The Summer Palace in northwest suburban Beijing is the largest and most complete imperial garden existing in China. It was first built in the 12th century as an imperial palace. Renovation and extension in the following several hundred years till the end of the 19th century led it into the scale we see today, and was officially named Summer Palace.?

Occupying an area of 304 hectares, the Summer Palace features hilly and water scenery. The Kunming Lake makes up four-fifths of this royal park. The Long Corridor running east-west along the lake as well as the Pavilion of the Fragrance of Buddha, the Sea of Wisdom, and the Hall of Dispelling the Clouds and Suzhou Street standing south to north on the Longevity Hill are the major scenic spots. The Pavilion of the Fragrance of Buddha, 41 meters high, is decorated with glazed tiles. Its walls were carved with 1,008 niches and images of Buddha.?

Travel Tips:

Address: West of Peking University, Haidian District
Entry ticket: 30 yuan/person, park admission only; 50 yuan/person, including park admission and charged exhibitions inside some of the halls.
Traffic: About 20 buses go to Yiheyuan from all parts of Beijing, stopping at the park's east, north or south gate. These include: Bus No.s 301, 303, 332, 374, 375, 726, 826, 801 and 808;

Website: http://www.summerpalace-china.com

Note: Tingliguan, or the Hall for Listening to the Orioles located in the middle section of the Longevity Hill, where the Dowager Empress watched opera, is now a restaurant serving dishes cooked with the recipes from the royal kitchen.

(China.org.cn May 24, 2007)