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As a famous ancient city and the cultural center of China, Beijing is a wonderland for many dream-seeking travelers who yearn for the grandiose buildings and the idyllic landscape. If, considering your time and budget, you can visit only one city in China it would make sense for it to be Beijing, which boasts many otherworldly attractions and beautiful palaces and parks.
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The magnificent Forbidden City is the largest and the best-preserved Imperial Palace complex in the world. It had 9,999 rooms in the flourishing period, just a single room short of the number that represents 'Divine Perfection' in ancient Chinese belief – many were desolated and now there are around 8,000 that have been restored. It is surrounded by a moat that’s six meters deep and ten-meter high wall.
For five centuries this palace functioned as the administrative center of the country as well as being the residence of emperors and empresses of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Thus, the place itself is not to be missed by any Beijing visitor. Splendidly painted decorations on the royal architectural wonders, the grand and deluxe halls, with their magnificent treasures will certainly satisfy 'modern civilians'.
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The Summer Palace is another sight that is definitely a 'must see', a famous classic imperial garden of breathtaking beauty. It holds a special place in the history of Chinese gardens.
Situated in the western outskirts of Haidian District, the Summer Palace is 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from central Beijing. Having the largest royal park and being well preserved, it was designated a Key Cultural Relics Protection Site of China in 1960 by the State Council
Containing examples of the ancient arts, it also has magnificent constructions build on a graceful landscapes overlooking a man-made lake. The Summer Palace is the archetypal Chinese garden, and is ranked amongst the most noted and classical gardens of the world. In 1998, it was listed as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Composed mainly of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, The Summer Palace occupies an area of 294 hectares (726.5 acres), three quarters of which is water. Guided by nature, artists designed the gardens exquisitely so that visitors would see marvelous views and be amazed by perfect examples of refined craftwork using the finest materials.
To the east of the Summer Palace exits the Ruins of Yuan Ming Yuan. To be distinct from other traditional Chinese gardens, its construction and horticulture is a harmonious blend of typical Chinese scenery and western architecture.
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As the most magnificent garden in the history, the great Yuan Ming Yuan spanned a three-hundred-fifty hectare area with a fairyland of hills, ponds, lakes, ancient trees and palaces filled with one and half centuries of imperial treasure collections. However, it was tragically burned by the allied forces of the eight powers in 1860.
For 139 years, Yuan Ming Yuan served administration, vacation and living purposes for the six generations of emperors YongZheng, QianLong, JiaQing, DaoGuang and XianFeng in the Qing dynasty. The emperor and his wives would live in Yuan Ming Yuan after Chinese New Year until the end of autumn. Yuan Ming Yuan was the largest and most luxurious imperial garden, with a host of scenery sites representing different Chinese gardening styles. In terms of artistic and architectural values, Yuan Ming Yuan has a number of unique characteristics.
