The Mountain Resort
and Outlying Temples are located in Chengde
of Hebei Province. They are 250 km northeast the Beijing. The
Mountain Resort was first built in 1703 AD, the 42nd year of
Emperor Kangxi’s Reign, and took 89 years to complete the great
project. Covering an area of 564ha, the Mountain Resort is the
largest imperial garden existing in the world. A 10-kilometer-long
wall crowned with zigzag parapet is snaking its way to enclose
the garden. There are a group of the temples and monasteries
surrounding the imperial garden, which are the consequences
of the religion policy of the Qing Court and also a collection
of temple around the whole nation. In 1994, the Mountain Resort
and Outlying Temples were included on the World Heritage List
and became the mutual wealth of human beings.
The Mountain Resort
The annual average temperature in the Chengde is 8.9 centigrade,
with the highest 24.4 centigrade in summer. As no sweltering
hot weather, the city became an ideal place for the emperors
to escape from the hard time in Beijing. In the early period
of the Qing Dynasty, rebellions and troubles came out endlessly
by some minorities. Emperor Kangxi, the second emperor after
the Manchu established their regime in Beijing, wanted to hunt
at regular time each year. And then the minority would be awe
of the Qing Court. So the emperor began to build the Mountain
Resort as a temporary abode.
The
layout and style of the Mountain Resort are far different from
the landscape gardens. The Mountain Resort has four pars: the
palace area, the lake area, the plain area and the mountain
area.
The palace area lies in the south of the Mountain Resort, consisted
of four groups of buildings: the Front Palace, Pine-Crane Hall,
Pine Soughing Valleys and the East Palace. All buildings in
the Resort with little ornaments were constructed in gray bricks
and tiles and unpainted wood. The simple style emitted the charm
of wild nature. Danbo Jingcheng Dian (Hall of Simplicity and
Sincerity) is the main hall of the Front Palace. It was also
known as Nanmu Hall because the hall was built with numu, a
kind of wood that could give off a delicate sent. The sent may
refresh people upon entering the
hall. There is a board with four Chinese characters hanging
in the hall. That was a precious calligraphy work by the Emperor
Kangxi. Important ceremonies were held in this hall. Sizhi Shuwu
(Four Knowledge Study) where the emperor used to call in officials
to discuss state affairs and gave audiences of the minority
leads. From the Sizhi Shuwu the Front Palace is divided into
two parts: the southern part and northern part. The northern
part is the living quarters of the emperors and their concubines.
Several emperors had lived in the Yanbo Zhishuang Dian (Hall
of Refreshing Mists and Waves).
The Outlying Temples
The
layout and style of the Mountain Resort are far different from
the landscape gardens. The Mountain Resort has four pars: the
palace area, the lake area, the plain area and the mountain
area.
The
palace area lies in the south of the Mountain Resort, consisted
of four groups of buildings: the Front Palace, Pine-Crane Hall,
Pine Soughing Valleys and the East Palace. All buildings in
the Resort with little ornaments were constructed in gray bricks
and tiles and unpainted wood. The simple style emitted the charm
of wild nature. Danbo Jingcheng Dian (Hall of Simplicity and
Sincerity) is the main hall of the Front Palace. It was also
known as Nanmu Hall because the hall was built with numu, a
kind of wood that could give off a delicate sent. The sent may
refresh people upon entering the hall. There is a board with
four Chinese characters hanging in the hall. That was a precious
calligraphy work by the Emperor Kangxi. Important ceremonies
were held in this hall. Sizhi Shuwu (Four Knowledge Study) where
the emperor used to call in officials to discuss state affairs
and gave audiences of the minority leads. From the Sizhi Shuwu
the Front Palace is divided into two parts: the southern part
and northern part. The northern part is the living quarters
of the emperors and their concubines. Several emperors had lived
in the Yanbo Zhishuang Dian (Hall of Refreshing Mists and Waves).
