Summer Palace - A Masterpiece of Chinese Garden Design

Compared with other attractions in Beijing, the Summer Palace is more energetic and interesting. In the Qing Dynasty, it was a playground for emperors fleeing from the boring imperial city. It has a perfect blend of natural landscape and pavilions, halls, bridges, and palaces. Leave one day free to enjoy some peaceful time there. UNESCO said that "the Summer Palace is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design". The Summer Palace is not only the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China, but also has one of the highest aesthetic values in the world.

Why Visit the Summer Palace?

Explore another world in Beijing when you are tired of imperial palaces and the city's long history. The Summer Palace is full of trees, water, and fishes. You can relax and enjoy a peaceful day.
Admire the masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. As a typical traditional Chinese garden, you can experience the authentic and idyllic Chinese lifestyle.
Experience the royal lifestyle by visiting this luxurious imperial garden. In ancient times, it was only available for royalty. Today, there are no limits preventing you from enjoying this delicate example of architecture.

Essentials

Chinese: 颐和园 (yíhéyuán)
Location: Xinjiangongmen Road, Haidian District, Beijing
History: built in 1750, restored in 1888
Area: about 300 hectares
Best seasons: September to October
Visiting hours: about 4–5 hours
Honors: "The Museum of Royal Gardens"; the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China; a World Heritage Site

Political Area, Living Area, and Tourist Area

The Summer Palace can be divided into three main areas: the political area, the living area, and the tourist area. Each part of it plays a different role and has its own special charm.

Political Area

The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity is the most representative example of architecture in the political area. In the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu often met officials and dealt with state affairs there.

Living Area

From the name alone, you realize that the living area was the place where members of royalty lived. The most famous palaces are the Hall of Joyful Longevity, the Hall of Jade Ripples, and the Hall of Fragrant Grass.

Tourist Area

The tourist area consists of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. In ancient times, members of royalty often spent their free time there and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Today, it has become the most popular area for tourists arriving from all over the world.

8 Popular Attractions in the Summer Palace

It's difficult for a visitor to see every section of the Summer Palace in one day. If you want to save time, just refer to and visit these highlights of the Summer Palace.

1. Long Corridor

As the longest corridor in China, the Long Corridor is famous for its delicate architecture and abundant paintings. It is 728 meters long and every beam of it is decorated with colorful paintings. An amazing fact is that there are over 14,000 paintings on the beams. They are colorful, luxurious, and display the long history and culture of China.

2. 17-Arch Bridge

The 17-Arch Bridge is a delicate and beautiful ancient bridge, which is linked with South Lake Island and the East Dike. It is the largest stone bridge and consists of 17 arches, hence its name. Like the Lugou Bridge and the Precious Belt Bridge, 17-Arch Bridge is also a traditional Chinese-style bridge. There are 128 balusters, each of which is decorated with delicate stone lions. They show vivid carving work — some of them are playing and frolicking, some of them are admiring the beautiful scenery, and some of them are chasing each other.

3. Kunming Lake

Kunming Lake is the main component of the Summer Palace, covering almost three quarters of it. A highlight that can't be ignored is the West Dike and the bridge across it. It is very impressive and some people believe that it is as beautiful as the Su Causeway of Hangzhou. There are three islands in the middle of Kunming Lake: South Lake Island, Jingzhige Island, and Zaojiantang Island. The most beautiful one is South Lake Island, which covers over one hectare. Have a bird's-eye view overlooking the lake and mountains. Admiring the reward given to us by nature is very enjoyable.

4. Tower of Buddhist Incense

The Tower of Buddhist Incense is a very complex and delicate architectural structure, which is regarded as a masterpiece of ancient Chinese architectures. To the south of it is Kunming Lake; behind it is the Temple of the Sea of Wisdom. It is 41 meters high and is at the center of the Summer Palace.

5. Temple of the Sea of Wisdom

The Temple of the Sea of Wisdom is a religious architectural structure on the peak of Longevity Hill. It's distinguished by the fact that it's been constructed without beams but built entirely with bricks and stones.

6. Garden of Harmonious Interest

The Garden of Harmonious Interest is a small and exquisite garden that is located in the northeast part of the Summer Palace. It is an exquisite and delicate garden that is regarded as "a garden in the garden". There are five bridges there with Zhiyu Bridge being the most famous one. This bridge is closer to the water, so you can easily admire the small and vigorous fishes swimming happily.

7. Marble Boat

The Marble Boat is located in the northwest part of Kunming Lake and has a length of 36 meters. It was built in 1755 and is honored as "the treasured building on the water". It is the only Western-style building in the Summer Palace. It has a marvelous design. When it rains, the water that falls on the top of the boat goes through the hollow pillars and then discharges into Kunming Lake.

8. Longevity Hill

Longevity Hill was renamed after Emperor Qianlong's mother's 60th birthday. It was built in 1752 and called Wengshan Hill. As the principle structure of the Summer Palace, there are splendid halls, pavilions, and palaces.

Travel Tips for the Summer Palace

Transportation

By Bus These buses travel to the Summer Palace: 303, 330, 331, 332, 346, 375, 432, 438, 469, 498, 508, 539, 563, 579, 584, 594, 601, 608, 664, 696, 697, 712, 718, 726, 732, 801, 808, 817, and 826. Cost: 2 yuan for one bus ticket; prepare some small change in advance By Subway

Line 4: get off at Beigongmen Station
Line 16: get off at Xiyuan Station
Ticket: you can buy your subway ticket at a ticket vending machine. The cost depends on the distance.

Ticket Price and Opening Hours

Off-Season

November 1st to March 31st Ticket price: 20 yuan Opening hours: 7am to 5pm

Peak Season

April 1st to October 31st Ticket price: 30 yuan Opening hours: 6:30am to 6pm

Note: The ticket price only contains the entrance fee. If you want to visit Longevity Hill and the opera recital area, you have to pay extra for them.

Kunming Lake Will Freeze in Winter

Summer is the most beautiful season at the Summer Palace. If you visit it in winter, you may be put off by the frozen lake and you'll be unable to take a boat on it to admire the beautiful scenery.

A Guide Is Helpful

If you want to gain a deeper insight into the Summer Palace and are interested in Chinese history and culture, a knowledgeable guide will be helpful for you. You can hire a tour guide at the East Palace Gate, the North Palace Gate, and the Xinjiangong Gate.