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Summer Palace

The Summer Palace or Yiheyuan (Traditional Chinese: 頤和園; Simplified Chinese: 颐和园; Hanyu Pinyin: Yíhé Yuán; literally "Garden of Nurtured Harmony") is a palace in Beijing, China. The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill (60 meters high) and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is water. In its compact 70,000 square metres of building space, one finds a variety of palaces, gardens, and other classical-style architectural structures.

The Summer Palace started out life as the Garden of Clear Ripples (Traditional Chinese: 清漪園; Simplified Chinese: 清漪园; Hanyu Pinyin: Qīngyī Yuán) in 1750 (Reign Year 15 of Emperor Qianlong). Artisans reproduced the garden architecture styles of various palaces in China. Kunming Lake was created by extending an existing body of water to imitate the West Lake in Hangzhou. The palace complex suffered two major attacks--during the Anglo-French allied invasion of 1860 (with the Old Summer Palace also ransacked at the same time), and during the Boxer Rebellion, in an attack by the eight allied powers in 1900. The garden survived and was rebuilt in 1886 and 1902. In 1888, it was given the current name, Yihe Yuan. It served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi, who diverted 30 million taels of silver, said to be originally designated for the Chinese navy (Beiyang Fleet), into the reconstruction and enlargement of the Summer Palace.

In December 1998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. It declared the Summer Palace an "outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design, incorporating the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole." It is a popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park.

Entering from the northern gate, the visitor first comes across Suzhou Street, designed to replicate the scenery of south-eastern China. At the top of Longevity Hill stands Duobao Glazed Pagoda. From the top of the hill one can see Kunming Lake to the south and southwest. The Marble Boat is at the southwest foot of the hill, and the Long Corridor runs east to west along its southern edge. Most of the other notable buildings (17-Arch Bridge, which has over 500 engraved lions; Traditional Chinese: 十七孔橋; Simplified Chinese: 十七孔桥; Hanyu Pinyin: Shíqī Kǒng Qiáo) run along the eastern edge of the lake, directly south of the eastern end of the Long Corridor. Other features of the Summer Palace include the Cloud-Dispelling Hall, the Tower of Buddhist Incense and Jade Belt Bridge, and the Garden of Harmonious Interests.

Lots of the places we went had ornate carvings at stairs or entrance ways made from solid pieces of stone.

Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha to the left and Realm of Multitudinous Fragrance to the right.

A guy writing a poem on the sidewalk with water.

The roofs and paintings along them were all so interesting.

The arches in the walkways, ceilings, etc. were all painted.

One of the emperor's really liked this rock but ran into financial difficulties, later it was moved into the palace by someone else.

Inviting the Moon Gate, the entrance to the long walkway.

The ceiling to the entrance gate.

All of these pictures are all different. it was amazing.

The ceiling of the pavilions along the long walkway.

This symbol means double happiness.

Tower f the Fragrance of the Buddha

Glowing Clouds and Holyland Archway

Hall of Dispelling Clouds

I think the corners of the buildings make very neat pictures with the colors and symmetry

Pavilion of Autumn Water

exercising

Bridge of Pastoral Poems

Marble Boat: people represent the water and hold the boat (emperor) afloat or can capsize it, this was a strong emporer who built this boat

One of the dragon boats that would take us across Kunming Lake

Hall of Embracing the Universe

 

Beijing Dragon Land Superior Jade Gallery

This was a gallery we went to on the way to The Great Wall locations.  It is holds the largest jade gallery in Beijing.  The craftsmanship was amazing ... so were the prices!  We ate lunch at Longdi, a sichuan restaurant located adjacent to the gallery.

One solid peace of jade!

Dragon and Phoenix balls represent family and the inner balls represent generations of family.

Ashley trying on a jade bangle

Such intricate craftsmanship

Solid pieces of jade!

The beginning of some beautiful artwork.

Gold borders placed in the wood.

This is died jade they are using to fill in the design

Our lunch at the sichuan restaurant

 

Juyongguan Great Wall

Juyongguan or Juyonguan Pass (Simplified Chinese: 居庸关; Traditional Chinese: 居庸關; Hanyu Pinyin: Jūyóng Guān) is located in an 18 kilometer-long valley named "Guangou" which is inside Changping County more than 50 kilometers from Beijing City. It is one of the three greatest passes of the Great Wall of China. The other two passes are Jiayuguan Pass and Shanhai Pass.

It had many different names in the past dynasties. However, the name "Juyongguan Pass" was used by more than three dynasties. It was first used in the Qin Dynasty when Emperor Qinshihuang ordered to build the Great Wall. Juyongguan Pass has two passes, one at the south and one at the north. The south one is called "Nan Pass" and the north one is called "Badaling".

This pass was connected to the Great Wall in the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

In the middle of Juyongguan Pass, there is a "Cloud Platform" with another name of "Crossing Street Tower". It was made of white marble in the Yuan Dynasty with a height of 9.5 meters. Around the top of the platform there are many architectures such as stone railings and a watching post. They are still kept in the style of the Yuan Dynasty. In the middle of the base of the platform there is an arched door where men, horses and carriages could pass through. Many animal images were carved in the arched hole and the arched door. On the walls of both sides of the door, the statues of gods and scriptures are carved. There were three white towers on the platform in the past (this is how it got the name of "Crossing Street Tower") and were destroyed in the transitional period between the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty. Later a Tai'an Temple was built on the platform but was later destroyed in the Qing Dynasty.

The present Pass was initially built in the Ming Dynasty and received much renovation later. It is a very important strategic place connecting the inner land and the area near the northern border of China. It is also a defensive place for the ancient Beijing City. So it is wanted by all the military parties.

Once there were lush flowers and trees around the Pass like layers of green waves, so it got the good name of "Juyong Green Layers", which belongs to one of "Yanjing Eight Best Sceneries". The Chinese government is trying to restore the vegetation and although some progress has been made, the vegetation has not recovered to its past level.

They are more advanced than Japan, speaking cellphones!

Ashley while she still has some energy!

Ashley with less energy.

Inside of the watch towers

The indentions on the stairs from many many many years of use.

It was steep

Ashley and Lanny

That is where I made it too ...

It is on the highest point to the left of the pole in the middle of the picture

 

Badaling Great Wall

Badaling (Simplified Chinese: 八达岭; Traditional Chinese: 八達嶺; Hanyu Pinyin: Bādálǐng) is the site of the most visited section of the Great Wall of China, approximately 50 miles northwest of Beijing city within the Beijing municipality. The portion of the wall running through the site was built during the Ming Dynasty, along with a military outpost reflecting the location's strategic importance.

The portion of the wall at Badaling has undergone heavy restoration, and in 1957 it was the first section of the wall to open to tourists. Now visited annually by millions, the immediate area has seen significant development, including hotels, restaurants, and a cable car. The recently completed Badaling Expressway connects Badaling with Beijing city.

It was here that President Richard Nixon and his wife, accompanied by Vice Premier Lǐ Xiānniàn, visited on February 24, 1972, during his historic journey to China.

This is the most famous section of the Great Wall of China.

Not nearly as steep

well, maybe not so flat!

There goes Jonathan walking along the wall.

The part of the wall was closed as they are restoring it.

Ashley waiting for me!

More funny signs.