 |
|
 |
 |
|
Chengde Summer Resort, also called Chengde Out Palace or Rehe Xanadu, is situated north of Hebei Province's Chengde downtown, 230 kilometers away from Beijing. First built in the 42nd year (1703) of Emperor Kangxi's reign of the Qing Dynasty, the resort cost about 90 years to construct, covering 564 hectares. It is the largest imperial garden in China.
The resort is divided into two sections: the palace area and the scenic area, the latter of which is subcategorized into Lake Zone, Plain Zone and Mountain Zone.
Palace Area
Palaces in China conjure up pictures of majesty and splendor. Certainly most palaces are just like that, but for sure you will have a different view if you come to visit the palace in the Chengde Summer Resort. The architectural style of the palace is very unique, and similar to the residential houses in North China. Black bricks and gray tiles, rock steps and the cute courtyard covered with old pine trees look peaceful and elegant.
The area is located in the southern part of the resort, made up of the Main Palace, Pine-Crane Hall, Pine Soughing Valley and East Palace. The Main Palace is comprised of the Front Court and the Back Imperial Bedroom. The main hall of the Front Court, all made of nanmu, was the place where all important ceremonies were held during the Qing emperors' stay in the summer resort. The Back Imperial Bedroom is comprised of Yanbo Zhishuang Hall, where the emperors lived and dealt with state affairs, and Yunshan Shengdi Tower, where the emperors and empresses appreciated the beautiful scenery.
Scenic Area
1. Lake Zone
Lying in the north of the palace area, the scenery of the lake zone sparkles like a diamond in the Summer Resort. In the middle of the lake zone are three islands, namely, Happy Island, Island for Enjoying the Water Songs under the Moonlight, and Green Surrounded Island.
The Green Surrounded Island is where the princes studied. The Happy Island boasts the most ancient architectures, such as the Yanxun Mansion, where the emperors used to deal with state affairs before the construction of the Main Palace. To the north of the Happy Island lies Green Lotus Island, with the Misty Rain Pavilion. The zone is divided into several lakes including the Half-Moon Lake, Mirror Lake, Silver Lake and Inner Lake, around which are the main scenic areas. The Wenjin Loft was one of the seven famous libraries in the Qing Dynasty. The Island for Enjoying the Water Songs under the Moonlight was where the emperors enjoyed reading as well as moonlight and water songs.
Weeping willows crooning along the banks and green waves poppling on the lake make up a wonderful picture.
2. Plain Zone
Going north, you come to the plain zone where the Qing emperors held banquets and recreational activities. This area is mainly covered with grassland and woods. The plain zone is divided into three parts: an arboretum to the east with 28 various Mongolia tents; to the west is a piece of grassland where you can ride horses, and temples and other buildings lie to the north.
3. Mountain Zone
It is located in the northwestern part of the Resort and accounts for four fifths of the total area. There are four great valleys from north to south: Pine-cloud Valley, Pear Valley, Pine Valley and Filbert Valley. Here you can enjoy the mountain scenery completely, including undulating hills, flourishing woods, steep peaks, gurgling streams and white waterfalls. It is pleasantly cool here, a best place to spend the summer holidays. Architectures in this zone, adopting the styles both of the Southland and of North China, are of great artistic value.
Each year in the summer, the Qing emperors would come and live in the Chengde Summer Resort for about five to six months. Nowadays, once summer starts, most people think of the Resort to spend their vacations.
Summer Palace
The Summer Palace, a world-renowned imperial garden, is situated 15 kilometers from downtown Beijing. It was first named the Garden of Clear Ripples, which was burnt down by the allied forces of Great Britain and France in 1860. It was rebuilt in 1888 with an investment of 30 million taels of silver and renamed the Summer Palace. Covering 293 hectares, the Summer Palace mainly consists of the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake, and boasts more than 3,000 various buildings. The garden can be divided into three parts, namely, administration, residence and scenery area.
The administration area, taking the Halls of Benevolence and Longevity as its principal part, is the place where Empress Dowager Cixi dealt with state affairs and received officials. Behind the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity are three large-scale quadrangles: Hall of Joyful Longevity, Hall of Jade Billows and Chamber of Mortal Beings, which used to be residence of Cixi, Emperor Guangxu and Empress Longyu, the wife of Emperor Guangxu, respectively. To the East of the Chamber of Mortal Beings is the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, which, covering an area of 3,000 sqm, mainly consists of the Theatre Building and the Hall of Nurtured Joy.
The scenery area is the essential part of the Summer Palace, consisting of the Kunming Lake and the Longevity Hill (Front Hill and Rear Hill).
Longevity Hill, located on the northern bank of the Kunming Lake, is divided into two parts, the Front Hill and the Rear Hill. The structures in the Front Hill begins in the Gate of Dispelling Clouds, passes the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, the Hall of Moral Brilliance and the Tower of Buddhist Incense in turn, and finally ends in the Sea of Wisdom on the mountaintop, forming an axis of the whole garden. At the foot of the hill is the Long Corridor, renowned as the First Corridor in the World, which is more than 700 meters long and features over 8,000 colored paintings. Besides the gallery lies the Kunming Lake,
The Rear Hill, different from the Front Hill, is quiet and elegant. A path circles down the hill with trees and brooks scattering here and there. Main structures in the Rear Hill include the Suzhou Market Street, the Garden of Harmonious Interests, etc. On the eastern part of the Rear Hill lies the Garden of Harmonious Interests, which was built in imitation of Jichangyuan Garden in Wuxi of Suzhou City during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty? The garden is small and exquisite and thus renowned as the Garden within a Garden.
Ingeniously conceived and elaborately designed, the Summer Palace, concentrating the features of the gardens in southern and northern China, is reputed as the soul of the Chinese gardens.