In the artistic treasure trove of ancient Chinese imperial gardens, the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace are undoubtedly two bright pearls. They not only carry a heavy history and culture, but also attract countless tourists with their unique garden style. So, what are the similarities and differences between the two gardens? Next, let's explore their charms.
The Summer Palace, located in the northwest suburbs of Beijing, is a royal garden of the Qing Dynasty and one of the most complete royal gardens in China. The Summer Palace takes the lake as the main body, with abundant water features, and the lake surface accounts for three-quarters of the whole park area. The architectural layout in the park is exquisite, integrating the beauty of the Jiangnan garden and the majesty of the northern garden. Wanshou Mountain, Kunming Lake, Foxiang Pavilion and other scenic spots all show the dignity and grandeur of the royal garden. At the same time, the Summer Palace is also the culmination of Chinese garden art, integrating the delicacy of private gardens in the south of the Yangtze River with the grandeur of the royal gardens in the north, and is a masterpiece in the history of Chinese garden art.
The Old Summer Palace, located on Tsinghua West Road, Haidian District, Beijing, is a royal garden of the Qing Dynasty and is adjacent to the Summer Palace. The Old Summer Palace is not only beautiful, but also gathers the precious historical relics of our great Chinese nation for more than 5,000 years, and is the world's largest museum and art gallery at that time. The Old Summer Palace is dominated by artificial lakes and water systems, and the lakes are dotted around, and the water surface accounts for more than half of the whole garden area. The architectural styles in the park are diverse, with the solemnity of a Chinese-style palace and the chic of Western-style architecture. Scenic spots such as the Great Water Law, the Long Corridor, and the Seventeen-Hole Bridge are all unique garden art masterpieces of the Old Summer Palace.
Although the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace are both royal gardens, they have distinct differences in style. The Summer Palace takes the lake as the main body and pays attention to the creation of waterscapes, giving people an open and grand visual experience; The Old Summer Palace takes artificial lakes and water systems as the main line, and through the ingenious layout of the water system, it creates a quiet and elegant garden atmosphere. In terms of architectural style, the architectural layout of the Summer Palace is exquisite, integrating the beauty of the Jiangnan garden and the majesty of the northern garden; The Old Summer Palace has both the solemnity of a Chinese-style palace and the chic of Western-style architecture, showing a unique charm of a combination of Chinese and Western styles.
In addition, the two gardens also have different emphases in terms of historical and cultural value. The Summer Palace, with its complete royal garden style and rich historical and cultural connotation, has become an important carrier for the study of ancient Chinese garden art. The Old Summer Palace, with its unique garden style and collection of historical relics, has become an important window to display the 5,000-year-old civilization of the Chinese nation.
To sum up, although the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace are both outstanding representatives of the imperial gardens, they both have unique charms in terms of style, architecture and cultural value. Whether it is the open and grand Summer Palace or the quiet and elegant Old Summer Palace, they are all treasures of ancient Chinese garden art, which are worthy of our exploration and taste.