Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)

The initial construction of the Summer Palace began in 1750, commissioned by Emperor Qinglong as a gift for his mother's birthday. The construction took 15 years to complete. It had the name "Qingyi Yuan" (Garden of Clear Ripples) at that time. The plundering of foreign troops in 1860 destroyed most of the buildings, but they were renovated in 1888 by Empress Dowager Cixi, who was said to have embezzled the funds of the Imperial Navy to build the garden. After China's liberation, the garden became a park and got the name Yiheyuan (Summer Palace).


The beginning of the corridor

The man made lake

On the edge of the lake

The lake stretch

The Corridor (1)

Garden decoration

View thru the Corridor

Boat landing

The Marble boat (1)

The Marble boat (2)

The Marble boat (3)

Boat taking us across the lake

The Palace

The Palace close up

Bridge to the island

The Mother

Housing view

Side lake walk way

Copyright: Robert Haxne

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