Summer Palace, Imperial palace and garden complex in Haidian District, Beijing, China.
The Summer Palace (Yihe Yuan) is an imperial garden complex in Haidian District, Beijing, covering 2.9 square kilometres, three-quarters of it water. Its central feature is the man-made Kunming Lake, 2.2 square kilometres in area, whose excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill, about 60 metres high. The hill's front slope holds halls and pavilions, while the back slope is wooded and quiet.
Emperor Qianlong commissioned this residence in 1750 to celebrate his mother's birthday, and the project reached completion in 1764. The complex suffered destruction by foreign troops in the 19th century and was later restored.
The name Longevity Hill references long life and reflects a wish for health, while many structures carry paintings from classical Chinese novels. Visitors today follow the same lakeside paths once reserved for the imperial family and see the painted roofs and gilded ornaments in the traditional style.
The East Palace Gate is the main entrance, with the entrance plaque inscribed by Emperor Guangxu. The Long Corridor runs 728 metres from the west courtyard of Leshou Hall to Shizhang Pavilion, and its 273 bays give shade along the lakeside. The garden has six sections, including the Halls area and the Farming and Weaving Picture area.
The Long Corridor runs 728 metres from the Leishou Hall to the Shizhang Pavilion, its plan shaped like a bat's outstretched wings as a pun on fu, good fortune. Its beams and ceilings carry some 17,000 paintings, among them scenes from Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Dream of the Red Chamber.
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