The Summer Palace

After we visited the Forbidden City and had lunch we went to the Summer Palace.

Constructed in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), during the succeeding reign of feudal emperors; it was extended continuously. By the time of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it had become a luxurious royal garden providing royal families with rest and entertainment. Originally called 'Qingyi Garden' (Garden of Clear Ripples), it was know as one of the famous 'three hills and five gardens' (Longevity Hill, Jade Spring Mountain, and Fragrant Hill; Garden of Clear Ripples, Garden of Everlasting Spring, Garden of Perfection and Brightness, Garden of Tranquility and Brightness, and Garden of Tranquility and Pleasure). Like most of the gardens of Beijing, it could not elude the rampages of the Anglo-French allied force and was destroyed by fire. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it for her own benefit, changing its name to Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). She spent most of her later years there, dealing with state affairs and entertaining.

There is a huge kitchen and the meals they served had many courses. It took the kitchen staff nine days to prepare for a banquet.

The lake is man-made.

Marble Boat

Marble Boat is also called Han Chuan (Land Boat), or Bu Ji Zhou (Unmoored Boat), because it is not navigable. In ancient China, people often built it as a part of the decorations in classical gardens. It is a boat-shaped architecture built in the middle of water or port near the bank.