the Summer Palace

The Summer Palace in Beijing , lying to the west of Beijing proper , is the best classic garden in China and one of the most famous gardens in the world . In 1998 it was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCON-WHC.

　　Originally it was a temporary palace garden constructed at the 15th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1750) in the Qing Dynasty by the best skilled workers throughout the country summoned by the emperor . In the 10th year of the reign of Emperor Xianfeng (1860) it was burned down by the British-French allied troops . In the 14th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1888) I was reconstructed and renamed Yi He Garden (Summer Palace) by the order of Empress Dowager Cixi , using the money allotted for expanding the Chinese navy .

　　The Summer Palace occupies an area of about 2,900,000 square meters , comprising mainly he palaces , he Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake . There are over 3,000 palatial garden architectures constructed against the background of the West Hills and the Jade Spring Hill . It blends harmoniously he natural scenery and the architectures , a model of the Chinese garden . It was divided into three parts : the administrative area centering around Benevolence-Longevity Hall , the living quarters of the imperial family including Jade-Ripples Hall and Happiness-Longevity Hall , and the scenic areas comprising Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake .

　　The architectural complex in front of Longevity Hill is the cream of Summer Palace . The axial buildings , Cloud-Dispelling Hall , Buddha-Fragrance Hall and Wisdom-Sea Temple , are flanked by Transmigration Temple , Pentagon Hall and Precious Cloud Hall . They are built on hills and dominate the other scenic sites . Buddha-Fragrance Hall is itself 41 meters high and rests on a 20-meter high stone base , as he emblem of Summer Place . The group of the palatial rooms centering round Cloud-Dispelling Hall used to be the place where Empress Dowager Cixi received congratulations from the officials on her birthday . Summer Palace was related closely to the modern history of China . So , there are many traces of important historic events . In the northeast corner of Summer Palace is garden inside the garden , called Harmony Delight Garden , which is complete with pavilions , corridors , gridges , trees , flowers and streams .

　　The Summer Palace is a monumental work in the millennia-long Chinese garden landscaping

 

2010-12-13

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