The
Old Summer Palace
which is also known as the Ruins of the Yuanmingyuan (the Garden of
Perfection and Light) is located northwest of Beijing and to the
east of the (present-day) Summer Palace. The Garden was first
constructed in the year of 1709 during the reign of the Emperor
Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Over the next 150 years of
the Qing Dynasty, this Garden was expanded to be a large-scale
Chinese emperors' private pleasure garden, covering a total area of
350 hectares (over 864 acres).
Generally speaking, the Old Summer Palace consists of
three parts - Yuanmingyuan, Wanchunyuan (the Garden of Blossoming
Spring) and Changchunyuan (the Garden
of Eternal Spring). These three gardens are often referred to as
one common name: Yuanmingyuan. Hundreds of scenic spots in the
Garden are made up of exquisitely constructed halls, pavilions,
chambers, kiosks, earth and rock hills, rivers and ponds, and
exotic flowers and grasses from different parts of the country.
Indeed, it embodies the essence of Chinese ancient landscape
gardening.
To be distinct from other traditional Chinese Gardens, the
garden construction and horticulture of Yuanmingyuan is a
harmonious blend of typical Chinese scenery and
western architecture. The more famous scenic spots include, for
example, the Grand Waterworks, the Throne for viewing the
Waterworks and the Labyrinth. No wonder Yuanmingyuan was also
called the 'garden of gardens' or the 'Versailles of the East' in
Europe during that era. Furthermore, Yuanmingyuan was also an
imperial museum that collected a large number of books, treasures
and cultural artifacts. However, a large number of these
collections were plundered by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in
1860, at the same time as the Garden was burnt down. Now, most of
these historical curiosities are displayed in the other countries'
museums, including the British Museum; Bibliotheque Nationale de
France; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA; Oslo Museum
of Applied Art and so on.
The vast majority of the remaining scenic spots were destroyed
in the 1980's, but under the due protection of the ruins of
Yuanmingyuan, a park has been established on the ruin site. So
visitors can imagine the former grandeur of the Old Summer Palace
from the crumbling walls and ruins. What's more, there is also an
opportunity for visitors to view the complete picture of
Yuanmingyuan in its 'heyday' in the exhibition hall. The
reconstruction of some of the original structures and scenic spots
provides people with a lovely place to relax.
Travel tips:
Address: Yuanmingyuan Lu, Haidian District, north of Peking
University;
Entry ticket: 10 yuan; 35 yuan for through ticket;
Opening hours: 07:00 to 17:30 (winter); 07:00 to 19:00
(summer)
Traffic: Bus 706, 806, 717, 801, 810, and 973;
Tel: 86-10-62628501.
(China.org.cn June 6, 2007)
