Chengde Mountain Resort: A Century of Royal Garden Splendor

Chengde Mountain Resort is located in Chengde City, Hebei Province. It was founded in the 42nd year of Emperor Kangxi's reign during the Qing Dynasty and took 89 years to complete through the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong. It is the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China and was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1994. The resort covers an area of 5.64 million square meters, featuring a layout of "mountains surrounding water, arranged in a harmonious and staggered manner," blending the elegance of southern landscapes with the grandeur of northern scenery. It is divided into four main parts: the palace area, lake area, plain area, and mountain area. The palace area, located at the southern end of the resort, is the core zone where the emperor handled state affairs and resided. Buildings such as Danbo Jingsheng Hall and Yanbo Zhishuang Hall, with their blue bricks and gray tiles, are simple and elegant, fully displaying royal dignity with understated restraint. The lake area centers around Sai Lake, with islets scattered about and pavilions and towers dotting the landscape. The Zhijing Yun Embankment, modeled after the Su Causeway of West Lake in Hangzhou, winds sinuously, connecting water bodies like Mirror Lake and Clear Lake. In summer, the breeze carries the fragrance of lotus flowers, resembling a water town in southern China. The plain and mountain areas showcase the majestic and vast northern landscape. The plain area is lush with green grass and towering ancient trees. It was once the royal reindeer park and horse racing ground, and its expansive atmosphere can still be felt today. The mountain area accounts for more than 80% of the resort’s total area, with 44 unique peaks and ridges stretching continuously. From the heights, visitors can overlook Chengde city and the surrounding Outer Eight Temples. The mountain breeze brushes the face, revealing the grand momentum of the royal garden. The Mountain Resort was not only a royal summer retreat but also an important political center during the Qing Dynasty. During the reigns of Kangxi and Qianlong, the emperor often met with ethnic minority leaders and foreign envoys here, held hunting events, and consolidated the unity of the multi-ethnic state through a "policy of appeasement," witnessing countless significant historical moments. As a masterpiece of garden art, the Mountain Resort perfectly integrates natural landscapes with cultural architecture. It draws on the delicate elegance of southern gardens while preserving the grandeur of northern scenery, forming a unique garden style of "natural formation and terrain, without artificial or false design." Today, this royal garden, having endured a century of vicissitudes, still attracts visitors from home and abroad with its profound historical heritage and unique artistic charm, inviting them to explore its legendary past and experience the profoundness of traditional Chinese culture.