Summer Palace

Introducing Summer Palace
The Summer Palace, which is the largest and most well-preserved royal garden in China, is also considered the largest in the world. It was originally constructed in 1750 by Emperor Qianlong, but was largely destroyed during the war of 1860. However, it was restored to its original foundations in 1886. The Summer Palace is a vast complex of gardens, palaces, lakes, and hills, built around Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. Its landscaped gardens, temples, and pavilions were designed to be in harmony with nature and to be aesthetically pleasing. In December 1998, UNESCO recognized the Summer Palace as a World Heritage Site and declared it a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design.

Summer Palace Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Yi He Yuan 颐和园
• Best Time to Visit: April, May, September and October
• Recommended Visiting Hours: About 2 to 3 hours
• Opening Hours: 6:00 – 20:00 (Apr – Oct), 6:30 – 19:00 (Nov – Mar)
• Entrance Fee: CNY30 (Apr – Oct), CNY20 (Nov – Mar)
• Address: No. 19 Xinjian Gongmen Road, Haidian District, Beijing

Reasons to Visit the Summer Palace
UNESCO cultural heritage site
The Summer Palace is one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage sites located in the Beijing area. It was inscribed on UNESCO heritage list in 1998 for being a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design.

Best preserved imperial garden
The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China and also in the World.

Kunming Lake
Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace was created by extending an existing body of water in order to replicate Hangzhou’s famous West Lake which has inspired famous poets, scholars, and artists since the 9th century.

Longest covered promenade
The Long Corridor in the Summer Palace runs for 728m (2388ft) and is built entirely of wood. It is divided by crossbeams into 273 sections.

A great place to learn about Chinese history and culture
The Summer Palace was built by the Qing emperors and reflects the opulence and power of the imperial court.

What to Expect at the Summer Palace
Layout of the Summer Palace
Spanning approximately 300 hectares, the Summer Palace is divided into four primary scenic areas: the Western Gate zone, The Longevity Hill Front and Rear Zone, and Kunming Lake Zone.

The Western Gate zone, located at the easternmost part of the palace, was historically the area where Qing emperors conducted political activities and resided. This zone encompasses the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (Ren Shou Dian), where emperors received ministers; the south and north imperial houses; the bedrooms; the grand theatrical stage; and the courtyards. The Yu Lan Tang served as Emperor Guang Xu’s bedroom and later his prison. The high walls with closed passages are still visible today.

The Longevity Hill Front zone is renowned for its opulence. Two symmetrical axes connect the entire scenic zone. The east-west axis is marked by the famous Long Corridor, while the south-north axis begins from the middle of the Long Corridor, featuring structures like the Gate of Clouds (Pai Yun Men), Hall of Clouds (Pai Yun Dian), Hall of Benevolence and Glory (De Hui Dian), and Tower of Burning Buddhist Incense (Fo Xiang Ge). The Fo Xiang Ge is the park’s centerpiece, with surrounding structures symmetrically distributed.

The behind-hill lake zone is located at the northernmost part of the palace. Despite having fewer structures, it boasts lush woods and trees, winding hill paths, offering a stark contrast to the lavishness of the hill front scenes. A group of Tibetan style structures and a scene typical of southern China form the compactly arranged Suzhou Street.

Kunming Lake, which covers three-fourths of the park’s area, is an ideal spot to view Longevity Hill, which unfolds like a scroll of paintings towards the east. The lake’s surface is dotted with boats and features a dike called Xi Di (Western Dike), lined with peach and willow trees and six arched bridges of different types. There are also various ancient structures on three islands in the lake. The 17-arch bridge stretches across the lake, creating an unforgettable scene for visitors.

Structures in the Summer Palace
The Summer Palace, Beijing’s best-preserved imperial garden, is a veritable showcase of ancient structures and garden styles, essentially serving as a museum of traditional Chinese gardens.

The Fo Xiang Ge, located atop Longevity Hill, is the palace’s main structure. This tower, built on a 21-meter-high square foundation, stands 40 meters tall with eight facades, three stories, and four tiers of roofs, epitomizing the finest of ancient Chinese architecture.

The gardens feature verandas and angled pavilions. The Summer Palace’s Long Corridor, the world’s longest at about 728 meters, has painted beams adorned with over 4,000 pictures depicting legendary stories or flora and fauna. A double-eaved octagonal pavilion, the largest in China, sits on the eastern bank of Kunming Lake. Additionally, the beamless hall atop Longevity Hill is constructed entirely of bricks and stones without any prop.

The palace boasts world-class casting and carving. A vividly depicted cast iron bull sits on Kunming Lake’s eastern bank, with inscriptions on its back. A marble boat with exquisitely carved beams and props can be found on the northern bank.

The Summer Palace encapsulates the best of ancient Chinese architectural styles. In the east, halls and houses form enclosed courtyards interconnected by corridors, a style reminiscent of North China’s courtyard houses. In the south, a willow-lined embankment cuts through the lake, emulating Hangzhou’s scenic West Lake. Structures resembling Tibetan lamaseries and a Suzhou-named shop-lined street are situated on the north slope of Longevity Hill.

How to Get to Summer Palace
• By subway: Take Subway Line 4 to Beigongmen Station (Exit D). Head west for 3 minutes and you will find the North Palace Gate.
• By bus: Take a bus to Yiheyuan North Palace Gate Station. The buses that go there are 303, 346, 394, 563, 584.
• Charter a car or bus from GGC: Travel in comfort and style with your own private driver to visit the Summer Palace.

Additional Travel Advice on Summer Palace
• The through ticket includes entrance fee for the Palace and fees for Dehe Garden (¥5), Wenchang Temple (¥20), Foxiang Pavilion (¥15) and Suzhou Street (¥10).
• It is not advised to play on the surface of Kungming Lake in winter.