Take a Journey Through the History and Nature of the Old Summer Palace

The Old Summer Palace, also known as Yuanmingyuan, was a famous imperial garden of the Qing Dynasty. Located in the western suburbs of Beijing, adjacent to the Summer Palace, it covers an area of over 5,000 acres. The entire Old Summer Palace is composed of three main areas: Yuanmingyuan, Changchunyuan, and Qichunyuan, collectively known as the Three Gardens of Yuanming. To visit the Old Summer Palace, I exited from Exit B of Metro Line 4. My first stop was Zhengjue Temple to see the horse head statue, the only authentic piece on display at the temple. Currently, eight of the twelve zodiac animal heads have been recovered. These zodiac heads were originally located at the Haiyantang in the Old Summer Palace, symbolizing peace and prosperity. Water would spout from the mouths of the zodiac animal heads, a design and technology that was incredibly impressive and stunning at the time. However, this has become one of the greatest regrets in people's hearts. The Grand Waterworks of the Old Summer Palace was also an iconic structure, originally a large fountain. Even from the ruins, one can see the exquisite and beautiful carvings of the Grand Waterworks, which is truly a great loss. Walking among the ruins of the Old Summer Palace, thinking about how such a beautiful garden was destroyed by fire, is heart-wrenching and deeply saddening. The Old Summer Palace is truly the Garden of Gardens, with its picturesque scenery. The autumn scenery of the ginkgo avenue in November is a sight that tourists eagerly capture with their cameras. "Yuan" signifies perfection and integrity, while "Ming" signifies wisdom. These were the hopes and encouragements of Emperor Kangxi for his descendants. Come to the Old Summer Palace to cleanse your body and mind, stroll through the gardens, and leave with beautiful and profound memories.