Entering the Old Summer Palace: A long scroll of history mottled by time
#Mainland Travel
1. Preparation before the trip
• Knowledge reserve: Understand the historical background, architectural features and cultural value of the Old Summer Palace in advance, so that you can better understand and feel its unique charm during the visit. You can learn by reading relevant books, watching documentaries, etc.
• Things to prepare: Comfortable shoes are essential because the park is large and you will need to walk a long distance; bring sunscreen, a hat, and drinking water to cope with the outdoor environment; if you want to take photos, you can bring a camera or mobile phone and make sure it has sufficient power.
2. Transportation
• Public transportation: You can take Metro Line 4, get off at Yuanmingyuan Station, exit from Exit B and walk to the South Gate of Yuanmingyuan. This method is convenient and fast, and can also avoid the parking troubles caused by driving yourself.
• Self-driving: If you choose to drive yourself, set the navigation to "Old Summer Palace Qichun Garden Palace Gate" or "Old Summer Palace South Gate". However, it should be noted that there are limited parking lots around the Old Summer Palace, especially during the peak tourist season, so you may need to plan your parking spot in advance.
3. Tour route planning
Morning: Western Building Scenic Area
• The Great Fountain Ruins: After entering from the south gate of Old Summer Palace, take the scenic sightseeing bus directly to the Great Fountain Ruins in the Western Building Scenic Area. This is one of the most representative attractions of the Old Summer Palace. Although only ruins remain of the once magnificent fountain building, one can still feel its former glory. Standing in front of the ruins, you can seem to see the spectacular scene of the fountain gushing and water splashing, and you can also deeply experience the vicissitudes of history.
• Xieqiqu Ruins: After visiting the Great Fountain, walk to the Xieqiqu Ruins. Xie Qiqu is one of the earliest buildings built in the Western Building Scenic Area, integrating Western Baroque architectural style with traditional Chinese garden elements. Today, only some broken stone pillars and stones remain here, but one can still see the exquisiteness and magnificence of the past.
Noon: lunch break
• Enjoy lunch at a restaurant or snack stand near the Western Building Scenic Area and take a short break to relieve morning fatigue. You can choose some Beijing-style delicacies, such as noodles with soybean paste and stewed pork.
Afternoon: Yuanmingyuan Fuhai Scenic Area
• Cruise to Fu Hai: After lunch, go to Fu Hai Pier and take a cruise to visit Fu Hai. Fu Hai is the largest lake in the Old Summer Palace. The water is clear and it is surrounded by green mountains and trees. The scenery is very beautiful. On the cruise ship, you can enjoy the scenery on both sides of Fuhai Lake and feel the tranquility and peace of the Old Summer Palace.
• Pengdao Yaotai Ruins: After getting off the boat, walk to Pengdao Yaotai Ruins. Pengdao Yaotai is a small island in Fuhai. It was once an important attraction in the Old Summer Palace. Its architectural style imitated the fairy mountain Penglai on the sea. Today, only some ruins remain on the island, but the former grandeur can still be seen from the ruins.
Evening: Yuanmingyuan Qichun Garden Scenic Area
• Qichun Garden Palace Gate: After exiting the Pengdao Yaotai Ruins, head to the Qichun Garden Palace Gate. Qichun Garden is part of the Old Summer Palace, which has many exquisite buildings and garden landscapes. After entering the palace gate of Qichun Garden, you can tour along the main road, admire the pavilions, towers, flowers, plants and trees in the garden, and feel the refinement and elegance of Old Summer Palace.
• Jianbi Pavilion: There is a famous Jianbi Pavilion in Qichun Garden. Jianbi Pavilion is located on the west bank of Fuhai Lake. It is an octagonal pavilion with beautiful shape. Standing on the Jianbi Pavilion, you can overlook the panoramic view of Fuhai and enjoy the beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains.
IV. Attractions
• The shock of historical relics: As a former royal garden, the Old Summer Palace has many exquisite buildings and garden landscapes. However, in 1860, the Old Summer Palace suffered great damage due to the looting and burning by the British and French forces, and now only a large number of ruins remain. These ruins and relics have witnessed the vicissitudes of history, allowing people to deeply feel that period of humiliation and inspiring people's patriotic feelings.
• The unique charm of the garden landscape: The Old Summer Palace integrates the essence of Chinese and Western garden art, with both the landscape conception of traditional Chinese gardens and the geometric symmetry beauty of Western gardens. The park is rich in landscape elements such as lakes, hills, pavilions, flowers, plants and trees, forming a beautiful picture. Even at the ruins, one can still feel the unique charm of the garden landscape of that time.
• Deep cultural heritage: The Old Summer Palace is not only a garden, but also a treasure house of culture. The park houses a large collection of cultural relics and treasures, covering various fields, including calligraphy and painting, ceramics, bronzes, gold and silver wares, etc., which have extremely high historical and artistic value. Although most of the cultural relics were looted and destroyed in the war, the cultural connotations of the Old Summer Palace still deeply influence future generations.
5. Food Recommendations
• Snacks in the park: In the Old Summer Palace scenic area, there are some snack stalls selling various special snacks, such as roasted sweet potatoes, candied haws, fried skewers, etc. These snacks are affordable, taste great, and can be used as a great energy boost during your visit.
• Surrounding restaurants: If you want to taste more formal cuisine, you can choose to dine in the restaurants around the Old Summer Palace. There are some Beijing-style restaurants nearby, offering traditional delicacies such as roast duck, shabu-shabu mutton, and noodles with soybean paste, allowing you to taste the authentic Beijing flavor.
6. Tips for Playing
• Arrange your time reasonably: The Old Summer Palace is a large area with many attractions. It is recommended to plan your tour route and time in advance to avoid missing some important attractions in a hurry.
• Respect historical sites: When visiting historical sites, please remain quiet, do not touch or damage the relics, and respect history and culture.
• Pay attention to environmental protection: During the tour, do not throw garbage at will and keep the scenic area clean and tidy.
VII. Conclusion
Beijing's Old Summer Palace is a very meaningful travel experience. Here, we can not only enjoy the beautiful natural scenery and unique garden landscape, but also feel the vicissitudes of history and the profound cultural heritage. By visiting the Old Summer Palace, we cherish our current peaceful life more and are more determined to protect our historical and cultural heritage.