Kunming Lake is located insidethe Summer Palace, and covers three quarters of the Summer Palace. In summer, people can go boating on the lake, and in winter people can walk on the ice of the lake. Today’s Kunming Lake is a man-made lake, while it was originally a natural lake in which a number of springs converged.

In the Yuan Dynasty, irrigation expert Guo Shoujing redirected the springs of the Lingshang Mountain (Sacred Mountain) in Changping to this lake. The spring water, drawing in the tributary waters along the way, made the lake into a reservoir that greatly facilitated the transportation of grain.

During the Ming Dynasty, a number of lotus flowers were planted in the lake. In the surrounding area were paddy fields, temples, pavilions and other finely built structures, creating a great view that resembled the landscape of south China. For this reason it became known as the West Lake. With the construction of the Garden of Clear Ripples during Emperor Qianlong's reign (1736-1795), the lake was expanded to its current size. Emperor Qianlong then named it "Kunming", inspired by Emperor Liuche of the Han Dynasty, who once constructed an artificial lake called the "Kunming Pool" to practice battles on the water.

The glistening waters, the meandering banks, well-arranged islands, and a host of architectural structures in different styles, both near and far, all combine to present a wonderful view of the Summer Palace landscape.