When it comes to the history of China, we have to mention the Old Summer Palace. This is not only because it is the royal garden of the Qing Dynasty, but also because it is a collection of ancient and modern Chinese and foreign gardening arts, and is known as one of the treasures of human culture. Whenever the name is mentioned, we think of that magnificent and glorious image.
In the last years of Kangxi and Yongzheng, the Old Summer Palace began to rise quietly in a corner of the capital. At that time, its existence was only a royal secret, but its beauty and sophistication were enough to amaze everyone who stepped into it. After Emperor Qianlong succeeded to the throne, he devoted more effort to the Old Summer Palace and added more architectural groups to it, making it a real palace of art.
Imagine walking through the Old Summer Palace, where you can see the beauty of the south of the Yangtze River, the splendor of the West, and the magnificence of the land of China. Every scenery and building seems to tell one story after another. There is not only the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also the unique charm of Western culture, and the two are perfectly blended together, giving people an unprecedented visual impact.
However, the good times were short-lived. In 1860, the British and French invaders brutally destroyed this treasure of human culture. They set fire to the Old Summer Palace and the surrounding gardens, reducing them to ashes. At that moment, it was as if the whole world stood still. In the 26th year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing again, and this time, they completely destroyed the buildings and ancient trees of the Old Summer Palace.
After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the relics of the Old Summer Palace were not at peace. Bureaucrats, warlords, and profiteers plundered and destroyed it. This former royal garden, once a treasure of human culture, has gradually disappeared from people's sight.
Today, when we stand in front of the ruins of the Old Summer Palace, although we can no longer see its former glory, we can still feel its magnificence and glory from the remnants of the broken walls. Every stone and every piece of rubble tells the story of that tragic history.
For Chinese, the Old Summer Palace is not only a garden and a scenic spot, but also a historical witness and a cultural inheritance. It tells us that no matter how the times change, no matter what hardships we encounter, human culture and history cannot be destroyed. No matter how much wind and rain we have experienced, we can still get up from the ruins and move on.
The story of the Old Summer Palace is a cautionary tale. It tells us that the strength of a country is not only reflected in the economy and military, but also in the long river of culture and history. Only by truly respecting and protecting one's own cultural heritage can we truly stand tall among the nations of the world.
When we look back on the history of the Old Summer Palace again, we should not only be proud of its glory, but also sad for its suffering. I hope that in the days to come, we will be able to cherish and protect our cultural heritage even more, so that they can be passed on forever.
Old Summer Palace