The Glory and Regret A Stroll Through the Historical Echoes of the Old Summer Palace

The Old Summer Palace, once known as the 'Garden of Gardens,' still exudes a unique historical charm amidst its ruins. Walking into the Old Summer Palace, seeing the broken walls and ruins, one can't help but marvel at its past splendor and feel deep regret for the devastation it suffered. Every stone tablet and fragment of wall silently tells the story of the royal garden's magnificence and artistic excellence. The lakes and water features remain beautiful. By the ruins of the Jiuzhou Qingyan, reeds sway and lotus leaves float, as if time has stood still here. Strolling through this garden, one can almost travel back to its heyday, imagining the once resplendent palaces, exquisite pavilions, and endless rare flowers and trees. Especially at the ruins of the Western Mansions, where the European architectural style blends with traditional Chinese garden elements, even though they are now ruins, one can still feel the beauty of the cultural fusion between East and West. The Old Summer Palace is not just a ruin; it is a witness to history, a carrier of culture, and an indelible memory in the hearts of the Chinese people. Here, you can feel the passage of time and the weight of history, and appreciate the glory and regret born from the collision of Chinese and Western cultures. Every step feels like a conversation with the past, experiencing the tragic yet magnificent story of the Old Summer Palace.