, I recorded these wonderful moments in the garden... Someday when I have more time, I'll definitely come back for a thorough visit, and hopefully not leave with any regrets. (Text and photos: Feng Ganyong)