The Summer Palace is located at No. 19, Xinjian Gongmen Road, Haidian District, Beijing. It is a World Cultural Heritage and a national 5A-level tourist attraction. As the most complete existing royal garden in China, the Summer Palace takes Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill as the site, draws on the design techniques of Jiangnan gardens, covers an area of about 290 hectares, of which the water area accounts for three-quarters. There are more than 3,000 buildings in the scenic area. Classic buildings such as the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Long Corridor, and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge are symmetrically distributed along the central axis, forming a landscape pattern of "made by man, just like nature". The Summer Palace was first built in the 15th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1750), originally named Qingyi Garden, and has been repaired many times since then. It is an important physical example for studying the art of royal gardens in the Qing Dynasty.
History and Culture
The history of the Summer Palace can be traced back to the construction of Qingyi Garden by Emperor Qianlong for his mother's birthday. It was burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860. In the 14th year of the Guangxu reign (1888), Empress Dowager Cixi misappropriated the navy funds to rebuild it and renamed it the Summer Palace. It was damaged again by the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900 and has been preserved after restoration. As a royal summer resort and political affairs place, historical events such as Emperor Guangxu summoning reformists occurred in the garden, and it was officially opened to the public in 1924.
The garden design contains profound cultural connotations: Kunming Lake symbolizes the East China Sea, the six bridges on the West Causeway imitate the West Lake in Hangzhou, and the Tower of Buddhist Incense on Longevity Hill suppresses the "flood", reflecting the concept of "the unity of man and nature". The 728-meter-long Long Corridor is painted with more than 14,000 Su-style color paintings depicting allusions such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Cultural relics such as the "Prodigal Stone" in the Hall of Joyful Longevity and the bronze unicorn in the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity carry court anecdotes. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Summer Palace received Chinese and foreign guests as a cultural display window. In 2018, the protective renovation of the Daxilou in the Garden of Virtue and Harmony was completed, continuing the historical features of more than 270 years.
Main Attractions
Tower of Buddhist Incense
The Tower of Buddhist Incense is the core building of the Summer Palace, standing on a 20-meter-high stone platform with a total height of 41 meters. It has eight sides, three floors, and four eaves, covered with yellow glazed tiles. The building adopts a "beamless hall" structure, and a gilded bronze Guanyin statue is enshrined inside. There are 16 purlin columns around the platform, and the bottom corridor can overlook the panoramic view of Kunming Lake. Built during the Qianlong period, the Tower of Buddhist Incense was destroyed in 1860 and rebuilt in the original style during the Guangxu period. It is the visual center and religious activity place of the whole garden.
Long Corridor
The Long Corridor is located at the southern foot of Longevity Hill, starting from the Moon Inviting Gate in the east and ending at the Shizhang Pavilion in the west. It is 728 meters long and has 273 rooms in total, making it the longest existing promenade in China. The corridor roof is a rolled gable roof, and more than 14,000 Su-style color paintings are painted on the beams, including landscapes, flowers and birds, and figure stories, such as "Oath of the Peach Garden" and "Daiyu Burying Flowers". The Long Corridor connects the attractions on the front hill, providing shade and shelter from rain in summer and wind protection and snow viewing in winter, combining practical and artistic values.
Kunming Lake
Kunming Lake accounts for 75% of the whole garden area, with a water area of about 220 hectares, an average water depth of 1.5 meters, and a maximum depth of 3 meters. There are the West Causeway and the East Causeway in the lake, dividing the lake surface into three parts, symbolizing the three fairy mountains of the East China Sea. The West Causeway is built imitating the Su Causeway of the West Lake in Hangzhou, with six stone bridges. Among them, the Jade Belt Bridge has an arch height of 10 meters, and the bridge hole is egg-shaped, which was the passage for Emperor Qianlong to take a boat to Yuquan Mountain. The Seventeen-Arch Bridge in the east of the lake is 150 meters long and 8 meters wide, named after 17 bridge holes. Around the winter solstice every year, the setting sun will illuminate all the bridge holes, forming a "Golden Light Piercing the Hole" wonder.
Hall of Benevolence and Longevity
The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity is the political activity center of the Summer Palace. It was originally the Hall of Diligence in the Qianlong period and was renamed the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity in the Guangxu period, taking the meaning of "benevolent people live long". The building has seven bays in width and five bays in depth, 15 meters high, with corridors in front and back, and the roof is a gable roof covered with yellow glazed tiles. The hall is furnished with red sandalwood furniture, nine-dragon screens, etc., and a "Shou Xie Ren Fu" plaque is hung above the central throne. During the Guangxu period, Empress Dowager Cixi once received foreign envoys here, and Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao were also summoned by Guangxu here.
Food
Tingli Guan Restaurant
Tingli Guan Restaurant is located at the west end of the Long Corridor. It is the only imperial restaurant in the garden, specializing in imitation imperial cuisine. The signature dish "Wanshou Wujian Banquet" includes 20 imperial dishes such as Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and Braised Fish Maw.
Summer Palace Imperial Pastries
Imperial pastries are supplied in various commercial pavilions in the garden, with "Pea Yellow" and "Kidney Bean Roll" being the most popular. Pea Yellow is made of white peas from Zhangjiakou, and each piece weighs about 100 grams after being made. The kidney bean roll is made of white kidney beans from Yunnan, with hawthorn filling, and each roll is 15 centimeters long. In addition, there are "Little Wotou", each weighing 25 grams, made of corn flour and soybean flour, which was once the snack of Empress Dowager Cixi.
Surrounding Old Beijing Snacks
There is "Old Beijing Noodles with Fried Sauce" near the North Gate of the Summer Palace. The noodles are handmade, 200 grams per bowl, and the fried sauce is fried with diced streaky pork. The "Menkuang Hutong Century-old Lu Zhu" 500 meters away from the East Gate. Lu Zhu Fire is cooked with pig intestines and lungs, 300 grams per bowl. The "Xiangfei Roast Chicken" outside the West Gate, the whole chicken weighs about 500 grams, marinated with secret sauce, is a portable food often chosen by tourists.
Tickets
The joint ticket (including the gate ticket) is 60 yuan/person, and the gate ticket is 30 yuan/person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "颐和园" in WeChat to get the latest news or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
It is open all year round. The opening hours of the gate are 6:30-18:00 in the peak season (April 1-October 31) (stopping admission at 17:00) and 7:00-17:00 in the off-season (November 1-March 31 of the following year) (stopping admission at 16:00). The opening hours of the attractions are 8:30-17:00 in the peak season (stopping entry at 16:30) and 9:00-16:00 in the off-season (stopping entry at 15:30). The first Saturday of each month is free for the public (reservation required, excluding attractions), and the Tower of Buddhist Incense is free for people over 60 years old every Wednesday afternoon. In winter from December to February, ice activities can be carried out during the freezing period of Kunming Lake, and it is open until 16:30.
Tour Routes
Recommended Half-Day Tour Route: Enter from the East Gate → Visit the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (30 minutes) → Walk west along the Long Corridor (1 hour to admire color paintings) → Climb the Tower of Buddhist Incense (1 hour to overlook the entire garden) → Go to the Marble Boat via Huazhongyou (40 minutes) → Take a boat to South Lake Island (20 minutes) → Cross the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and exit from the New Palace Gate, totaling about 3 hours. In-Depth One-Day Tour Route: Add Suzhou Street (ticket: 10 RMB, a Qing-dynasty imitation of Jiangnan water streets, 40-minute tour), Dehe Garden (ticket: 10 RMB, includes Peking Opera shows at 10:00/15:00 daily, 30 minutes per session), and the Garden of Harmonious Interests (imitation of Wuxi's Jichang Garden, 30-minute tour). Walk along the West Causeway to enjoy scenery, totaling about 5 hours. It is recommended to bring water and light meals, as catering spots in the garden are limited.
Transportation
- Subway: Take Line 4 to "North Palace Gate" Station (Exit D), and walk about 500 meters to the North Palace Gate; take Line 16 to "Xiyuan" Station (Exit C2), and walk about 1 kilometer to the New Palace Gate.
- Bus: East Palace Gate: Bus No. 718, Te 18, Te 19 to "Summer Palace East Palace Gate" Station; North Palace Gate: Bus No. 303, 330, 331, 563 to "Summer Palace North Palace Gate" Station; New Palace Gate: Bus No. 74, 374 to "Summer Palace New Palace Gate" Station; West Gate: Bus No. 469, 539 to "Summer Palace West Gate" Station.
- Self-driving: There are East Palace Gate Parking Lot (about 200 parking spaces, 10 yuan/hour) and North Palace Gate Parking Lot (about 150 parking spaces, 8 yuan/hour) around the park. Parking spaces are tight on weekends in the peak season, so it is recommended to take public transportation.
Must-visit Attractions
- Tower of Buddhist Incense: 41 meters high, eight sides and three floors, with a yellow glazed tile roof. Climbing the tower can overlook Kunming Lake at 360 degrees. The best photography time is 10 a.m. when the sun shines directly on the front of the building. It is recommended to take a panoramic photo with Kunming Lake.
- Seventeen-Arch Bridge: 150 meters long, a 17-hole arch bridge. The "Golden Light Piercing the Hole" occurs from 16:30 to 17:00 around the winter solstice every year, and the bridge holes are illuminated by the setting sun. When shooting, you can stand on South Lake Island or the East Causeway and use a wide-angle lens to capture the full view of the bridge.
- Long Corridor: 728-meter-long Su-style color painting promenade. The color paintings near the "Liujia Pavilion" in the middle are the most exquisite. It is recommended to shoot the "Ten Sceneries of the West Lake" series of color paintings. In summer, there are wisteria flower racks under the corridor, and the photo background is better.
- Marble Boat： 36 meters in length, carved from over 10 tons of huge stones. The hull features stone drain holes on both sides, sculpted into the shape of animal heads. During rainy days, a spectacular scene of "animal mouths spouting water" can be observed. When photographing, use Kunming Lake as the backdrop to embody the artistic conception of a "pleasure boat on the water".
Tour Tips
- It is recommended to play for 4-5 hours. In spring (April-May), watch the peach blossoms on the West Causeway. In autumn (September-October), enjoy the osmanthus and red leaves. Avoid the high temperature in summer (July-August) (with an average daily tourist volume of more than 50,000).
- Wear light and non-slip shoes. There are many mountain roads and stone roads in the garden. Bring a sun hat and sunscreen in summer, as Longevity Hill is not sheltered. Prepare a down jacket in winter, as the lake is windy and the room temperature is about 2°C.
- Free explanations by volunteers are available at 9 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, gathering at the East Gate tourist center.
- Recommended Photography Spots: Capture mountain-water reflections at the Huazhongyou architectural complex. Photograph pavilions and towers in the Garden of Harmonious Interests. Shoot the "Rainbow Lying on Water" scene at Mirror Bridge on the West Causeway. Frame the full panorama of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge from South Lake Island.
- It is recommended to experience imperial cuisine at Tingli Guan or bring your own lunch for a picnic by Kunming Lake. There are sausages, mineral water, etc. in the commercial pavilions of the scenic area, and the prices are high.
Notes
- The park implements "one-way tourism". Enter from the East Gate and exit from the New Palace Gate, or enter from the North Gate and exit from the West Gate. Tourist maps can be obtained at the tourist center.
- Carrying pets and drones into the park is prohibited. Touching cultural relics in buildings such as the Tower of Buddhist Incense is forbidden, and the use of flashlights when taking photos is prohibited to avoid damaging the color paintings.
- The steps of Longevity Hill are steep, and the platform of the Tower of Buddhist Incense has 108 steps. The elderly and children need to pay attention to safety. There are no guardrails around Kunming Lake. Walk close to the inner side and no wading is allowed.
- Purchasing a joint ticket requires visiting all attractions at one time, and re-entry is not allowed after leaving the park. The last boat departs at 17:00. If you miss it, you need to walk out of the park.
- In case of severe weather such as heavy rain or strong wind, the second-floor platform of the Tower of Buddhist Incense will be temporarily closed, and staff will guide visitors to indoor areas such as Dehe Garden. In snowy winter, the park closes 30 minutes earlier.