Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing
The Qing Dynasty's pleasure garden — Kunming Lake, Long Corridor (728 m of painted walkway), Marble Boat. The best-preserved imperial garden in China. 3–4 hours. ¥60. 30 min from central Beijing.
unesco2026-10-27
At a glance
- ticket
- ¥60 (Apr–Oct) / ¥50 (Nov–Mar). Combo with Dehe Garden + Tower of Buddhist Incense + Suzhou Street: ¥60.
- hours
- 6:30–18:00 (Apr–Oct) / 7:00–17:00 (Nov–Mar).
- bestTime
- Weekday mornings, arriving at opening. Spring (April–May) for blossoms, winter for solitude. Avoid weekends and Golden Week.
- transport
- Beigongmen station (Metro Line 4), Exit D. Walk 5 min to the North Palace Gate. Or Xiyuan station (Line 4/16) for the East Gate.
- duration
- 3–4 hours. Full day if you climb Longevity Hill + visit all temples + boat on the lake.
- Category
- cultural
- Year inscribed
- 1,998
- Category
- cultural
Why visit
The Summer Palace is Beijing's most photogenic imperial site. The Seventeen-Arch Bridge at sunset, with Kunming Lake reflecting gold and Longevity Hill behind, is the postcard view that actually delivers. I have been three times and the best visit was a winter weekday — frozen lake, empty corridors, the Buddhist temples on Longevity Hill almost silent. The Marble Boat is smaller in person than photos suggest, but the Tower of Buddhist Incense viewed from the lake is genuinely monumental.
Highlights
- Long Corridor (长廊) — 728 m of covered walkway, 14,000+ painted scenes from Chinese literature
- Seventeen-Arch Bridge (十七孔桥) — 150 m stone bridge, 544 carved lions, golden hour photography
- Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁) — the pagoda atop Longevity Hill, view over the entire lake
- Marble Boat (石舫) — the Qing Dynasty's most famous folly, a lakeside pavilion built like a paddle steamer
- Suzhou Street (苏州街) — a canal-side shopping street built to replicate Suzhou's water towns
Tips
- Enter via the North Gate (Beigongmen) for immediate access to Suzhou Street and the rear hill temples
- The combo ticket (¥60) covers everything — the standalone ¥60 entry misses the best parts
- A boat ride across Kunming Lake (¥20–30) saves 30 min of walking and gives you the lake perspective
- The Long Corridor gets packed by 10:00 — do it first if you want empty-frame photos
- Winter visit: the frozen lake is beautiful and crowds are minimal. Dress for -5°C wind off the ice
FAQs
How is the Summer Palace different from the Forbidden City?
The Forbidden City is an imperial palace — formal, axial, ceremonial. The Summer Palace is an imperial garden — relaxed, organic, built for leisure. The Palace is about power; the Palace is about pleasure. Both are UNESCO. Both are essential Beijing. 3 hours each is a good rule of thumb.
Why is the Marble Boat famous?
Empress Dowager Cixi had it built in 1893, allegedly using funds intended for the Qing navy. The "boat" is a stone and wood pavilion on a marble hull, permanently moored. Cixi used it as a waterside teahouse. The naval funds story is disputed by some historians but deeply embedded in Chinese popular memory.
How long is the Long Corridor?
728 meters — the longest painted corridor in the world (Guinness record). It runs along the north shore of Kunming Lake, connecting the East Gate to the Marble Boat. The ceiling crossbeams contain 14,000+ individual paintings depicting Chinese myths, landscapes, and famous stories. Walking its full length takes about 20 minutes without stopping.
Can I boat on Kunming Lake?
Yes — pedal boats and electric boats are available from March to November (¥60–120/hour). Ferry boats cross the lake between the East Gate and South Lake Island (¥20–30 one-way). The lake freezes in winter (December–February) — no boats, but you can sometimes walk the ice near the shore.