The Old Summer Palace in Beijing also referred to as the Garden of Perfection and Light (Yuanmingyuan in Chinese) is renowned as one of the Chinese capital’s most attractive gardens. First created in 1709 at the time of rule of the Qing Dynasty’s Emperor Kangxi, the site was over the next one and a half centuries expanded into an extensive pleasure garden for the Chinese emperors.

The Old Summer Palace may be broadly separated into three sections, namely Yuanmingyuan, the Garden of Blossoming Spring (Wanchunyuan) and the Garden of Eternal Spring (Changchunyuan). The vast garden contains innumerable scenic attractions including handsome pavilions, chambers, intricately constructed halls and kiosks as well as natural features such as rivers, ponds, rocks and earth hills adorned with exotic grasses and flowers brought in from the various regions of China. The garden is considered to exemplify the ancient Chinese art of garden landscaping.

History has not been kind to the Old Summer Palace as its magnificence has been destroyed over the passage of time. However the visitor will be able to imagine the grandeur of the garden in its full glory. At the height of its splendour it was known as the ‘Versailles of the East’ and the ‘Garden of Gardens’, and was famed as one of the most breathtaking gardens in the world.

The Old Summer Palace differs from other Chinese gardens as its horticulture and construction incorporate elements of both western design and conventional Chinese landscaping combined to form a harmonious whole. A few of the garden’s picturesque sights are the Labyrinth, Grand Waterworks and Throne for viewing the waterworks.