The Beijing Summer Palace

The Summer Palace is located in northern Beijing and was first created many hundreds of years ago as the summer resort for the imperial family.   It suffered destruction during two foreign  invasions and was rebuilt each time.  It is now open as a grand garden representing several styles and is home to many notable buildings.  The majority of the garden consists of a lake, Kunming Lake.

Mirror Bridge, a pagoda and a small rental boat on Kunming Lake.

A cat visiting the gardens. He was not happy about having his nap disturbed.

Seventeen Arch Bridge was built about 250 years ago and links one shore of Kunming Lake with an island, Nanhu.

Hall of Buddist Incense, rental boats and Kunming Lake.

The front of one of the dragon boats transporting visitors from one part of the lake to another.

The side and back of one of the lake boats.

The Long Corridor, a very long covered way which enabled the imperial family and other notables to travel a vast distance without being affected by the elements.  It is highly decorated with paintings which according to what I read need renewing every 12 years.  The ones I saw were not particularly spectacular.

A Chinese door, bamboo and the usual elderly bottle collector.

The marble boat paid for with money  embeezled from the navy by the Empress Cixi.

Some of the trees were starting to change colour.

Qing era boathouses.

One of the many canals and bridges within the gardens.

Suzhou Street.  One of an emperor’s favourite concubines missed her home so he developped an area of narrow canals lined with shops to make her feel more at comfortable.  They were renovated in more recent times.

Duo Bao Pagoda and Hall of Buddist Fragrance

There were many other buildings and waterways, some of which I saw and some I didn’t.  Not all photos were noteworthy.  It’s worth a return visit.

This was not at the Summer Palace but near one of the subways I used to get there.  It is one of the original waterways in Beijing and has not been renovated for vehicular traffic.   A peaceful afternoon of men fishing in one of the world’s biggest cities.