the summer palace
15 January 2010 | Beijing
Michael and Jackie
Today was warmer - the wind had dropped, and although still below freezing the sun and clear blue skies made walking very pleasant. We went to the Summer Palace, 10 miles to the North of the City and the Summer residence of the Empress.
The complex is built around the side of a large lake, with many buildings hugging the shore as well as temples rising almost vertically above on the hill behind. Very picturesque. After the initial entrance arches and squares guarded by massive lions you walk through attractive gardens to the lakeside from where you can see distant pavilions, temples and willow pattern-type bridges. The empress had constructed a walkway right round the foreshore. The walkway is open to either side of a covered corridor about a mile and a half length which links the initial garden entrance on the Eastern side to the temples situated on the North South Meridian. The ornate temples climb high above the lake in an intricate set of criss crossing staircases. As you climb you can see the ornate workmanship on the ridges of the roofs below. Finally from the higher temples you can see right back to the tall buildings of Beijing in the hazy sunshine.
Due to the unusually cold weather, the lake was frozen solid and many people were walking and playing on the ice. The most popular points for exploration were exactly where there were warning signs prohibiting walking on the ice. The ice must have been many feet thick judging by some of the ice bricks people were cutting out.
Perhaps the most striking thing about the Summer Palace was the way in which the buildings and temples were built in harmony with the landscape. Something that made the Summer Palace our favourite place in Beijing so far.