Described as the world's most beautiful paradise by Marco Polo, an Italian traveler in the 12th century, the imperial capital of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) will possibly have its garden restored, historians and tourism experts said.
In 1138, Zhao Gou, emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty, ordered the construction of the imperial capital on the east side of Phoenix Mountain in the city that is now known as Hangzhou. It covered an area of 4.5 square kilometers and had 130 palaces, halls and pavilions.
The most striking part is the splendor of the imperial garden, which stretched up to the top of the mountain. Marco Polo gave a detailed and vivid depiction in his famous book of travels to the capital, which was unfortunately burnt down in a fire in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
Experts pointed out, the Southern Song Dynasty is an important one in history. Both its economy and culture were advanced and its capital, Hangzhou, was the world's largest. Rapid growth in tourism in the city, one of the most ideal tourist destinations, demands more historical attractions be developed, experts said.
The restoration plan, under discussion, calls for only rebuilding the imperial garden instead of the whole imperial city, due to limited space. The garden will cover 10.7 ha., according to the plan.
(People’s Daily 10/20/2000)
