Urban Impression

[Billy]

The highest watchtower

[Billy]

Fin Island, including 7 small islands, is donated by Chinese goverment. Now N Korea plant for reserving state commissariat.

[Ibby]

Man, Hushan is another place I really wanted to visit.

If I ever get around to it, i'll post the pictures I took last week at the national cultural... somethingorother.

[Trilby]

Great pics as always, Billy. Thanks for sharing them. The weather looks pretty overcast and gloomy--is that typical?

[Griff]

Well done, Beestie.

[xoxoxoBruce]

It's amazing what Beestie can do with his connections.

[Billy]

All the park was destroyed by the American and English United Army in 1860. So it is a ruin park today.

It includes three parks: QiChunYuan (Garden of Blossoming Spring), Changchunyuan(Garden of Eternal Spring) and Yuanmingyuan (Garden of Perfect Splendor).


Palace Gates of Qichunyuan:
In 1987, two new gates-the outer and inner gates-sere built, together with palace walls and side gates. They now serve as the main gates to the whole park.

[Billy]

From July 18 to August 20, it is the Lotus Festival this year.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Billy

All the park was destroyed by the American and English United Army in 1860. So it is a ruin park today.

No Americans, Billy.

In 1860, during the Second Opium War, the British and French expeditionary forces looted the Old Summer Palace. Later, on October 18 1860, the British general Lord Elgin - with protestations from the French (who in fact began the looting) - purposely ordered to set fire to the huge complex which burned to the ground. It took 3,500 British troops to set the entire place ablaze and took three whole days to burn. More than 300 eunuchs and palace maids were burned to death. Elgin intended the destruction of the palace as a way to punish the Emperor and the Qing Government, in retaliation for the imprisonment, torture, and murder of over 20 western prisoners of war, among them two British envoys who had been under protection of a flag of truce and a correspondent for The Times. It is believed that some died by the death by a thousand cuts . The burning of the Gardens of Perfect Brightness is still a very sensitive issue in China today.

[footfootfoot]

Thanks Billy,Those are great.

Hey Beestie, Can you tell me who keeps calling and hanging up without leaving a message? Thx.

[Beestie]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Thanks Billy,Those are great.

Hey Beestie, Can you tell me who keeps calling and hanging up without leaving a message? Thx.

Absoutely. I asked my sources over in NSA since they are all set up to eavesdrop and trace but they were too busy recording 5exChat so I called my go to guy over in the Department of [CODE 7 - Beestie - report to my office NOW and bring your keys and access cards - BIGBOY] who takes care of *cough* those types of things.

Apparently, its some guy in Georgia who's been looking for you for quite a while. I'll have more info later but its the guy who made the first post on this site.

[Ibby]

Niiiice place... I love lotuses.

[Billy]

Shizilin (Lion Grove Garden)

This garden on the northern bank of East Lake in Changchunyuan includes the Congfang Pavilion built in 1747(12th year of Emperor Qianlon's reign) in the west and the Lion Grove Garden completed in 1772 in the east.Lion Grove Garden took after the shape and design of its famous namesake in Suzhou.More than ten pavilions and architectural structure dotted the scenery,which was renowned for its bizarre-shaped stones sculpted by skillful artisansfrom Suzhou.Emperor Qianlong composed poems on on ten occasions on the theme of "Sixteen Sights in Lion Grove Garden;"and these poems were inscribed on horizontal boards or stone tablets.

The dilapidated arch of the Rainbow Bridge recently restored in its original site

[Billy]

Recently restored Watergate on its original site

[Billy]

Located to the eat of Haiyantang, and at the meeting point of the north-south axis of Changchunyuan and the east-west axis of the European Palaces, this site was the most spectacular scene of Western-style fountains in the garden, where the British envoy George Macartney visited in 1793.

Dashuifa, facing south, was a group of fountains with a shrine-shaped structure in the background. In an oval pond was a hunting scene: a deer, whose horns sprayed water, was chased by a group of hounds, whose mouths shot water in the direction of their prey-with 13-layer fountain pyramids on both sides, this presented a magnificent display. To the south of Dashuifa was Guan Shuifa, which consisted of a throne facing north for the emperor to admire the Grand Waterworks, and a carved, curving stone screen. These two structures were both built around 1759.

Yuangyingguan, to the north of Dashuifa, was a large building in the shape of a Western bell tower, built in 1783. The doors and windows were inlaid with 1,206 pieces of glass. The building was supported by over ten tall, White marble pillars, among which the most beautiful were the two supporting the central arched gate. They were both carved in detail from top to bottom in patterns of hanging grapes with life-like vines and leaves.

Much weathered after more than a century, the surviving carved pillars, stone shrine and screen still look distinctive and impressive. This site is a must-see for visitors.

Ruins of Dashuifa