After getting the tickets, we entered the Summer Palace (颐和园) through the Beigongmen (北宫门 - North Palace Gate) which is the gateway closest to the subway.
The Beigongmen entrance leads you straight into a shady, tree-lined path, a gentle introduction to the sprawling imperial garden.
Our first stop was the charming Suzhou Street (苏州街), a canal-side market built during the Qing dynasty to mimic the water towns of Jiangnan. Lined with wooden shopfronts and stone bridges, it was once a playground for emperors and consorts who “pretended” to shop. Destroyed in 1860 by the British and French allied forces, it was rebuilt in 1990 on its original site. The street, extending over 300 meters, features waterside shops including teahouses, restaurants and pharmacies, showcasing the commercial culture of the 18th-century Jiangnan. However, all the shops were currently undergoing renovations.
Not far from the Four Great Regions, deeper into Longevity Hill, lies the Sumeru Spiritual Ensemble (须弥灵境建筑群), a cluster of Tibetan-style temples arranged in terraces. Mount Sumeru is the sacred mountain at the center of the Buddhist cosmos, symbolizing the axis of the universe.
Then we arrived by the Kunming Lake (昆明湖).
Before exploring the lake area, we decided to visit the Summer Palace Museum (颐和园博物馆), which anchors the site’s cultural and historical narrative.
This museum offers a curated look into the palace’s rich past. There are displays of imperial robes, lacquerware, jade, and porcelain used by the Qing emperors and empress dowagers during their summer retreats.
There are also edicts, calligraphy, and archives that shed light on how the Summer Palace was run, including its reconstruction after the Anglo-French destruction in 1860 and again after the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.
After we were done visiting the museum, we returned to the lakeside. At this time, all the boats and ferries were not operating. We started walking by the lake towards the west direction.
Along a busy street, we saw a man calligraphing on the ground with a brush and water.
Kunming Lake (昆明湖) is the heart of the Summer Palace, both physically and symbolically. It dominates the landscape, making up about three-quarters of the entire estate’s area. Covering roughly 2.2 square kilometers, Kunming Lake is a vast, shimmering expanse that reflects the sky, Longevity Hill, and the ornate palace buildings along its shores. It was man-made during the Yuan and Ming dynasties by expanding natural springs and wetlands. By the Qing dynasty, it had become the centerpiece of the Summer Palace, designed to resemble the West Lake of Hangzhou, one of China’s most famous scenic spots. The lake is not only decorative but also functional: it was originally part of Beijing’s water reservoir system.
After so much walking, we took a short break at the foot of Longevity Hill.
The tower behind us is the Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁). It rises nearly 41 meters (135 feet) tall, with a commanding view of the Summer Palace. It's time to make our way up.
We first passed by Hall of Dispelling Clouds (排云殿). It served as the ceremonial hall for birthdays, banquets, and celebrations during Cixi’s time.
Tower of Buddhist Incense sits on a huge white stone terrace with balustrades, giving it an elevated and solemn aura. Stairs and side corridors lead pilgrims and visitors up to the central structure.
Time to have another break after the tiring climb.
The tower is octagonal in shape, symbolizing completeness and cosmic order. It is three stories tall, with sweeping eaves and bright vermilion pillars. Built during Emperor Qianlong’s reign (18th century), it was the main place of Buddhist worship within the Summer Palace.
As it was getting a bit late, we descended from the tower to explore the western side of the palace.
We were up there at the tower just a while ago.
As we strolled the Long Corridor, we came across several named pavilions at intervals, each with a poetic title such as “Clear and Far Reaching” (远瀛观), “Harmonious Interest” (同乐轩), and among them is “Travel in Pictures (画中游).” The phrase “Travel in Pictures” suggests the idea that walking through the gardens of the Summer Palace is like entering and living inside a painting. It reflects the Qing emperors’ and garden designers’ vision of turning landscape into art, which is a theme that runs throughout Chinese garden design.
Its position gives visitors framed views of the lake, the hill, and the distant mountains, exactly like scenes in a scroll painting. Tracy was too tired to take this climb so only Jerlene and I ascended to the top of the pavilion. Soon after we reached the top, a staff started using a loudspeaker to announce that the garden gate was about to close. Though he tried "chasing" the incoming visitors away, he was not very successful.
By this time, we had covered most of the attractions in the summer palace and began to walk back to Beigongmen exit.
Following is a video showing some highlights of Summer Palace.
A graceful Seventeen-Arch Bridge (十七孔桥) at the lake’s southern end, linking the shore to Nanhu Island (南湖岛). Its arches create beautiful reflections, especially at sunset, and the bridge is lined with carved stone lions, each with its own unique expression.
From the east shore, we entered the Long Corridor, which is 728 meters of covered walkway adorned with over 14,000 colorful paintings. Each beam illustrates legends, landscapes, and folk tales, turning the corridor into a storybook in wood and paint.
Once we reached the top, we were presented with stunning panoramic views of Kunming Lake, the West Causeway, and the distant Western Hills.
Inside the tower, the hall enshrines a large statue of Guanyin (观音), richly adorned with offerings and incense burners. The walls and ceilings are decorated with Buddhist motifs and auspicious symbols.
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