On Saturday afternoon, we went to the northwest corner of the city to the Summer Palace. As we entered the main gate, it was very similar to the Forbidden City with long paths passing through gates, but it was on a smaller scale. After we reached the final temple, we passed through a wall and to our surprise we saw a large lake with gardens along the shore, and a large house on a hill overlooking it all surrounded by elm, willow and bamboo trees. As we walked into a kind of garden paradise, we found ourselv es on a long corridor about 6 feet wide. It is a raised walkway with a roof over it. About every 10 feet there were posts on both sides supporting the roof, and in between the posts above our heads there were beautifully painted scenes (on the inside and outside) that told stories of the different emperors. This walkway was made of inlaid grey stone squares and the posts were a forest green. Every 100 or so feet it would open into a round area about 3 times the width and it would have steps leading out to t he grounds and houses. In this area the posts were sienna red (earth red) and all along the walkway was a low fence with a top suitable for sitting. I read later that this walkway is 728 meters long and has about 14,000 paintings, and is the oldest art gallery in the country (and the only one outside). About halfway down the corridor we are in front of the large house on the side of the hill. At the water's edge there is a large pavillion where boats come to dock and take on passengers. These boats are like ferryboats and give you a 20 minute ride around the lake stopping briefly at an island in the center. Some of the ferryboats have a dragon at the bow looming over the water and daring anyone to come near. It was a beautiful day and the ride gave us a beautiful view of the entire area. Nearby a smaller pavillion has paddle boats for people to rent so everyone can enjoy the water. When we came out of the boat, we crossed the long corridor and began an incredible walk through all kinds of hillside residences and pathways. It was surprising to see large pieces of coral placed thoughout this garden area. Some were 10-15 feet tall and didn't really seem to fit the location. I read later that all the buildings and some of the open places had special names like The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, The Hall of Jade Ripples, The House of Longevity, The Hall of Spreading Benevolence, and th e Gardens of Virtuous Harmony. For the number of visitors it must have, the gardens are very well kept. The guide book says that the design of the building date back about 3000 years ago, but most of it was built since 1750 when the Garden of Clear Ripples was built. It was regarded as the masterpiece of China's imperial gardens. It took 15 years to build and was under the direct supervision of Emperor Qian Long. It consisted of more than 300 pavilions, terraces, halls, and verandas, and formed more than 10 0 famous scenic spots to stop and enjoy. Most of them are still enjoyed today by the visitors.
The Temple to Heaven After a good dinner and a good night's rest, we started out on Sunday to see the Temple to Heaven. A Taxi dropped us off at one of the entrances and we began walking through a beautiful garden. There was a "street" down the middle and shaded walkways on each side. It was a quiet and peaceful surrounding even though there were many people there. Off to the sides of the walk were occasional gardens of flowers, and one of them displayed the Chinese roses in full bloom. It was a long walk to the Temple area and the "boardwalk" of stone that joined the two round temples. First we walked to the outside temples on the west side. They were constructed of a circle and the people enjoyed the peculiar sound properties of standing near the wall on one side and hearing the voice of someone on the opposite side maybe 100 yards away (and blocked by buildings) as though they were standing next to you. There were different levels and pathways at the outside temple for people and maybe animals to come to the center. The long walk down the boardwalk brought us to a large temple building where the people petitioned for good crops and good harvest. Inside there were stone statues of cows and their provisions arranged in a kind of ceremony around the center.