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Entering through the New Palace Gate (SE) to the grounds of the Summer Palace, Beijing |
Bronze Ox (1755) overlooking the frozen lake during a winter visit to the Summer Palace, Beijing |
Frozen Kunming Lake and the Seventeen Arch Bridge |
Kuoru Octagonal Pavilion, Summer Palace |
Kuoru Octagonal Pavilion, Summer Palace |
Kuoru Octagonal Pavilion, Summer Palace |
Practicing for the Ramie Cloth dance, Summer Palace |
Practicing for the Ramie Cloth dance, Summer Palace |
Seventeen Arch Bridge to Nanhu (South Lake) Island, Kunming Lake |
Stone lion, Seventeen Arch Bridge, Summer Palace |
There are supposedly 544 stone lions decorating the 17-Arch Bridge |
Stone lion, Seventeen Arch Bridge, Summer Palace |
Stone lion, Seventeen Arch Bridge |
Stone lions lining the 150m long Seventeen Arch Bridge |
Misty image of a man walking across the ice of Kunming Lake |
Gateway to Nanhu Island at the end of the Seventeen Arch Bridge |
Green ceramic roof tiles and chimney, Nanhu Island |
Entrance to the Temple of Timely Rains and Extensive Moisture (Guangrun Lingyu Ci) Nanhu Island |
Hanxu Tang - Hall of Embracing the Universe, Nanhu Island |
Hanxu Tang - Hall of Embracing the Universe, Nanhu Island |
Sidewalk around Nanhu Island |
Willow over the frozen lake, Nanhu Island |
The main complex of the Summer Palace across Kunming Lake |
Kunlun Stone inscribed with the Poem of the Western Dike by Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) |
Nanhu (South Lake) Island and Kunming Lake in winter seen from the eastern shore |
Summer Palace, Beijing |
The edge of the lake has melted |
Boat pier, Kunming Lake, Summer Palace |
Walking north along the east shore of Kunming Lake |
Wenchang Tower (1750) destroyed by Anglo-French forces in 1860 |
Zichun Pavilion, Kunming Lake, Summer Palace |
Zichun Ting (Heralding Spring Pavilion) Kunming Lake, Summer Palace |
Islet behind the Zichun Pavilion |
View of the Summer Palace on the north shore of Kunming Lake from near Zichun Pavilion |
View of the Summer Palace (Tower for Incense to Buddha) from near Zichun Pavilion |
Closed building NE of Wenchang Tower |
Wenchang Compound housing the Treasure Gallery of the Summer Palace |
Bronze Chinese guardian lion (male) Wenchang Compound |
Bronze Chinese guardian lion - Wenchang Compound |
Bronze Chinese guardian lion (female) Wenchang Compound |
Bronze Chinese guardian lion, Summer Palace |
Courtyard of the Wenchang Compound, Beijing-Summer Palace |
Wenchang Gallery, Summer Palace, Beijing |
Painting over the arcade surrounding the Wenchang Gallery |
Chinese tile roof, Wenchang Compound, Summer Palace |
Wenchang Compound, Summer Palace |
Bronze vessel, Wenchang Compound |
Imperial Study, Wenchang Compound |
Wenchang Compound now houses the Summer Palace Gallery of Treasure |
Enamel spherical bottle with nine-dragon veins, Guangxu Reign (1875-1908) |
Agalloch eaglewood carving of the God of Longevity, Qing Dynasty |
Clock in the shape of a ship, gift of France to the Qing Dynasty |
Clock in the shape of a locomotive, gift of France to the Qing Dynasty |
Bronze wine container in the shape of a bird laced with gold, Warring States Period (475-221 BC) |
Three bronze vessels, Song Dynasty (960-1279) and Ming Dynasty (1280-1644) |
Jadeite table plaque, late Qing Dynasty |
Blue jade Ruyi, token of good luck and love |
Green jade Guanyin, Buddhist goddess of mercy, late Ming Dynasty |
Famille-rose enamel bottle with animal-shape ears and passion flower veins on yellow glazing |
Famille-rose enamel vase decorated with melon and butterfly veins, Qianlong Reign (1736-1795) |
Detail of a famille-rose enamel vase with human figures, Tongzhi Reign (1862-1874) |
East Gate to the Summer Palace |
South side of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, Imperial Living Area, Summer Palace |
Renshou Dian - Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, the main government building of the Summer Palace |
Summer Palace Throne Room - Hall of Benevolence and Longevity |
Bronze Kirin (Qilin) 麒麟 - mythological hoofed Oriental chimera |
Bronze Chinese Dragon in front of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, Summer Palace |
Bronze Dragon, Courtyard of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity |
Detail of the bronze Dragon, Summer Palace-Beijing |
Bronze lantern in the Imperial Living Area, Summer Palace-Beijing |
Imperial Living Quarters compound, Summer Palace |
Yulan Tang - Hall of Jade Rippels, Emperor's living quarters at the Summer Palace |
Gateway to the Yiyun Hall, Summer Palace |
Yiyun Hall, Summer Palace collection of books |
Back side of the Grand Theater in the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, Summer Palace, Beijing |
Grand Theater of the Summer Palace from the rear, Garden of Virtue and Harmony |
Grand Theater of the Summer Palace from behind |
Grand Theater of the Summer Palace, Garden of Virtue and Harmony |
Grand Theater of the Summer Palace from behind |
Grand Theatre, Summer Palace |
Grand Theater of the Summer Palace (1893) |
Main stage of the Grand Theater of the Summer Palace |
Arcade around the Garden of Virtue and Harmony |
In a side building of the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, Summer Palace |
Hall of Happiness and Longevity |
Hall of Happiness and Longevity - Leshou Tang |
Bronze water vessel (fire hydrant?) next to the Hall of Happiness and Longevity |
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Old telephone, Summer Palace |
Northeast corner of Kunming Lake with the roofs of the Imperial Living Area |
Pagoda on the Long Corridor, Summer Palace |
Pagoda on the Long Corridor, Summer Palace |
The Long Corridor |
Painting of a bridge with three pavilions on the Long Corridor, Summer Palace |
Painting of a monkey warrior, Long Corridor, Summer Palace |
Painting of a Chinese tournament (joust) Long Corridor, Summer Palace |
Painting of a battle scene, Long Corridor, Summer Palace |
Hall of Listening to Orioles (Tingli Guan) |
Hall of Listening to Orioles, now a restaurant |
LOOKOUTKNOCKHEAD |
Poster at the Summer Palace with the Official Mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games |
The Marble Boat of the Summer Palace partially engulfed in ice, Kunming Lake |
The Marble Boat, first built in 1755, was rebuilt in 1893 using money intended for the Imperial Navy |
Marble Boat (Boat of Purity and Ease) |
Marble Boat (Boat of Purity and Ease) a pavilion on Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace, Beijing |
Bridge of Banana Plant, Summer Palace |
Bridge of Banana Plant, Summer Palace |
Decorated archway at the end of the Bridge of Banana-Plant |
Stone lion on the Bridge of Banana Plant, Summer Palace |
Gate Tower of Cloud-Retaining Eaves (Beique) |
Tourist boat in front of the Gate Tower of Cloud-Retaining Eaves |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha |
Octagonal tower 36m tall on a 20m stone foundation, the largest building of the Summer Palace |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha, Summer Palace-Beijing |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha |
First Gate of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
Lion guarding the First Gate of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
Lion guarding the First Gate of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
Inscribed pillar, First Gate of the Cloud Dispelling Hall |
First Gate of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds with name written in Chinese and Hudum Mongolian script |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha, Summer Palace-Beijing |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha |
Second Gate of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
Second Gate of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
Second Gate of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
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Ceiling of the Second Gate of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
Hall of Dispelling Clouds (Paiyun Dian) Summer Palace - Beijing |
In front of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds with the top of the main tower |
Small bronze lion, courtyard of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, Summer Palace |
Small bronze of a mythological beast, courtyard of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
Cloud Dispelling Hall, Summer Palace |
East wing off the Hall of Dispelling Clouds |
Still a long way to climb... |
Stairs leading behind the Hall of Dispelling Clouds up to the Tower of the Fragrence of Buddha |
Painting of a warrior by the stairs around the Cloud Dispelling Hall |
Painting of a woman by the stairs around the Cloud Dispelling Hall |
Painting of an archer by the stairs around the Cloud Dispelling Hall |
Painting of men debating over tea, arcade around the Cloud Dispelling Hall |
Painting of Two Cranes, arcade around the Cloud Dispelling Hall |
Painting of a fire breathing lion on a beam above the stairs leading up behind the Cloud Dispelling Hall |
Two warriors on horseback on a beam above the stairs leading up behind the Cloud Dispelling Hall |
Hall of Virtuous Glories at the top of the stairs leading up from the Cloud Dispelling Hall, Summer Palace |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha (Tower of Buddhist Incense) Foxiang Ge |
Hall of Virtuous Glories (1886) Summer Palace-Beijing |
Imperial roof charms - glazed ceramic figures of mythical beasts |
Climbing the stairs leading from the Hall of Virtuous Glories to the Hall of Virtuous Spendor (Dehui Dian) Summer Palace |
Stairs above the Hall of Virtous Glories |
Beam painting of a man playing a musical instrument as an army approaches |
Climbing the stairs gives close up views of the ceramic figures on the tile roof of west wing off the Hall of Virtuous Glories |
Painting of an old warrior with a bow leading a horse |
Bell tower next to the Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha |
Silhouette of the Bell Tower with a view of Kunming Lake |
Zhuanlun Zang (Revolving Archives) |
Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha |
Finally having reached the Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha (Tower of Buddhist Incense) |
5m Thousand-Hand Guanyin (1575) inside the main tower |
Inscription on a pillar of the Tower of Buddhist Incense |
Marble wall screen (1754) Summer Palace |
Marble Screen Wall with Murals (1754) Summer Palace |
Detail of Emperor Qianlong's 1754 Marble Screen Wall, Summer Palace |
Tower of Buddhist Incense with the green tile roof of the Pavilion of Five Locations |
Green glazed ceramic roof charm of a dragon, Summer Palace |
Baoyun Bronze Pavilion, built in 1755, survived the Anglo-French burning of the Summer Palace in 1860 (Second Opium War) |
Baoyun Bronze Pavilion (1755) Summer Palace, Beijing |
Baoyun Bronze Pavilion with the Tower of the Fragrance of Buddha |
Damaged Buddhist stone carving, Summer Palace |
Archway of the Realm of Popular Fragrance in front of the Sea of Wisdom Temple at the top of Wanshou Shan (Longevity Hill) |
Tower of the Fragrance of Buddha from near the Sea of Wisdom Temple |
Seventeen Arch Bridge across frozen Kunming Lake seen from the top of Wanshou Shan |
Tiny figure walking across the ice of Kunming Lake |
View of modern apartment blocks to the north of the Summer Palace |
Part of the tile covered Sea of Wisdom Temple |
Sea of Wisdom Temple at the high point of Wanshou Shan (Longevity Hill), Summer Palace |
Sea of Wisdom Temple survived the Second Opium War |
Sea of Wisdom Temple, Summer Palace |
Round doorway leading to a walled compound next to the Sea of Wisdom Temple |
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Ceramic roof charms - always a man riding a phoenix followed by an odd number of mythical creatures followed by a dragon |
Returning to the Sea of Wisdom Temple |
One of 1100 ceramic Buddhas of Infinite Longevity on the Sea of Wisdom Temple |
Another of 1100 ceramic Buddhas of Infinite Longevity on the Sea of Wisdom Temple |
Glazed ceramic dragons, Sea of Wisdom Temple , Summer Palace |
18th C. statue of Dharmapala inside the Sea of Wisdom Temple |
Statue inside the Sea of Wisdom Temple |
Temple of the Four Buddhist States, Summer Palace |
Temple of the Four Buddhist States, Summer Palace |
Temple of the Four Buddhist States (Sidabuzhou) restored in 1980 |
Temple of the Four Buddhist States, Summer Palace |
Stupa - Four Great Regions, Summer Palace |
Stupa - Four Great Regions, Summer Palace |
Stupa - Four Great Regions, Summer Palace |
Tibetan-style buildings of the Four Great Regions, Summer Palace |
Lion at the base of the north side of Wanshou Shan with the Temple of the Four Buddhist States (Sida Buzhou) restored in 1980 |
Lion at the base of the north side of Wanshou Shan with the Temple of the Four Buddhist States (Sida Buzhou) restored in 1980 |
Suzhou River, Summer Palace |
Suzhou Street (Merchants Street) Summer Palace |
This is where the Empress could go shopping like a "normal person" |
Bridge over the Suzhou River, Summer Palace |
Shops of Suzhou Street on a not very busy winter day |
Suzhou River, Summer Palace |
Suzhou Street (Merchants Street) Summer Palace |
Suzhou Street |
Suzhou Street |
Suzhou Street |
Foot bridge, Suzhou Street |
Frozen river at Suzhou Street |
Shuzou Street during a previous trip to the Summer Palace (October) |
Shuzou Street, Summer Palace |
Shuzou Street, Summer Palace |
Shuzou Street, Summer Palace |
Shuzou Street, Summer Palace |
Shuzou Street, Summer Palace |
Shuzou Street, Summer Palace |
Young Caligrapher, Shuzou Street, Summer Palace, Beijing |
Old Caligapher, Shuzou Street, Summer Palace |
Old Caligrapher, Shuzou Street, Summer Palace, Beijing |
Shuzou Street, Summer Palace |
Summer Palace, Beijing |
Marble Boat, Summer Palace, Beijing |
Marble Boat, Summer Palace, Beijing |
An earlier visit to the Summer Palace in October, Beijing |
Cruise on Kunming Lake (October) Summer Palace, Beijing |