Address: by side of Kunming Lake,
               northwest of Beijing
Tel: 62881144
Website: http://www.yiheyuan.com/

Brief Introduction

Situated in the northwest outskirts of Beijing with quiet and beautiful landscape, Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) was established in 1750 and used to be called as the Garden of Clear Ripples. With the traditional archetypal garden and surrounding water and mountains, the Summer Palace implies the grand and splendid features of Chinese imperial garden as well as the natural interest, displaying highly the garden rules of "built by man but with natural features? Its Tower of Buddhist Incense, Long Corridor, Marble Boat, Suzhou Market Street, 17-Arch Bridge, Garden of Harmonious Interest, Great Pavilion has become the well-known symbolic architecture. On the banks of Kunming Lake, there are also the famous Marble Boat, Bronze Ox in facsimile, Zhichun Pavilion for spring sightseeing and other spot architectures.
In 1900,when the Eight-power Allied Force invaded Beijing, the Summer Palace suffered again. In 1902, the Qing Government ordered for its rehabilitation. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Summer Palace became the main dwelling place of the top dominators of China. It is the important witness for the modern history of China as well as the origin of various major historical events.
In 1924, the Summer Palace was opened to public. On March 4, 1961, the Summer Palace was designated as a key Cultural Relics Protection Site of China. On December 2, 1998, with its historical cultural background, beautiful national environment and landscape and remarkable protection achievement, the Summer Palace was listed as on of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. It is known as the symbol of the world civilization.

Archeology

Golden Sea Wall Stela

The stela is the important material object for study on the irrigation and transportation in the Western Beijing and the Cultural Relics Protection Site of Haidian District. It is located on the west bank of Changhe (Long River) south of Xiuqi Bridge of the Summer Palace. It was made of the white marble, the handwriting on which it is hard to identify due to the long years. The name of Golden River (Jin He) was originally from Golden Sea (Jin Hai). In the Yuan Dynasty, water of West Lake was diverted into the water outlet of Baifu Dam, right at the west side of the current Golden River Dyke Stela. Even up to now, the relics of the canal is still visible. The Golden River Dyke Stela is now well preserved, standing at the outlet of the previously Golden River Canal to Changhe.

Bus Route: 801, 808, YT106, 716, 717, 817, 374, New Gongmen Special Rout, 375, 375, 332, 333, 330, 346, 394, 718, 905, 362, 362, 301, 303.