Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing

The Summer Palace in Beijing was originally constructed in 1750, suffered severe destruction during the war of 1860, and was rebuilt on its original site in 1886. It represents one of the greatest achievements in traditional Chinese landscape garden design. By combining natural scenery, including mountains and water, with carefully designed architectural elements such as pavilions, halls, temples, palaces, and bridges, the site creates a harmonious relationship between human creativity and nature.

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief Synthesis

The Summer Palace brings together a large collection of traditional Chinese buildings and garden landscapes. It was created by the Qing Emperor Qianlong between 1750 and 1764 under the name “Garden of Clear Ripples.” Using Kunming Lake, a former water source from the Yuan dynasty capital, and Longevity Hill as its foundation, the garden was designed according to the Chinese philosophy of achieving balance between human structures and the natural environment.

The palace complex served multiple purposes, including political affairs, administration, royal living, religious activities, and leisure. After being destroyed during the Second Opium War in the 1850s, it was rebuilt by Emperor Guangxu for Empress Dowager Cixi and renamed the Summer Palace. It suffered further damage during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 but was restored afterward and opened as a public park in 1924.

The main administrative area centers on the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, which is reached through the impressive East Palace Gate. The residential section includes three major architectural groups: the Halls of Happiness in Longevity, Jade Ripples, and Yiyun. These buildings are located along Longevity Hill and offer beautiful views over Kunming Lake. Covered walkways connect these areas with the Great Stage on the eastern side and the Long Corridor on the western side. A wooden pier in front of the Hall of Happiness in Longevity once allowed members of the imperial family to arrive at their residences by boat.

Around 90 percent of the garden remains dedicated to scenic appreciation, reflection, and spiritual enjoyment. This area contains many famous structures, including the Tower of the Fragrance of Buddha, the Tower of the Revolving Archive, Wu Fang Pavilion, the Baoyun Bronze Pavilion, and the Hall that Dispels the Clouds.

Kunming Lake includes three large islands, representing the traditional Chinese symbolic mountain landscape concept. The southern island is connected to the East Dike by the Seventeen Arch Bridge. Another important feature is the West Dike, which contains six bridges designed in different styles. Other notable elements include Han and Tibetan-style temples and monasteries located on the northern side of Longevity Hill, as well as the Garden of Harmonious Pleasure in the northeastern area.

As a masterpiece developed through centuries of imperial garden traditions, the Summer Palace has greatly influenced the evolution of Chinese and wider East Asian garden design and cultural expression.

Criterion (i)

The Summer Palace represents an exceptional example of Chinese landscape garden creativity, where natural scenery and human-made structures are integrated into a unified and harmonious composition.

Criterion (ii)

The Summer Palace demonstrates the philosophy and methods of traditional Chinese garden design, which have played an important role in shaping garden culture throughout East Asia.

Criterion (iii)

The imperial garden represented by the Summer Palace serves as a powerful cultural symbol of one of the world’s great civilizations and reflects the achievements of ancient Chinese landscape traditions.

Integrity

Because the Summer Palace has always benefited from the highest level of governmental protection, its original layout, design concepts, and landscape features have been preserved to a remarkable degree. The site continues to maintain a balanced connection with its surrounding environment.

Today, authorities have implemented strong protective measures to safeguard the setting of the Summer Palace and address challenges caused by modern urban expansion and development pressures.

Authenticity

Restoration work and landscape conservation within the Summer Palace have followed historical documents and records. Traditional construction methods and suitable materials have been used to preserve the site’s historical character and ensure that its cultural information is accurately passed on.

The continued protection and maintenance of the buildings, gardens, and landscape features have successfully preserved the authenticity of the property.

Protection and Management Requirements

The Summer Palace receives the highest level of legal protection under the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Cultural Relics, first established in 1982 and later amended in 2007. Additional regulations for implementing cultural heritage protection laws, along with relevant environmental protection and urban planning policies, also contribute to its conservation. The site was included among China’s first group of National Priority Protected Sites by the State Council on March 4, 1961.

At the city level, the Beijing Municipal Government designated the Summer Palace as a Municipal Priority Protected Site on October 20, 1957. The Beijing Regulations for the Protection of Cultural Relics, introduced in 1987, further strengthened protection measures for important heritage locations. The official protection boundaries and construction control zones of the Summer Palace were also established through municipal planning documents.

A comprehensive protection and management plan for the Summer Palace has been developed to guide future conservation work. Meanwhile, surrounding construction activities are strictly controlled to reduce potential impacts on the historical environment.

The Beijing Summer Palace Management Office has managed the heritage site since its establishment in 1949. It now employs more than 1,500 staff members, with around 70 percent being professional specialists. The organization includes departments responsible for cultural heritage preservation, gardening, security, construction management, and overall protection.

Various regulations, conservation strategies, and emergency response plans have been introduced. Under the combined protection framework of national and local governments, the Summer Palace continues to be managed through systematic conservation programs and regular monitoring. Advanced scientific methods are increasingly used to support the long-term preservation of this internationally significant cultural heritage site.