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Longevity Hill Longevity Hill, 58.59 meters in height, faces Kunming Lake in the front. The buildings go symmetrically along its eastern and western slopes. Gardens, pavilions, and halls now and then emerge or disappear amidst evergreen trees. pavilions of Buddhist Fragrance takes its stance on the front hill, becoming the focus of the whole picture. Palace of Benevolent Longevity The Palace of Benevolent Longevity is the first building after the Eastern Palace Gates. Emperor Qianlong once issued an edict that the main palce in all royal resorts should be named Palce of Dilegent Politics so that his posterity would not forget their duties even relaxing amidst beautiful scenery. Summer Palce, in its early days, abided by the order until Empress Dowager Cixi renamed the site later. When residing in the palaces, Cixi and Guangxu would meet their ministers here in the palace In the center of the palce, there is a square podium from which the emperor could ascend to the royal seat along nine delicately carved wooden stairs. The royal seat and desk are set in the middle of the podium. To the back of the seat is a huge protective screen with the Chinese character "longevity" in 200-odd writing styles. In formal political meetings, Dowager Cixi would sit in the royal seat and the Emperor in a small royal seat temporarily set at her left side. The pavilions aside the main hall are living rooms for the two in the intervals of meeting Wenchang Gallery Wenchang Gallery is located to the east of Zhichun Ting, Pavilion Heralding Spring in the Summer Palace. This is the largest and highest-grade gallery of its kind in traditional Chinese gardens. There are six specialized galleries displaying thousands of artifacts collected in the Summer Palace. These items date back to as early as Shang and Zhou Dynasties 2,000 to 3,000 years ago and as late as the end of the Qing Dynasty some 100 years ago. The categories of the exhibits cover bronze, jade, porcelain, gold, silver, bamboo, wood, ivory, horn and lacquer items, as well as furniture, painting, calligraphy, ancient books, enamels, clocks and other miscellaneous items, almost all categories of Chinese artifacts. Many of the exhibits are on open display here for the first time. The Summer Palace being an imperial garden, these artifacts represent the highest technique and workmanship of their times, and many were symbols of the state. Also on display in the gallery are some items and objects of daily use in the Qing Dynasty. These were closely connected with the everyday life of emperors and empresses, and carry with them great historical values. They are the most truthful material evidences of Chinese imperial culture. Hall of Jade Ripples Located at the back of the Palce of Benevolent Longevity, Hall of Jade Ripple was once the bedroom of Emperor Guangxu. The set of royal desks on the bed in the middle of the hall is made of purple sandalwood. It is said to be the most exquisite piece of furniture in the whole Summer Palace.In 1898 when the Wuxu Reform Movement, led by a flock of young, Guangxu-supported scholars, was crushed down by the conservative Cixi, she imprisoned Guangxu, her nephew, in YIngtai in the Central and North Sea, now residence of the Chinese government. During her last 10 years of life between 1898 and 1908, whenever she moved from the Forbidden City in downtown Beijing to the Summer Palace, she brought the puppet emperor here and confined him in the Hall of Jade Ripples. She even ordered to build up several walls to prevent him from sneaking away or contacting any outsider. Two walls which witnessed the historical event are still standing in the east and west attached palace of the complex. The Yiyun Hall, once rear part of Hall of Jade Ripples serving as the living quarter of Guangxu's wife Longyu, was also blocked off after the coup. Hall of Joyful Longevity Cixi once lived, dined, read and amended political documents in the Hall of Joyful Longevity. Water-Wood-Akin-to-Each-Other, the gateway with a harbor in the front, is also the main gates of the whole complex. Entering through the gates, a huge stone serves as the protective screen. Similiar to other huge four-cornered gardens in Beijing, the hall has a veranda in the front and a leanto at the back, as well as attached palaces at two sides of the main palace.The rear garden of the hall has nine rooms in which Cixi stored her clothes and jewelry. The eastern sub-garden, the pavilion of Everlasting Longevity, is the residence of Li Lianying, her favorite eunuch. The layout of the hall is similar to royal court buildings. In the middle, there is a sitting room, and the bedroom is in the west, the polar in the wast. In the center of the sitting room is a royal chair made of purple sandalwood with a 15-fold glass screen as the backdrop. Behind the chair, a pair of peacock feather fans was laid at each side. In the four corners of the room, there are four golden incense burners each shaped like nine peaches of different sizes with five bats resting on them, then serving as air-conditioners for the dowager. The two Eight-Fairy tables also in the room has a glass fish jar carved into the surface which may allow gold fish live inside. The quilts, pillows and bed-curtains visitors see today are still the originals of the old day.Except the court lamps, there have also been crystal electric lamps and Western crystal candle lamps hang atop the hall since 1903. Cixi, in her remaining years, not only used electric lamps but also enjoyed other "Western gadgets," including telephone, car, telegraph and cinema though she loathed Western civilization deep in the bone. Garden of Virtuous Harmony The complex used to be where the royal family entertained themselves.The three-part garden, covering a total area of 3,000 square meters, is composed of a three-story theatrical building called the Palace of Healthy Delights, a special box for Cixi to enjoy the show as well as corridors on the side used for aristocrats and ministers accompanying Cixi. The 21-meter-high, three-story, inter-connected stage is the fantasy of fantasies. The floor of the ground stage is removable. When playing dramas featuring miracles, players may emerge from the earth or ascend up to the sky from the floor. A pulley still remaining in the top stroy was once a tool to adjust the stage settings. Under the ground stage there is one deep well and five square water ponds, which were used to enhance the resonance effects and provide water for dramas depicting a water ritual.It is said that Cixi normally preferred not confine her in the specially arranged seat but would usually sit just opposite the direction where the players first appeared. She accordingly could appreciate the first sight at the best angle.The Hall of Celebriting Virtue, the last part of the theatrical building, is the place where an American female painter finished an oil-painting portrait for Cixi. Long Corridor The Long Corridor circles around the southern side of the Longevity Hill. Like a necklace, it links up scenic spots in the region. The Long Corridor is one of the major architectures in the Summer Palace. In the year 1990, it was selected the longest picture corridor in the world for "its unique architectural styles and rich paintings". Traveling along the Long Corridor, visitors feel like going through a picturesque journey. The 728-meter-long corridor is divided into 273 bays interlinked by four eight-cabled pavilions representing four seasons. With Gates of Parting Clouds as the separation line, the corridor extends west-and east-ward. Both sections have a short corridor at the end to stretch to the lake beach, linking two waterside buildings- Pavilion of Dialogue with Seagull and Pavilion of Fish Algae. In the western section, another short corridor also connects the corridor with Building of Mountain Scene and Water Brilliance Combined in One - an eight-facet, three-story architecture. Pailou This large arch stands close to the lake. On its front side was inscribed "Gorgeous Clouds and Jade Eaves" and on its back side "Stars Surrounding the Jade Hub", meaning that the place was a jewelled palces in the fairyland Hall of Listening to Orioles Facing Kunming Lake and backing Longevity Hill, Hall of Listening to Orioles occupies an area of 5,600 square meters. The former royal kitchen has now been turned into a restaurant featuring authentic court cuisine. The restaurent has received more than 100 heads of States worldwide. Pavilion of Buddhist Fragrance The eight-facet, three-story, four-cables Pavilion of Buddhist Fragrance is built on a huge stone foundation before the Longevity Hill. The altar-like foundation upholds the 41-meter-high pavilion to oversee other buildings. Visitors can appreciate its beauty from any angel in the garden. Although the Longevity Hill is less than 58 meters in height, the hill merges itself with both the Hill of Jade Spring adjacent to the Summer Palace and the faraway Western Hills, thus presenting a more grandeur image. The Kunming Lake in front of the hull serves as a natural mirror, reflecting the whole breathtaking scenery. Under the azure sky, real buildings combine with their reflective images in the water, creating an unforgettable landscape painting. It is a perfect example of how traditional Chinese garden "enhance beauty with borrowed surrounding scenes." Pavilion of Precious Clouds Palace of Parting Clouds was the place where Empress Dowager Cixi celebrated her birthdays. Every October 10 on the Chinese lunar calendar, a grand ceremony was due here in the palace to mark the dowager's birthday. Sitting atop a treasure a treasure chair with nine-dragon motif (normally only used by emperor), Cixi received kowtows of Emperor Guangxu and the retinues. Ministers and aristoctrats knelt down inside the Gates of Parting Clouds on the southern and northern sides of Bridge of gold Bridge according to age and rank. Trivial officials could only pay their full rituals out of the Gates of Parting Clouds. The inside setting of the Palace of Parting Cloud remains unchanged as in Cixi's time. Many treasures displayed in the palace are gifts for her 60th birthday in 1894 when China's first modern navy was totally destroyed by Japan. Sea-of-Wisdom Temple Sea-of-Wisdom Temple and Bounday of Popular Fragrance are two religious structures located on the upper axis line of the Tower of Buddhist Fragrance. Sea-of-Wisdom Temple, on the top of Longevity Hill, implies the Buddha's wisdom is as wide as the sea. The Bounday of Popular Fragrance is an archway built of stome and bricks and covered with glazed tiles. The Bounday of Popular Fragrance resembles the gate to the world of wosdom. Pavilion of Precious Clouds and Revolving Scripture Repository Pavilion of precious clouds, west of Pavilion of Buddhist Fragrance, is a pure copper building weighing 207 tons. The 7.5-meter-high pavilion is made up of thousands of copper parts and components. In the garden of the Revolving Scripture Repository east of Pavilion of Buddhist Fragrance, there is a big stone tablet. The front side of the tablet is inscribed the characters "Narration on Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake" written by Emperor Qianlong. The back side carries the full text of narration, elaborating the purpose and process of the expansion of Kunming Lake. Wenchang Gallery Kunming Lake, which is connected with Beijing's largest reservoir -- the Miyun Reservoir, is the largest water body in suberban Beijing. Knowing Spring Pavilion, Wenchang Pavilion, Bronze Ox and Marble Boat are scenic spots that one should not miss in the journey Western Dike Like a green necklace, Western Dike winds around the western bank of Kunming Lake. Similar to the Sudi Dike, a famous scenic city in South China's city of Hangzhou, there are also six bridge-turned-pavilions built along the western beach, of which the most renowned is Jade Belt Bridge. The other five bridges from north to south are Bridge of Jie Lake, Bridge of Bin Wind, Mirror Bridge, Rainbow Bridge and Willow Bridge Marble Boat Marble Boat (built in 1755). A Chinese saying goes that "Water (refers to the people) can float the boat (the government), but can also overthrow it." Emperor Qianlong built the boat to symbolize ever-stable governance of Qing Dynasty which "could not be turned down by water."Now Marble Boat is a renowned watery architecture in Summer Palace. Suzhou Street Nicknamed Fair Street at Qianlong's reign, Suzhou Street was destroyed in 1860. It was once a commercial street for emperor, empress and concubines to have a taste of shopping. Reconstructed in 1990 at the same site, the street stretches 300 meters along a stream. All service staff are in in Qing costumes and all tablets are also modeled after the ancient styles to create a historic atmosphere. Of the 60 stores there are teahouse, wone pub, drug store, bank, jewelry, and dim sum store, reflecting China's commercial culture in the 18th century. Hall of Serenity The name of the hall came from a couplet in Zhuge Liang: The Book of Admonishing: indifference to fame and fortune characterizes a high aim in life, peace and serenity leads to profoundness in thoughts and ideas. When Emperor Qianlong was little, Emperor Kangxi loved him very much and presented him with the Studio of Serenity in Changchun Yuan, Garden of Unimpeded Spring, as his living quarters. Emperor Qianlong borrowed the word Serenity from his former living quarters to signify his remembrance of the past. Four Continents The Four Continents are the main group of buildings in the rear hills. Its unique layout, magnificent architecture and religious atmosphere surrounding the buildings add a touch of mystery to the region. According to Buddhist scriptures, around the Xuni Mountain, the residence of Buddha, there is a salty sea. The four continents of different shapes are in the four corners of the sea. The four shapes represent "Four Greatness" in Buddhist Scriptures, namely Earth (square), Fire (triangle), Wind (crescent), and Water (circle). Accordingly, the Four Continents, actually four buildings, are built after the element they represent. Also in the region are other 15 buildings representing Eight Sub-continents, Altar of Moon, Altar of Sun, four pagodas and the Buddhist Pavilion Molded After India symbolizing Xumi Mountain. Garden of Harmonious Delights When Emperor Qianlong paid a visit to South China in 1751, he fell in love with the architectural style of Jichang Garden under the Hui Hill of Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. This garden in Summer Palace modeled after the Jichang Garden. The building is composed of 10 pavilions, halls, terraces and 100-odd winding corridors. The main palace in the garden is Hall of Bestowing Favors, once living room for Cixi when she went on angling. A waterside pavilion, named Drinking Green, was the angling site for Cixi. Whenever she went fishing, eunuchs secretly dove into the water to hang fish on her fishing rod, thus entertaining the dowager. |
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