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| Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) |
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The Summer Palace is an outstanding example of Chinese imperial garden,
and a potent symbol of one of the major world civilizations. In December
1998, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO approved to inscribe
Beijing's Summer Palace on the World Heritage List.
In mid-18th century, during the prosperous reign of Emperor Qianlong,
the stable society and rich national coffers pushed China to the
zenith of the country's feudal history in politics, economy, military,
science and culture. Against this background, Emperor Qianlong personally
presided over the construction of Qingyi Yuan, the Garden of Clear
Ripples. Completed 15 years later, the garden epitomized the scientific
and cultural development status of China. It was certainly a remarkable
cultural construction project. During the 19th century, the Garden
of Clear Ripples was destroyed by the fires of two wars. Later,
towards the end of that century, Empress Dowager Cixi had it rebuilt
under the name Yihe Yuan, the Garden of Good Health and Harmony.
The magnificent and colorful imperial garden thus re-emerged. This
famous oriental garden crystallizes the essence of Chinese culture.
Her important historical and outstanding artistic values will become
all the more prominent.
At the end of the 20th century, the principle of "Cultural
Construction of the Garden" guides the Summer Palace to explore
deeper into the historical and cultural treasures in this picturesque
imperial garden. With the purpose of maintaining the original landscape
of the Summer Palace while furthering its function as a cultural
heritage, we have endeavored to further enrich the exhibition halls,
to develop new cultural tourism services, thus eliciting great interest
from both Chinese and foreign tourists. These warm responses have
taught us that "the Cultural Construction of the garden"
is in line with people's needs and shall be the strategic direction
for the future of the Summer Palace. It will become a classical
garden that boasts a profound culture and at the same time provides
first-rate services to better suit the needs of modern life.
Counting from the time when the Garden of Clear Ripples was first
built, 250 years has passed. The Summer Palace is a witness of the
prosperity and decline, honor and disgrace of the Chinese nation.
With the advent of the new century, we believe that the Summer Palace
will become more splendid as China progresses and grows stronger. |
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