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Imperial Summer Villa (Bishu shanzhuang)

The Chengde Summer Villa (Chengde bishu shanzhuang) is the centerpiece of a visit to the resort area and is the biggest Imperial Garden in China. The area, encircled by a wall, was where all the emperors and dignitaries stayed when in the area, even serving as the second political center of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). The villa was listed as a world cultural heritage site in 1994.

This place is part dynastic relic and part park. The relics, mostly made from dark hardwood, include the halls, rooms and breezeways where Cixi lived and indulged in clothes and jewelry, which visitors can see. Travelers who have visited Beijing's Summer Palace will see parallels in the architecture, especially the small sculpted rooftop animals and color schemes on the cross beams. A lake dominates the park portion of the retreat. Lotuses and pines grow around here and extend into the low surrounding hills. Trails also lead into the hills, where explorers can find a welcome respite from lakeside crowds. Hilltops also give way to views of new Chengde, another Chinese city chronically under construction, as well as the contorted mountain peaks outside town. A two-part pagoda and a field of Mongolian yurts (shops selling Mongolian regalia) add to the appeal.

The palaces section, located by the main Lizheng Gate (Lizheng men), is where the Qing emperors conducted state affairs, away from sweltering Beijing. Upon entering the Lizheng Gate, you are faced by the Front (and rear) Palace (Zheng men), that contains the emperor's living quarters and the main throne hall. Today most of the rooms here are taken over by a museum, for the exhibit of Qing relics and artwork. To the west lies the West Palace (Xi gong), where the devious Empress Dowager Cixi lived when she came to stay in Chengde. The two other notable complexes in this area are the Pine and Crane Residence (Songhe zhai), where the concubines and the emperor's mother lived, and the Many Valleys of Rustling Pine Trees (Wanghe songfeng), mainly a study area for bygone emperors.

The gardens section, to the north of the palaces, is mainly lakes and hills, ideal for the emperors to calmly contemplate life and the running of the empire. Most of the architecture here is in the southern Chinese style, although much deterioration has been allowed to take place. Especially worth a visit are the Golden Hill (Jinshan), the Ideal Island (Ruyi zhou), the Wenjin Chamber (Wenjin ge) and the Misty Rain Tower (Yanyu lou).