The Cellar - Urban Impression

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Niiiice place... I love lotuses.

When can the emperors come again?

Shizilin (Lion Grove Garden)

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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

Recently restored Watergate on its original site

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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

I knew Yuanmingyuan from the Yuanyingguan picture in my history in elementary school.

Present-day ruins of Dashuifa and Yuanyingguan

Present-day ruins of Guan Shuifa

Present-day ruins of Dashuifa and Yuanyingguan

Haiyantang (Hall of National Peace)

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Built in 1759, and located to the east of Fangwaiguan, the largest European-style garden in Yuanmingyuan-Haiyantang-consisted of a main building and an H-shaped water tower behind it. The two-storied main building faces west, with 11 rooms on each floor. The gate of the building was flanked by a pair of water channels with steps leading down to a large fountain. On the V-shaped platform around the pond stood 12 bronze statues with animal heads and human bodies, the animals being those representing the 12 Earthly branches. Every two hours water was sprayed out successively from each animal's mouth. Thus the fountain was also called the "Water Clock."

Behind the main building was the H-shaped reservoir flanked to the north and south by two small fountains. It fed all the fountains around this area. At its east and west ends were waterwheel houses. Below the terrace in the middle was the reservoir with tin walls and a high base, known as the "tin sea." It held over 160 cubic meters of water. In its early days, water was brought up by man-powered dragon-phoenix waterwheels designed by Michael Benoist. Three or four years later a pulley system was used to haul up water in big jars.

The ruined Haiyantang

Base of the reservoir in the water tower