The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), in northwest Beijing, is said to be the best-preserved imperial( /mpril/) garden in the world, and the largest of its kind still in existence in China. It is only a short drive of 15 km (10 miles) from central Beijing, but it seems like another world.
Most people find they need to spend at least half a day there, as there’s so much to see and enjoy.
多数游客发现游览颐和园至少需要半天时间,因为那里有太多东西值得观赏和品味。
Close to the Summer Palace, 3 kilometers (2 miles) southwest of it, there is another imperial garden called the Old Summer Palace. They are two different gardens.
与颐和园毗邻,位于其西南3公里处(2英里)有另外一家皇家园林——圆明园。这两个园林截然不同。
Summer Palace Facts 颐和园点滴
Chinese: 颐和园 “Nourishing /nr/ Peace Garden”
汉语:颐和园,意为“颐养太和”
Area: 2.9 square kilometers (1.1 sq mi)
面积: 2.9平方公里(1.1平方英里)
Age: 257 years (in 2021, completed 1764)
时间:距2021年,已有257年历史(建成于1764年)
Popular activities: boating on Kunming Lake,
walking the Long Corridor,
watching a traditional Chinese performance in the ancient theater
热门活动:乘船游览昆明湖;
漫步长廊;
在古剧院观看中国传统戏剧表演。
Suited to: anyone
适合人群:所有
Time needed: half a day
所需时间:半天
Why Is the Summer Palace Famous? 颐和园因何闻名?
The Summer Palace was listed as World Heritage in 1998. UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) reported that the Summer Palace is "a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design”.
颐和园于1998年被列为世界文化遗产。联合国教科文组织称颐和园是“中国园林设计的杰作”。
Comment from the World Heritage Committee 世界遗产委员会评价
The Summer Palace in Beijing was initially built in 1750, severely damaged in the smoke and fire of war in 1860, and renovated on the original site in 1886. Artificial landscapes such as pavilions, halls, corridors, temples and small bridges all live side by side in harmony with the nearby hills and the vast lake to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value. It undoubtedly deserves its reputation as a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design.
The Summer Palace is known as the ‘Imperial Garden Museum’ in China as its purpose now is the preservation of national heritage material. It harmonizes plants and paths, water and land, architecture and horticulture /hrtkltr/, epitomizing /ptmaz/ the philosophy and practice of Chinese garden design.
The Summer Palace played a key role in the development of this Oriental cultural form, and perhaps represents its pinnacle /pnkl/.
颐和园在这种东方文化形式的发展过程中扮演了关键的角色,或许是其巅峰之作。
A Summer Retreat for the Royal Family 皇家避暑胜地
The Summer Palace was used as a summer retreat by the Chinese royal family. During the hot Beijing summers, the imperial family preferred the beautiful gardens and airy pavilions of the Summer Palace to the walled-in Forbidden City. Dowager /dadr/ Empress Cixi took up permanent residence there for a time, giving rise to some wonderful tales of extravagance /kstrvɡns/ and excess.
Emperor Qianlong ordered the construction of the Summer Palace to celebrate his mother's sixtieth birthday. The Summer Palace was built in 1750 and completed in 1764. At that time, the Summer Palace was not called the Summer Palace, or even Yiheyuan, but Qingyiyuan (‘Clear Ripples Garden’).
In the late Qing Dynasty, due to the weakening of national power, the garden was gradually abandoned. In 1860, it was destroyed by British and French allied forces.
在清朝后期,由于国力衰弱,颐和园被逐渐荒废。1860年,清漪园被英法联军烧毁。
Rebuilt — 1884–1895
重建——1884年至1895年
The Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt the garden as her summer resort and changed its name to the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), its present name.
慈禧太后要求重建清漪园,作为其避暑之地,并更名为颐和园,沿用至今。
In order to rebuild the Summer Palace, military expenditure was diverted/davrt/, which contributed to the Qing government's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895.
为了重建颐和园,军费被挪用,直接导致清政府在1895年的中日甲午战争中的战败。
In 1900, it was destroyed by the Allied Forces of the Eight Powers during the defeat of the Boxer Rebellion, but it was rebuilt again in 1902.
1900年,在剿灭义和团时,八国联军摧毁颐和园,但其于1902年再次重建。
Opened to the Public — 1914
向公众开放——1914年
In 1912, the Qing Dynasty ended, and the Summer Palace became the private property of the former imperial family of the Qing Empire. Two years later, the Summer Palace was opened to the public.
1912年,清朝政府灭亡。颐和园变为清朝前皇室的私有财产。2年后,颐和园向公众开放。
In 1924, the Beijing municipal government took charge of administrating the Summer Palace and turned it into a public park.
1924年,北京市政府负责管理颐和园,并将其改为公园。
The Summer Palace’s Layout 颐和园布局
The Summer Palace’s largest features are Longevity /lndevti/ Hill and Kunming Lake.
颐和园最大的特色是万寿山和昆明湖。
Longevity Hill is in the north of the
Summer Palace, accounting for about a quarter of the whole garden.
万寿山位于颐和园北部,约占整个园林的四分之一。
Most palaces and gardens were built along the north–south axis of Longevity Hill.
大部分宫殿沿长寿山南北轴建造。
These palaces fall into several sections, each with its own distinct character, some meant for administration, some living, and others relaxation.
这些宫殿可分为几个部分,每个部分都有其独特之处,有些用于行政,有些用于居住,还有一些用于休闲。
People usually divide Longevity Hill into the ‘front hill’ area and ‘back hill’ area.
人们通常把万寿山分为“山前”和“山后”两部分。
Kunming Lake takes up three quarters of the whole garden and is dotted with several small islands. These small islands also host some halls and pavilions.
昆明湖占据整个园林的四分之三,湖面山点缀着零星的小岛。这些小岛上有一些宫殿和亭台。
Summer Palace Attractions 颐和园的景点
Palaces, halls, pavilions, the long corridor, and the marble boat are the main things to see in the Summer
Palace gardens.
宫殿、亭台、长廊和石舫构成了颐和园的主要景观。
1. Tower of Buddhist Incense(/nsens; nsens/ n. 香;v.焚香) 佛香阁
It is the main building of the Summer Palace complex, built halfway up the front of Longevity Hill. Empress Dowager Cixi went there every month to worship Buddha.
这是颐和园建筑群的主要建筑,建在万寿山山前的半山腰。慈禧太后每个月都要前往礼佛。
2. Hall of Dispelling Clouds 排云殿
This was the Summer Palace’s main place for Empress Dowager Cixi to receive guests, host grand ceremonies, and celebrate her birthday. Like the Tower of Buddhist Incense, it is located on the central axis of the ‘front hill’ area.
3. Hall of Benevolence /bnevlns/ and Longevity 仁寿殿
This was the main place for administering government affairs, receive greetings, and receive foreign envoys.
这里是管理政务、迎宾和接待外国使节的主要场所。
4. The Long Corridor 长廊
The paths beside the lake lead you under shady trees, or along the roofed colonnade /kɑlned/ known as the Long Corridor, with its magnificently painted ceilings. Bridges, boats, willows, lotus flowers, and other attractive landscaping make this a pleasant place to soak up the atmosphere and lovely views.
Facing Kunming Lake, it's 728 meters (2,388 feet) long. In 1992, it was recognized as the longest corridor in the world and listed in "The Book of Guinness World Records".
It was built as a theater for the Empress Dowager Cixi. The three-story theater stage is the biggest and best-preserved wooden stage in China. Famous Beijing opera actors of the Qing Dynasty would come to perform for the Empress Dowager and the stage was regarded as the "Cradle of Beijing Opera".
It is located on the peak of Longevity Hill. The outer layer of the building is decorated with exquisite yellow and green glazed /ɡlezd/ tiles.
智慧海位于万寿山山顶。建筑的外层被黄绿色琉璃瓦片装饰。
7. Hall of Jade Ripples 玉兰堂
This hall was the living quarters of Emperor Guangxu (1871–1908). When Empress Dowager Cixi gained real power, Guangxu was confined there.
玉兰堂是光绪皇帝的寝宫。慈禧太后掌权后,光绪便被囚禁与此。
8. Hall of Joy and Longevity 乐寿堂
This hall was the living quarters of Empress Dowager Cixi. Facing Kunming Lake, and leaning against Longevity Hill, reaching out to the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity in the east and the Long Corridor in the west, it is the best place for living and relaxation in the Summer Palace complex.
Suzhou Market Street recreates a selection of traditional riverside shops (as would have been found in Suzhou), many of which can only be reached by boat. The story goes that former Emperors, or their concubines, used to enjoy 'pretend-shopping', as normally everything was bought for them.
The Marble Boat, at the northern edge of the lake, is a decorative building that imitates a real boat. Erected in 1755, it is the only Western-style structure in the park, inlaid with colorful glass windows and wheels, and paved with colored bricks.
Kunming Lake, in the center of the park, takes up about 75% of the park. Boating on Kunming Lake is highly recommended. It takes about 10 minutes and gives a tranquil and relaxing break away from the crowds of tourists confined to the pathways. The boating fee is not included in the entrance fee.
The famous 17-hole bridge spans between Nanhu (‘South Lake’) Island and the east bank. The bridge is 150 meters (490 ft) long, and is curved like a long rainbow frame above the blue water.