Jax Stumpes: 2024 Road Scholar III: Beijing Summer Palace (10/7/2024)

Monday, October 7, 2024 (continued)

After lunch we were taken by motorcoach to the Yíhéyuán/Summer Palace, said to be the best-preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest of its kind in China. Initially built 1750-1764, the gardens were burned and the palace was sacked in 1860 during the Second Opium War. The gardens were rebuilt by the Empress Dowager Cixi 1886-1888, using funds meant for the Imperial Navy, which resulted in China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War in 1895. The Summer Palace was again damaged during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. The palace was restored in 1902 and opened to the public in 1914 after the end of the Qing dynasty.

Renshou Dian/Hall of Benevolence and Longevity was
where the court administered governmental affairs,
received foreign envoys and other dignitaries (KSS)


Statue of a qilin/a legendary animal having a dragon's head, lion's tail, deer's antlers, ox's hooves with a body covered in fish scales

A statue of a dragon said to represent the
Emperor Guangxu, holding out an
empty hand as he had no power under
his mother, the Empress Dowager

A statue of a phoenix, said to represent
the Empress Dowager Cixi, is placed
centrally, contrary to tradition

Hall of Benevolence and Longevity detail of woodwork,
plus the ever-present CCTV camera

The corner of a palace building roof may hold 3, 5, 7, or 9
small animal statues, depending on the rank of the building,
and here from the tip they should be in order of dragon,
phoenix, lion, seahorse, and heavenly steed;
they are meant to dispel evil spirits

Wisteria arbor and octagonal doorway as a symbol
of completeness and good luck (KSS)

Leshoutang/Hall of Joy and Longevity was the residence
of the Empress Dowager Cixi

In front of the Hall of Joy and Longevity are a bronze statues
of a deer and crane, and a vase to symbolize peace

The Blue Mushroom stone was originally called the
Unlucky or Bankruptcy stone; the story follows:

A certain Ming dynasty official was an avid rock collector. He discovered this enormous stone and had to have it for his garden. He was able to have it moved only a fraction of the way, before he ran out of money. The stone was abandoned until seen by Emperor Qianlong in the late 18th century. In order to move the stone into this courtyard, the palace gate had to be dismantled. Qianlong's mother felt the stone caused the official's bankruptcy, and it would curse the whole royal family. However, a palace official advised Qianlong to tell his mother that the stone resembled a lingzhi/a healing mushroom that symbolized longevity and prosperity.

Using double mobile phones to film a commercial? (KSS)

Yiyunguan/Yiyun Hall was the living quarters of the wife of
Emperor Guangxu, who lived in Yulantang/Hall of Jade Ripples
next door, but from 1898 was under house arrest by his
mother after she had his associates beheaded
for trying to establish reforms of the feudal system

The closer building may be part of the Hall of Jade Ripples

Apparently a favorite activity during the National Day
holiday week is to be photographed in traditional dress

The poser

Kunming Hu/Kunming Lake takes up 75% of the garden

Changlang/Long Corridor is a 728-m/
nearly a half-mile covered walkway

The entire length inside the corridor is covered with Su-style
paintings (classical painted art on wooden structures)
in various stages of wear and renewal