Chengde
 With
a pleasant climate, time-honored history, beautiful natural
sceneries and historical sites, Chengde well deserves its position
as one of the most famous tourist cities in China. It is an ideal
place for sightseeing and hunting, as well providing welcome relief
from the summer heat.
Just as the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses is the key scenic spot
in Xian, the Mountain Resort of Chengde, the largest royal garden in
China is the hot place of interest in Chengde.
To the east and north of the Mountain Resort are the Eight Outer
Temples, the largest cluster of royal temple in the world, with the
architectural styles including the Han, Mongolian, Uigur and
Tibetan, etc.
UNESCO listed the Mountain Resort and the Eight Outer Temples as a
world cultural heritage site in 1994.
The Kuixing Pavilion is a tourist spot newly that was built upon the
foundations of a former, ancient pavilion that had fallen into ruin.
It is located atop Banbi Mountain in the south of city, the three
main areas of this complex comprise a palace, square and garden
zones. The whole architectural style is bright and colorful, and
some cultural sights can still be seen in this beautiful scenic
spot.There are also many forest parks in and around Chengde,
including Qingchuifeng and Liaoheyuan National Forest Parks,
Beidashan Stone Sea Forest Park, and Liuliping Forest Park, etc.
The Qingchui Cliff National Park, lying to the east of the city, is
a natural park that features with a dramatic, lofty and steep
formation called the Danxia Landform. The highlight of the park is
the Qingchui Cliff, which is nearly 60 meters (197 feet) high and
looks like a wooden club in the upper part. More than 100 species of
wild flower, including rhododendron, peony, rose, lilac, cherry, and
pinks, etc. can be found all over this area creating an intoxicating
ambiance of scent and color. If you are interested in horse riding
or hunting, you may well enjoy Mulan Imperial Hunting Park situated
in Weichang County. It is cool in summer when you can enjoy riding,
gathering mushrooms, and grass sliding; while in winter it is
covered with snow and is a good place for both hunting and skiing.
Other sceneries such as the Town God's Temple, Shuangta Mountain,
Jingbei No. One Grassland and Jinshanling Great Wall are all in or
around the city are of tourist value likewise.
Mountain Resort of Chengde:
The Mountain Resort of Chengde, a key national cultural protection
unit, was listed in the World Cultural Heritage Directory in 1994.
It was built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and took about 90 years
(1703-1792) to construct
The Mountain Resort, also called the Rehe Temporary Palace, is
situated north of Chengde and 230 kilometers (143 miles) from
Beijing. It covers an area of 564 sq meters (218 sq miles) and was
originally built for the royal families to spend the hot summer
months. When compared with the grand and solemn Forbidden City, the
mountain resort is characterized by its simplicity and elegance. It
is a grand architectural complex that consists of numerous palaces,
the largest royal garden in China and wonderful scenery, combined
with a pleasant climate.
The Mountain Resort is divided into four parts: the Palace Area,
Lake Area, Plain Area and Mountain Area. The Palace Area lies in the
south part of the Mountain Resort and is a concentration of palaces
where the Qing emperors handled the political affairs and where the
royal families lived. It covers an area of 100,000 sq meters (25
acres), consisting of four main complexes: the Main Palace, the
Pine-Crane Hall, the East Palace and the Pine Soughing Valley. The
Main Palace was the place where important ceremonies and events were
observed but today it is used as the Mountain Resort Museum. The
Pine-crane Hall was the residence built by Emperor Qianlong for his
mother-the empress while the East Palace was damaged in a fire in
1945 with only the groundwork still visible today. The Pine Soughing
Valley was the reading room of the emperors and the office where the
emperors handled the political mandates.
The Lake Area lies in north of the Palace Area. Eight islets dotted
in the lake, dividing the Lake Area into several fields of different
sizes. In total there are eight lakes in the Lake Area, respectively
called Cheng Lake, Mirror Lake, Ruyi Lake, Upper Lake, Lower Lake,
Silver Lake, Half-moon Lake and Inner Lake. Cheng Lake is the
deepest while Rehe Spring is famous for its crystal-clear waters.
The Plain Area is located at the foot of the mountain, north of the
Lake Area. The plain is a vast area, and is covered with thick grass
and trees. The plain area is broken into three areas: a garden
populated by various trees in the east, a vast grassland for riding
horses in the west and a group of temples in the north. Riding a
horse over this broad plain leaves visitors feeling refreshed and
relaxed.
The Mountain Area, located in the northwest of the Mountain Resort,
accounts for 80% of the total area. The mountain area is formed by
four valleys: Filbert Valley, Pine Valley, Pear Valley and
Pine-cloud Valley, which run south to north. The mountain peaks
surrounding the area form a natural curtain which impedes the cold
winds blowing in from Northwest China. Various pavilions, temples
and other structures dot the mountain slopes and valleys.
Eight Outer Temples (Potala Palace):
To the north-east of the Mountain Resort of Chengde, lies the Eight
Outer Temples, the emperor's summer residence during the Qing
Dynasty (1644-1911). 'Eight Outer Temples' is a collective name
given to 12 temples located outside Gubeikou - a section of the
Great Wall. Eight of the temples were administered by Lifan Yuan, an
administration department for the affairs of minorities such as
Mongolian and Tibetan, and so the name stuck. Together with the
Mountain Resort of Chengde, the temple has been as a World Heritage
Site.
The 12 temples were built in succession. Construction began in 1713
in the Qing Dynasty and completed in 1780. Six temples are now open
to tourists - Putuo Zongchengzhi Temple, Puning Temple, Xumi
Fushouzhi Temple, Pule Temple, Anyuan Temple, and Puyou Temple. Each
one has its own particular features and special appeal.
Putuo Zongchengzhi Temple is located to the north of Mountain Resort
of Chengde. It is the biggest and the most magnificent building in
Eight Outer Temples. Built in 1767 imitating the style of the Potala
Palace, the temple is also named 'little Potala Palace'. For another
reason that 'Putuo Zongchengzhi' is a Tibetan language meaning 'Potala
Palace' in Chinese. The halls and pavilions in it were designed to
naturally strew on hillside according to the hypsography. The Big
Red Platform is the principle construction of the temple. The
platform and the three halls on it are all with the copper gold
tiles roof.
Also located to the north of the Mountain Resort of Chengde is
Puning temple which was built in 1755. It is also known as 'Big
Buddha Temple', for a big wooden Buddhist statue housed there. The
Buddhist statue is unusual, being of Kwan-yin, standing 22.23 meters
(approx. 72.93 feet) tall, with a thousand eyes and a thousand arms.
It is made with five kinds of lignum - pine, cypress, elm, fir and
linden, and is one of the biggest preserved wooden statues in China.
To the north of the Mountain Resort of Chengde and to the east of
Putuo Zongchengzhi Temple, lies Xumi Fushouzhi Temple, which was
built in 1780. It is said that this temple was built as a residence
for Panchen Lama (head of Tibet), who traveled far to celebrate the
70th birthday of Qianlong - a famous emperor of the Qing Dynasty.
The temple not only has Han characteristics such as the square kiosk
and glazed tile roof, but also has characteristics of Mongolian and
Tibetan nationalities, which you can see in the trapezoidal windows,
Lama pagodas, and copper gold tiled roofs.
Pule Temple, to be found to the northeast of the Mountain Resort of
Chengde, was built in 1766. The temple is divided between a front
part, which reflects a traditional Han style, and a back part which
has three walls from outside to inside.
The Eight Outer Temples were built by the Qing government to
strengthen a unity with the minorities, thus the temples not only
feature Han style, but also the Mongolian and Tibetan styles, with
the symbolic meaning of unity in China. The architectures,
inscriptions, sculpture, and murals in these temples are important
materials for the study of history, culture, religion, and
architectural art.
Puning Temple:
The Puning Temple is one of the famous Eight Outer Temples in
Chengde City, Hebei Province. The Eight Outer Temples were
constructed from the 52nd year (1713) of Emperor Kangxi's reign to
the 45th year (1780) of Emperor Qianlong's reign. Originally there
were 11 temples, but now there are only seven temples and one relic
left, which are collectively called the Eight Outer Temples. There
are the Puren Temple, the Pule Temple, the Anyuan Temple and the
Pushan Temple (the only existing relic) to the east of the Mountain
Resort; the Puning Temple, the Xumi Fushou Temple, the Putuo
Zongsheng Temple and the Shuxiang Temple to the north of the
Mountain Resort. All these temples are resplendent and magnificent,
dotting the Mountain Resort like a myriad of stars surrounding the
moon. If the halls and palaces of the Mountain Resort are the symbol
of an emperor's reign, then the numerous temples represent different
regions or ethics, which have different political and historical
background. These temples and the Mountain Resort together form a
picture that symbolizes national integrity and ethical unity.
The Puning Temple was constructed in the 20th year (1755) of the
Qianlong reign. In order to celebrate the suppression of rebellion
of Junggar tribe, Emperor Qianlong invited the four troops that
participated in the suppression to the Mountain Resort in October in
the 20th year of the Qianlong reign. He dubbed leaders of the four
troops, and ordered to build the Puning Temple.
The Puning Temple is of grand scale, occupying an area of more than
23,000 square meters. The main structure in the temple is the Hall
of Great Buddha. The hall is 36.75 meters high, and has six storeys
and multiple eaves. The top of the hall is a gold-plated dome. The
hall, full of power and grandeur, is a representative of the
architectural style of Chinese temples and mosques. A Bodhisattva
statue with thousands of hands and eyes is enshrined in the hall.
The statue, 21.85 meters in height and 110 tons in weight, is carved
out of wood and plated with gold. It sits on a locus throne of 2.22
meters high. The statue has 42 hands, two of which clamp together
and the rest with different musical instruments in them. The statue,
with its dignified manner, is one of the famous large-scale
wood-carved Buddha statues in China. The Hall of Great Buddha
emblematizes Sumeru, and the Hall of Day Light, the Hall of Moon
Light on the two sides of the Hall of Great Buddha symbolize day and
moon respectively. There are black, red, white and green pagodas and
eight white high terraces on the four sides of the Hall of Great
Buddha. All around the hall there are other Tibetan constructions,
such as pagodas and terraces. Besides the Hall of Great Buddha,
there are the Miaoyan Room and the Hall of Scripture Preaching,
where Qing emperors listened to the preaching and had a rest.
Three stone tablets are preserved in the Puning Temple. The whole
building complex of the Puning Temple mixed the artistic style for
Han, Tibetan and Indian architectures, and formed the typical image
of a Buddha World with Buddha statues as its main body, holding an
important position in the history of Chinese architecture.
Beidaihe Beach Resort:
The Beidaihe Beach Resort, the famous summer resort, is located in
the southwest of Qinhuangdao City. Its coastlines, seaside
attractions and convenient transportation all make it a popular
destination for travelers. The Beidaihe Beach Resort is situated in
the warm temperate zone, with a damp monsoon climate and four
distinct seasons, neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter.
Therefore, it is suitable for all year round travel, though, the
best time to visit is from May to October.
The long coastline to its south has soft sand and seawater of
moderate salinity, making it an excellent place to sunbathe and
swim. Many modern holiday villages and public bathing places have
been established, where you can taste local snacks and delicious
seafood, ride in a speedboat, or relax in a ballroom dancing. If you
want to get away from the masses, a stroll on the pebbled sand will
bring you close to nature.
In the central area of the scenic spot is a great attraction called
Tiger Rock Park. It has many huge rocks looking like a herd of
tigers. Standing on any of the rocks gives you a deep enjoyment of
the beauties of nature. The sea breeze pushing against your face,
the waves beating the rocks and the vast sea will make you feel
refreshed and energetic. This is a good spot for photography.
To the east another famous attraction is the Yingjiao Stone - a
twenty-meter (66 feet) steep rock like an eagle perched on the
cliff. Because groups of doves nest in the cracks there, it is also
called Dove Nest Park. The Yingjiao Pavilion on the top is famous as
a place to watch the sunrise.
The pine-covered Lianfeng Hill, which backs on to Beidaihe beach,
comprises two peaks, the east peak and the west peak. Taking the
secluded path you can reach Wanghai Ting (Seaside Pavilion) at the
top of the hill, where you can best appreciate the vast sea and the
scenery around the mountain. At the foot of Lianfeng Hill is a
beautiful park named Lianhuashi (Lotus Stone Park) because of the
many unexpectedly huge lotus shaped stones.
Now, the Beidaihe Beach Resort attracts more and more attention from
around the world with more than 4 million people traveling here
every year.
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