On a calm morning in 2020, in an exhibition hall at the British Museum, people quietly surround a precious set of black and white**. These ** are not only witnesses of history, but also the beginning of a suspense about a miracle in the Far East. They are the last images of the Old Summer Palace before it was destroyed, and the scenery in ** is like a fairyland, which has attracted the attention and amazement of the world.
In the exhibition hall, the crowd in front of ** flows slowly, and their eyes stay on each **, as if they are looking for some unsolved mystery. The Old Summer Palace, once known as the "Versailles of the East", can only be found in these black-and-white images.
These ** were originally filmed by a British journalist during the Second Opium War. Little did he know at the time that what his camera captured would be the last complete view of the Old Summer Palace in history. In the Old Summer Palace, every palace, every corridor, and every garden exudes an indescribable charm, and they seem to tell the story of a world that is about to disappear.
1. Old Summer Palace: The Palace of Versailles in the East.
The Old Summer Palace, which Wang Zhicheng called "China's Versailles", was the royal garden of the Qing Dynasty. Not only does it showcase China's 5,000-year-old history and culture, but its architectural style and garden design reflect traditional Chinese aesthetics. The Old Summer Palace is a place of glory for the Chinese royal family, and its perfect blend of architecture and natural landscape has left a priceless cultural heritage for future generations.
The Old Summer Palace is located in the northwest of Beijing, and it has extensively absorbed elements of garden architecture from all over the country, forming a unique style. The parks, hills, palaces and pavilions are scattered as if the whole of nature has been subtly moved into the royal gardens. When spring comes, the flowers in the garden bloom into a sea, red, white, and purple are intertwined, like a splendid picture.
Walking into the Old Summer Palace, the first thing that catches your eye is the majestic Renshou Palace. The square in front of the hall is paved with colored stone slabs, and the patterns are intricate and exquisite. The beams and pillars in the hall are carved with dragons and phoenixes and auspicious totems, showing the royal dignity and power. The roof of the hall is covered with yellow glazed tiles, and the golden light shines in the sun, like a symbol of imperial power.
There is also a building in the Old Summer Palace called "Yuanying Temple", which is located on a small island in the middle of the garden, and is connected to the outside world by a curved bridge. The architectural style of Yuanyingguan is a fusion of Chinese and Western elements, which is both mysterious and elegant. The island is full of exotic flowers and plants, and it is evergreen all year round, which has become a unique scenery in the Old Summer Palace.
Another scenic spot in the park is the "Kunning Palace". The palace is known for its intricate carvings and ingenious layout. The furnishings in the palace are gorgeous and exquisite, and the walls are hung with exquisite silk paintings, showing the art of ancient Chinese painting. The back garden of the palace is planted with a variety of rare plants, and at the turn of spring and summer, the garden becomes a sea of fragrant fragrance.
The Old Summer Palace is not only a place for royal leisure, but also a place for grand celebrations. Whenever there is a major festival or royal celebration, the Old Summer Palace holds a grand celebration. Lion dances, Peking opera, acrobatics and various folk art performances are staged in all corners of the park, attracting many people from inside and outside the court.
One of the great features of the Old Summer Palace is that its gardens incorporate the essence of traditional Chinese garden art. The rockery in the park is in the shape of a real mountain, and it is cleverly integrated with the surrounding lakes and buildings. Visitors can experience the harmonious beauty of mountains and rivers here, as if they are in a vivid landscape painting.
The promenade in the park is a sight not to be missed. The promenade meanders along the shores of the lake and is lined with flowers and trees. Visitors strolling through the promenade can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers in the park and feel the charm of the four seasons.
In summer, lotus flowers often bloom on the lake surface of the Old Summer Palace, and the fragrance is overflowing. There is a boat-shaped building called "Water Phoenix" in the lake, which has a unique shape, like a phoenix with wings ready to fly. Occasionally, royalty would hold a banquet on the water, enjoying the lake and mountains and enjoying the coolness of summer.
The Old Summer Palace was not only a place of leisure for the royal family, but also a place for foreign envoys and dignitaries. Many foreign envoys come here and are full of praise for the beauty of the park. They walked around the garden, admiring every detail of the garden, and were deeply interested in Chinese garden art and architectural styles.
2. Wang Zhicheng: The Old Summer Palace in the eyes of the West.
Wang Zhicheng, a missionary from France, has an unusual change in his identity in the Orient. In China, he not only devoted himself to the spread of religious beliefs, but also became a painter to the Qing court because of his profound artistic accomplishments. His dual identity allowed him to build a bridge between two very different cultures.
In the Old Summer Palace, Wang Zhicheng was often attracted by the beauty of the garden. He lifted his brush and meticulously depicted every scene of the Old Summer Palace. In his paintings, the silhouette of Yuanyingguan looks particularly mysterious in the sunlight, the carvings of Kunning Palace come to life under delicate brushstrokes, and the magnificence of Renshou Hall is reproduced on canvas.
Wang Zhicheng's paintings were not only appreciated by the Qing imperial family, but also brought back to France by him to show the monarchs and people of Europe. He annotated every detail of the Old Summer Palace in detail next to the painting, and used his fluent French and rich rhetoric to tell his friends in the West about the charm of the Oriental royal gardens.
He describes how the promenade of the Old Summer Palace winds its way along the lakeside, where lotus flowers sway gently in the summer breeze. He also depicts the joyous scenes of royalty on the phoenix boat, and the harmonious coexistence of rockeries, bridges and natural landscapes in the park. These descriptions imbued the hearts of Europeans with a mysterious and distant oriental charm.
The garden is like a living painting," Mr. Wang told the audience at an exhibition, "and every scene contains the essence of profound Eastern philosophy and art." ”
Your paintings make us feel like we're there," exclaimed one French aristocrat, "and the Old Summer Palace must be a magical place." ”
Indeed," Wang responded, "it is not only the pride of China, but also a treasure of the world." ”
It was through Wang Zhicheng's paintings and descriptions that the fame of the Old Summer Palace quickly spread throughout Europe. From France to England, from royalty to common people, people are full of interest and yearning for this royal garden in the far East. In their hearts, the Old Summer Palace has become an exotic, mysterious and beautiful place.
Wang Zhicheng's paintings not only include the architecture and natural landscape of the Old Summer Palace, but also his deep understanding and expression of Chinese culture. In his paintings, Chinese landscapes, buildings, flowers and birds have been endowed with new life and meaning, allowing the Western world to more truly feel the unique charm of Chinese culture.
3. The "China Fever" in the West and the Old Summer Palace.
Wang Zhicheng's descriptions and his paintings sparked a "China fever" in Western society. In his paintings, every stroke of the Old Summer Palace is full of vivid colors and delicate emotions, which makes people as far away as Europe have a strong interest in and deep respect for this royal garden in the Far East. At the exhibition, Wang Zhicheng's works attracted the attention of many audiences, who stopped in front of the painting and carefully admired the beauty of the distant oriental garden.
At the same time, a British journalist came here in the last glory days of the Old Summer Palace. With his camera, he recorded every corner of the Old Summer Palace, from the magnificent buildings to the exquisite gardens, from the tranquil lake to the flowery garden. These precious black and white ** became the last witness of the Old Summer Palace before it was destroyed.
These ** were later housed in the British Museum. When they were exhibited in the exhibition, they attracted audiences from all over the world. People stopped in front of the ** and were deeply attracted by the images that quietly told the history. Although there are only black and white, the Old Summer Palace in ** still looks vivid and magnificent, as if inviting the audience to cross time and space and feel the vanishing glory.
Look here, this is the promenade of the Old Summer Palace," a tour guide said, pointing to a ** during the commentary, "You can see that its architectural style is so unique and exquisite." ”
These ** are truly stunning," one audience member responded, "and they allow us to imagine how magnificent the Old Summer Palace was at that time." ”
Yes, this is a historical treasure that cannot be replicated," the guide continued, "Unfortunately, these ** are the only surviving images of the Old Summer Palace. ”
At that time, the photography technology was still very primitive, and these ** could only be presented in black and white, and the color and vitality of the Old Summer Palace could not be completely restored. But even so, these ** are still precious, they not only record the last moments of the Old Summer Palace, but also become an important channel for future generations to understand this great garden.
In the exhibition hall of the British Museum, people stop for a long time in front of each **. Although the Old Summer Palace is silent, it tells the story of the past in its unique way. These images make the audience feel the vicissitudes of history, and also make them have a deep respect for China in that era.
Fourth, the destruction of the Old Summer Palace and eternal regret.
Unfortunately, the Old Summer Palace was destroyed by the British and French forces during the Second Opium War, and this once glorious royal garden was in ruins. In that sad moment, all the beauty and splendor of the Old Summer Palace seemed to turn to ashes.
However, the black and white ** taken by British reporters has become the last portrait of the Old Summer Palace in people's memory, and has become the endless regret and nostalgia in the hearts of future generations.
Although the Old Summer Palace no longer exists, its story and beauty have been spread all over the world through these.
These images have become a symbol in people's hearts, reminding people not to forget the history and the beauty that once existed. Although there are only black and white tones, these ** still convey the former glory and charm of the Old Summer Palace, and have become a permanent commemoration of history.
Hu Nan, Wang Peiyan. "Forty Views of the Old Summer Palace" botanical landscaping[J].Journal of Landscape Architecture,2023,40(11):121-127