Cultural Tourism: Glimpse Of A Quintessential Imperial Residence

The Beijing Summer Palace comprises a vast artificial lake, man-made islands and a hill.

One of the most-visited places by tourists today in the Chinese capital, Beijing, is the Summer Palace, the country home of ancient Emperors. Located in the North-western part of the city, it covers 3.08 square kilometres. The park also consists of large swathes of gardens, buildings, the artificial Kunming Lake with several tributaries and the man-made Longevity Hill. The 75 per cent of the site covered by water is where soil was excavated and used in building Longevity Hill. Meanwhile, Kunming Lake boasts three artificial islands - Nanhu, Tuancheng and Zaojiantang.

 “The Summer Palace is a major attraction for local and foreign tourists,” Kathleen Xie, a tour guide, told Cameroon Tribune on June 6, 2017. “At this time of the year, we receive an average of 20,000 visitors a day, but the number rises during special occasions,” added the lady who has served the public park for 13 years now. Entry fare, including a boat ride on Kunming Lake, is 30 Yuan Renminbi (or 2,572 FCFA.) Visitors, including some in wheelchairs, were not deterred by the light morning rain of June 6, 2017 from visiting the former royal home. Clutching umbrellas or sporting raincoats, groups of tourists listened and watched attentively as their guides explained the origin and place of each relic or facility. Every now and then, they took selfies or group shots to remember the quintessential imperial palace.

The Summer Palace was conceived in 1153 during the Jurchen Dynasty when Emperor Wanyan Liang moved the Jin...