THE SUMMER PALACE

Feeding time at the lakes.




The longest walk way.




The lakes.


THE SUMMER PALACE.
one of the many entrances.







The Summer Palace is about 15 kilometers from Beijing .Emperor Qinglong built the Summer Palace as a birthday gift for his mother. This beautiful garden was first called, The Garden of Clear Ripples.

The Summer Palace covers an area of 294 hectares, ¾ of the grounds being man made lakes. There are carved stone bridges, temples, and many buildings.

Beside the lakes are many trees and weeping willows; in the lakes are thousands of carps. You can buy fish food and feed the fishes when you visit.

There is the Long corridor, the longest walkway in a palace grounds. It is 795 yards long and there are over 14,000 traditional Chinese paintings on the beams, pillars and cross beams.

Work started on the gardens in 1750 and took thousands of skilled craft men, fine artists and laborers 15 years to complete.

In 1880 most of it was destroyed by fire. It was restored in 1888 by Empress Dowager Cixi and named ‘The Summer Palace’. She loved it so much that she spend the later part of her life there. It was opened to the public in 1911.

Visit this palace garden to see the finest Chinese garden architecture. See the 17 arch bridge across the lakes. The peaceful temples on the hill side. See the beautiful blooms in late spring. We went in early spring and didn’t get to see any flowers. See the ripples on the lakes, take a boat ride.
Copyright ©by MayFam2005.