Summer Palace北京皇家园林-颐和园 · Yíhéyuán — the Qing imperial garden
The Qing emperors' lakeside pleasure garden on the edge of Beijing — Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill and the world's longest painted corridor, composed as a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design. A vast, breezy escape from the Forbidden City's stone.
An empire's garden of lake and hill.
First built in 1750, largely destroyed in 1860 and restored on its original foundations in 1886, the Summer Palace in Beijing is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. It weaves the natural setting of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill together with pavilions, halls, temples, bridges and the celebrated Long Corridor into a single harmonious composition.
Three-quarters of the grounds are water. The design borrows scenery from the Western Hills, echoes the lakes of Hangzhou, and hides political history in its beauty — it was the favoured retreat of the Empress Dowager Cixi, who notoriously rebuilt it (Marble Boat and all) with navy funds.
It reads best as the counterpoint to the Forbidden City: where the palace is rigid and ceremonial, the Summer Palace is open, watery and made for leisure.
Around Kunming Lake.
Enter from the north over Longevity Hill and down to the lake, or from the east by the main halls. These are the set-pieces.
Tap or hover a photo for access details.
The Long Corridor 长廊
A 728 m covered walkway along the lake, every beam painted with a different scene — over 14,000 paintings in all.On the through-ticket
Tower of Buddhist Incense 佛香阁
The octagonal tower crowning Longevity Hill, the visual anchor of the whole garden and the best view over the lake.On the through-ticket · Up a stiff climb
The Marble Boat 石舫
Cixi's notorious lakeside folly — a two-storey pavilion shaped like a paddle-steamer, built (the story goes) with the navy's money.Where northwest shore
Seventeen-Arch Bridge 十七孔桥
The long balustraded bridge to South Lake Island, lined with carved lions — magical at the winter-solstice 'golden tunnel' sunset.Where east shore
Spring blossom and autumn light.
April–May and September–October are loveliest, with mild air for the lakeside walk. Summer is hot but the water keeps it breezy; winter can freeze the lake solid enough to walk (and skate) on.
Go early and skip weekends and Golden Week. As one of Beijing's favourite escapes, the Summer Palace fills with domestic tour groups by mid-morning, especially around the Long Corridor. Arrive at opening, start at the quieter north gate, and you'll have the lake nearly to yourself.
For foreign travelers.
- Enter at the north gate (Beigongmen) to come over Longevity Hill first, then down to the lake — the best reveal.
- Rent a pedal boat or take the dragon-boat ferry; walking the whole shoreline is a long day.
- Buy the through-ticket if you want the tower and halls; the park-only ticket is fine for a stroll.
- It pairs naturally with a Forbidden City day earlier in the trip. See our Beijing guide.