Translating to Gardens of Natured Harmony, Yiheyuan or the Summer Palace is a UN Heritage Site in Beijing, China. The features of this palace include the Longevity hill, the Kunming Lake, many palatial structures and royal gardens. Covering an expanse of 2.9 square meters the site for the Summer palace is covered three forth in water. The water feature also known as the Kunming Lake is entirely man made and is said to have provided the soil that created the Longevity Hill. Internationally recognized as a classic example of Chinese landscaping, the beauty of Yiheyuan lies in the combination of the natural landscapes with artificial architectural constructions. The hill and open waters complement the halls, pavilions, bridges, temples and palaces creating a sense of complete harmony.
The Longevity hill is a sixty meter high hillock that is home to many structures arranged in sequence. Being the key attraction of the gardens it is shrouded in myth and lore. It is said that when Emperor Wanyan Liang of the Jin Dynasty shifted his capital to Beijing the famed Gold Mountain Palace was built on this hill. During the Yuan Dynasty it was called the Jug hill. According to legend the name was changed from Gold Mountain to Jug Hill because of the finding of a jar full of treasure. Later the jar was lost during the Ming Dynasty as was predicted by its finder. The present day name, Longevity Hill, was bestowed in 1752 by the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty while commissioning work on the royal gardens in the site in celebration of his mothers birthday.
Today the hill front is adorned with grand halls and pavilions while the back of the hill is quiet and serene in natural beauty. The buildings comprise of the Cloud Dispelling hall, The Sea of Wisdom Temple, the Buddhist Virtue Temple and various other architectural ensembles. The famous 41 meter high tower of Buddhist Incense stands at the centre of the temple of Buddha. The rising tower is built on a 20 meter tall stone base and supported by eight ironwood pillars.
Many come to gaze upon this aesthetically pleasing splendour and admire the skill and creativity of the Chinese artisans. The Summer Palace while being placed close to Beijings centre is reached easily from the Beijing Capital International Airport. If you are staying at any
Beijing airport hotel, visiting the Summer Palace should definitely be on your list of must-dos. Acquire one of the many
hotel rooms in Beijing while touring China as the city holds many treasures of Chinese art, culture and tradition. The Langham Place Beijing Capital Airport Hotel is the place for an ideal stay as it provides you with the best comforts and facilities while being located conveniently a minute away from the airport.
