After our "interesting" adventure last night (see April 1), this is the hotel our caring taxi driver found for us at 1:00 in the morning. (Nancy's on the phone with her son finding out she's going to have a granddaughter...Congratulations, Nancy!)
Ahhhhh. Spring is really here.
Xidan Station, line 4 to The Summer Palace...
The Summer Palace, located a quick 12 km train ride from central Beijing, was used as a summer residence by China's imperial rulers.
Suzhou Street is a quaint little shopping and restaurant area just inside the North Palace Gate of the Summer Palace along Back Lake. The area served as an entertainment place where Emperors and concubines could feel as if they were strolling on a commercial street. When royals were visiting the palace, eunuchs and maids of honor would play act as peddlers, customers, and shop assistants to make it seem as if they were walking the markets on the streets of Beijing. Not just personal shoppers, but a personal shopping street to boot!
The market today includes souvenir shops, dyers, drugstores, banks, shoe stores, and teashops with clerks dressed in Qing Dynasty costumes.
The Summer Palace has one path after another that meanders through the stunning grounds. Of all the places I visited in Beijing, the Summer Palace is at the top of my list.
More signs of spring
The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. Its Chinese name, YiHeYuan, translates to "Garden of Natural Harmony" or "Garden for Maintaining Health and Harmony." We spent half a day here and only saw a fraction of its beauty. As you walked through the palace, the scenery constantly changes from traditional Chinese gardens, to vast lakes, to opulent pavilions. Quite impressive! And the Goddess of Weather brought to us an incredibly gorgeous day in which to explore the Palace.
Bridge over KunMing Lake
Budding willow trees along KunMing Lake
Wei Zhen, a prominent prime minister under the reign of Emperor Taizhong during the Tang Dynasty, once said, "Water can carry the boat as well as overturn it." Water symbolized the common people who could either support a good emperor or overthrow a bad one. As a result, in 1755 Emperor Qianlong had a huge Marble Boat (Shifang in Chinese) built to indicate the steadfast rule of the Qing Dynasty. Seems a bit counterintuitive to me!
As I was taking pictures of The Marble Boat, this sweet group of ladies herded me into a photo with them. I handed over my camera as well. When in Rome...no make that China. : )
The Long Corridor is one of the most impressive structures at The Summer Palace for so many reasons. It was built for Emperor Qianlong's mother in 1750 so she could enjoy the scenery of Kunming Lake during inclement weather.
This remarkable 273 sectioned, 728 meter long walkway is the longest of its kind in the world with over 14,000 different paintings on its beams and crossbeams.
Phenomenal!
Among the 14,000 paintings are 584 landscapes,
360 figure paintings, and
the remaining are all flowers and birds. The landscape, bird, and flower paintings were copied from the scenery of West Lake in Hangzhou by master painters who were with Emperor Qianlong on his six tours South of the Yangtze River.
Janet overlooking Kunming Lake
Colorful boats on Kunming Lake
Another section of the beautifully painted walkway
Architecture on Longevity Hill
Susan checking out one of the 14,000 paintings along The Long Corridor.
Tower of Buddhist Incense on Longevity Hill
Cloud Dispelling Gate and Tower of Buddhist Incense
This lion caught my eye as I was taking a shot of the budding flowers.
Roof charms
Knocker
Classic China pose in front of Cloud Dispelling Gate with the Tower of Buddhist Incense in the background.
This sweet woman was walking out of Cloud Dispelling Gate as I was walking through, a very sweet memory that will forever last in my mind.
Being silly
Bronze Dragon symbolizing the Emperor
Bronze Phoenix symbolizing the Empress
Stairs leading up Longevity Hill.
I am so enamored of the roof lines...
View of HunMing Lake from Longevity Hill
More ceiling paintings
Modern day version of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin Buddha
This is our sweet guide telling us about the colors of the tiles in the palace. The gold symbolizes the Emperor and the green the common people. This is why you see so many gold tiles in The Summer Palace and so few green.
As we were descending the stairs from the Temple of Buddhist Incense, we fell in love with "the guy with the big glasses" and his family fell in love with us! : )
So sweet!
After being surrounded by brown in Dalian, I was overjoyed to see bright colors!
Ice cream time!
White and purple magnolia trees were planted behind Changle Hall in the days of Emperor Qianlong. Along with many of the Summer Palace's buildings, they were burnt down after the Anglo-French Allied Forces invaded Beijing in 1860. When Empress Dowager Cixi took power in 1866, she ordered the white and purple magnolias to be planted again. The blooms are still impressive today.
Our sweet guide, David.
We watched a traditional Chinese performance at the Garden of Virtue and Harmony.
I love Spring!!
Spring petal in pine needles
Full circle back to Suzhou Street
We took a lovely walk along the lake and through the shops and restaurants.
And stopped for much needed nourishment.
It got a wee bit cold!
Looking back at the restaurant where we ate.
Another fabulous day during this incredible journey through China. : )
