What is the significance of the Summer Palace?
The Summer Palace, originally named Qingyi Yuan, or the Garden of Clear Ripples, was an imperial garden constructed in 1750 by Emperor Qianlong in a bid to celebrate his mother’s birthday. During the past few centuries, emperors and empresses spent their leisure time there, which is of great aesthetic value today.
Where is the Jade Belt Bridge?
Beijing
The Jade Belt Bridge (simplified Chinese: 玉带桥; traditional Chinese: 玉帶橋; pinyin: Yù Dài Qiáo), also known as the Camel’s Back Bridge, is an 18th-century pedestrian moon bridge located on the grounds of the Summer Palace in Beijing, China. It is famous for its distinctive tall thin single arch.
How long is the Jade Belt Bridge?
The Jade Belt Bridge was built on the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace in the Qing Dynasty. The net span of a single archis of 11.38 meters, and the arrow height is about 7.5 meters and all made of jade. It is particularly magnificent with refined white stone column plate.
What was the summer palace built for?
The earth excavated from the expansion of Kunming Lake was used to enlarge Jar Hill, which was renamed “Longevity Hill”. The Summer Palace, whose construction was completed in 1764 at a cost of over 4.8 million silver taels, was first named “Qingyiyuan” (清漪園; ‘Gardens of Clear Ripples”‘).
Why did the British destroy the Summer Palace?
On October 18, Lord Elgin, the British High Commissioner to China, retaliated against the Chinese resistance by ordering the destruction of the Old Summer Palace. Destroying the Old Summer Palace was also a warning to the Qing Empire not to use kidnapping as a political tactic against Britain.
What happened at the Summer Palace?
During the Second Opium War, British and French troops invaded Beijing, ransacked the Old Summer Palace, and looted its treasures, which are now displayed in museums around the world. After the looting, they set fire to the entire palace. It was said that the fire lasted for 3 days and nights.
Who built the Jade Belt Bridge?
Built in the 15th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the Jade Belt Bridge in the Summer Palace is a tall single-arch stone bridge with a height of 8.7 meters. It spans over the water inlet of the Kunming Lake that connects with the Yu River in the west.
Who burned Summer Palace?
What is the Summer Palace made of?
Chinese gardens are made up of four things, Flowers and Plants, Water (three-quarters of the Summer Palace is open water), Rocks, and Architecture. Although it is called a palace it is not in fact a single building but includes scores of buildings, such as temples, halls, pavilions, and towers.
Why did the British burn the Summer Palace?
In 1860, Britain’s High Commissioner to China, Lord Elgin, ordered troops to destroy both the Summer Palace and Old Summer Palace to avenge the killing of several British envoys to Beijing. By striking sites of cultural and imperial significance, Elgin wanted to chasten China.
Was the Summer Palace rebuilt?
Destroyed during the Second Opium War of the 1850s, it was reconstructed by Emperor Guangxu for use by Empress Dowager Cixi and renamed the Summer Palace. Although damaged again during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 it was restored and has been a public park since 1924.
Why was the summer palace destroyed?
Which is the largest bridge in the summer palace?
Seventeen-Arch Bridge eCard. Connecting the eastern shore of Kunming Lake and Nanhu Island in the west, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799). There are some thirty bridges in the Summer Palace and this is the largest one, with a length of 150 meters (164 yards) and a width of 8 meters (8.75 yards).
What kind of bridge has a full moon?
A moon bridge is a pedestrian bridge, of which the semicircular arch completes a full circle through its reflection in the water and reminds of the full moon. In the old days, the high arch especially, served the purpose for barges to comfortably pass through underneath.
Where did the first moon bridge come from?
Moon bridges originate in the Asian culture and were often built in Japanese and Chinese gardens. The mostly used materials were wood, stone and metal. The moon bridge of the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, was built in 1894, as part of the »California Midwinter International Exposition«.
How old is the Moon Bridge in Taiwan?
While the Kintai Bridge in Japan has been loved for much longer than social media has been around, the 38 year old Moon Bridge in Taipei was just a simple Bridge in a pretty park until a Taiwanese photographer took a photo of it five or so years ago and worked some magic in Photoshop which caused all of the international hype.