Yiheyuan (or The Summer Palace) is sincerely loved by people from around the world today and is part of the World Heritage. But it was restored and beautified by one of the notorious Chinese empresses Cixi during the Qing Dynasty. The empress is universally known as Empress Dowager Cixi. The Summer Palace was built in 1750 (the 15th year during Emperor Qianlong’s reign) and destroyed in 1860 by the British and French army. In 1886 (the 12th year during Emperor Guangxu’s reign), Empress Dowager Cixi restored the palace by appropriating the government navy’s military and other funds, so that China’s navy failed when battling against Japan’s navy at the Yellow Sea because of lacking financial support. Although today’s Summer Palace is not the one that this empress ever restored (for it was re-trampled after that time), it was restored based on Cixi’s restoration rather than on Qianlong’s original construction in 1750.
Yiheyuan in Chinese means that man and nature are one. And it also means you will have a good rest while staying in this palace. I have been to many of Beijing’s famous scenic spots, such as the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall at Badaling and Mutianyu, Beihai Park, Shichahai Lakes and others, but I think the Summer Palace is the most beautiful attraction ever built in Beijing and even in China. Since the Summer Palace suggests the meaning of man and nature being one, so you may harvest peace for your mind as soon as you step into it.
On today’s morning when I got up at 7: 30, the idea of going to the Summer Palace again dawned upon me instantly, probably due to the reason that I wanted to refresh myself after yesterday’s gloomy rain. Anyway when I arrived there after more than one hour on subway line 10 and 4, it was relatively early at about10 o’clock. It was a long journey, but I was so impressed once I saw its Chinese name 颐和园 (or Yiheyuan) on a monument in front of a decorated archway before I entered it. The annoying matter is that many tourists were shooting pictures there, so I couldn’t get a chance to shoot a good picture before leaving for the palace. The ticket price was 30 RMB during this season.
The first view that rushed into my eyes was an ancient gate, on which hangs a board named Renshoumen, which literally means mercy and longevity gate. Beside it stands a short monument, which shows that the Summer Palace belongs to the World Heritage. I shot a picture as so many tourists did and was awed by this. Besides this, you will see many tall ancient pine trees growing there, which give so much coolness to all tourists, for today the sun was not merciful. But I thought it was the best time to visit this palace, for it is named the Summer Palace. Indeed, it is a summer resort for you.
Passing through this gate, a grotesque rock hidden in a glass box welcomed me and all tourists in spite of all of our noises and excitement. It is named the Stone of the God of the Longevity (or Shouxingshi in Chinese), which looks like a god when you look at it from a little distance away. Behind it is a hall named Renshoudian, which literally means mercy and longevity hall. Lots of tourists shot pictures in front of it and craned their heads to see what is really inside it. While, more tourists chose to stand by a Chinese unicorn’s (or Qilin’s) bronze statue and asked their family members to take photos. According to Chinese tradition, a unicorn is a mythological animal who can drive evil spirits from you. Some guys even joked that a corrupt official shouldn’t take photos with this animal, for it will take away his money and punish him. That’s funny! But people love it and swarm to stand by it to take photos with it.
Turning left and walking for a while, I came to another ancient-looking hall called Deheyuan (or Dehe Garden). According to some beautiful personal tour guides’ explanation, this garden was once the place where Empress Dowager Cixi watched plays, probably Peking Opera. It is also said that she used 410,000 liang (a Chinese unit of measure) of silver to build this palace. It is luxurious! But I couldn’t enter it, for I didn’t buy the coupon for all sights in the palace. A coupon costs 60 RMB.
Then, zigzagging in Wanshoushan’s (or the Longevity Hill’s) maze paths and experiencing some volunteers’ performances by happy tourists and musicians, I came down to a studio named Qinghuaxuan (or Qinghua Studio/Studio of Serene Beauty), where you will see lots of old pictures of the palace and its unknown stories. Really the old Summer Palace was not as beautiful as it is today due to many times of destruction. But people want to know history and I am just one of them. So, many visitors especially Chinese tourist were impressed by this. Although the old was not beautiful, it is something worth our attention. To be honest, I am not the person who loves old things, but I got surprised by the show. At least, I know from the show that Cixi was an ugly lady, looking as common as all other old ladies.
Out of this hall and along the path beside the beautifully designed passage lying Kunming Lake, I followed the floating tourists to the entrance of the Tower of Buddhist Incense, where a swarm of tourists were taking photos with the magnificent gate. I think the two bronze lions in front of the gate are very impressive. I didn’t enter this entrance also due to my ticket problem.
In fact, along the way, apart from floods of tourists, you will meet various eating and handicrafts shops beside your hand. They are decorated in the traditional palace style, which seems to make everything here so imperial and traditional, naturally in harmony with this ancient palace. Some shops feature Chinese calligraphy. I appreciate this art very much and entered these shops to appreciate the calligraphers’ art works. They are amazing!
But the most impressive and attractive element of this palace for me is not this or those things that I passed by. It is the lake!
According to the principle of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth (the five elements judging a person’s fate in traditional Chinese culture), I belong to Water, for some professional masters told my mother this and she told it to me. I have a special feeling about water. Every time when I see lakes or rivers, I become impressed. Actually this is just one feeling, probably nothing to do with this theory. But they said so. Then, I turned right and walked along the bank of the lake, appreciating the emerald water and envying the frolic fish in it. Meanwhile, I followed tourists watching the happy boats, big and small, floating on the glistening water far away on the lake. Frequently you can rest, for there are many well-designed pavilions around the lake. The high temperature being as the monster of today, such pavilions were completely put into use. Following the mainstream of tourists, I walked on.
Occasionally I met two tortoises, swimming with heads up at one corner of the lake. And then I happened to find a good angle to take photos of the lake and the Longevity Hill. In fact, the two things are separated, but they will merge into a new wonderful scroll of painting when you shoot them in a proper angle. I watched the water and the hill, and shot many pictures in the best angles I thought. The sun was still merciless, but my spirit was high with breezes frequently kissing my face. Probably I could forgot myself that time. I didn’t want to move any more. I just wished to stay there forever. But I needed to shoot pictures and check out nearly every view I missed the last time when the lake was capped by very thick ice.
Suddenly I noticed a young lady was feeding the hungry fish, I approached her and observed this scene for a while. In the beginning all the fish attacking the food were little. After a while, some bigger fish came. They were really hungry creatures. Like shuttles or bullets, they zoomed and attacked their given food floating on the water. I nearly thought it was a battle of life and death! Yes, I love fish. So, I followed suit and bought a loaf of bread to feed them too. Their hungry actions gave me so much fun. But once I finished, I had to leave, for the fish would never come to you if you didn’t have any food. That’s the rule!
The next sight inside this palace for me was Zhichun Ting (or Heralding Spring Pavilion), where people often gather to sing and dance. I saw them doing so last time, but not this time. People just sat inside it and enjoyed the good view of the lake with different unknown ideas. But I should mention the bridge connecting to the pavilion. It is very famous and named Shiqikongqiao (or 17-Arch Bridge), which is made of white marble and has seventeen arch holes. Therefore, it is called 17-Arch Bridge. On the bridge there are many railing posts. On top of each post is a little stone lion. They have different expressions from one to another. At the other end of the bridge is an island, where there are some interesting things too, including a royal Dragon King Temple.
Walking on, I chose many other good angles to shoot pictures. And the views of the lake and the hill in different places take on different views. Now, on the bank of the lake are filled with reeds and weeds, waving up and down as breezes blow and there is an island where a small pavilion is hidden behind layers of willows. With the emerald water surrounding it, the blue sky and the Longevity Hill far away, it looked perfect! But the wonder is another bridge, which is also a white marble bridge. But it is an arch bridge with a very steep slope. If one is in wheelchair, he cannot pass. But don’t worry, there is another flat bridge beside it. According to my experience, standing on top of the arch bridge, you will have another very good view of the palace although it is energy-consuming get on the top.
Across the bridge, you will enter another wonderland, where a number of different species of trees, short and tall, form a groove for you to escape from the bustling city life. I saw families camping here. Picking up your tent and lying inside it on the soft grass is perfect! Certainly some guys also brought pokers here, for I saw several groups of tourists playing cards with very leisurely expressions. It is relaxation! If you are with your beloved one, it is another romance. Still I walked on.
I came to Xidi (or The West Causeway), which leads to my way back. The West Causeway is molded on the Su Causeway of the West Lake in Hangzhou. From south to north, the causeway is connected by six bridges, each unique in style, the Willow Bridge, the Silk Bridge, the Mirror Bridge, the Jade Belt Bridge, the Bridge of Pastoral Poems and the Lake-Dividing Bridge. Actually each bridge is one on which a pavilion stands. Standing on each pavilion, you will have a different view of the lake, I mean, the lake water and the dancing trees surrounding the lake on the banks. No doubt, I shot many pictures. But it was already 5 pm and I had to go back. Since I had walked around this lake for nearly a circle and climbed up some cobwebbed paths of the Longevity Hill, I was really tired. So I rested on the grass for a few minutes and walked for another half an hour. Finally, I came to a bridge which connects the West Causeway with the Longevity Hill. When I went out of the palace, it had already passed 6 pm. With so much beauty filling my heart, I glowed with bliss when going back home.
