WARNING: This will be a mostly picture-based update. However, since I can't test for myself what sort of imagelinking works, I'm just going to provide the links to my Photobucket account, with the pictures in there. Also, all the pictures are quite large; my laptop doesn't have much in the way of resizing capability, either. Sorry I can't make this any more convenient.
A (very brief) background on Yiheyuan, also called the Summer Palace: built during the Jin dynasty (1115-1234), it was the summer residence of the Imperial family during the Qing dynasty, primarily made into the wonder it is today by the Empress Dowager Ci Xi (who, admittedly, embezzeled money from the nation's navy to do so, thus causing many problems for China later).
Words barely begin to describe this place, so I'll let the pictures I took do it instead:
1) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2067.jpg
This is the primary section of Yiheyuan, as seen from partway across the lake. This part of the
2) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2016.jpg
Here's a shot of that main tower, from decently close.
3) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2024-1.jpg
And even closer!
4) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2026-1.jpg
5) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2025-1.jpg
Two shots from around the inside courtyard of the tower.
6) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2027-1.jpg
I should say at this point that there's a lot more tourists than it looks - the area in this spot is under renovation, and thus not viewable by tourists. That plus my tendency to aim away from tourists may make Yiheyuan look rather deserted, but I had my back against the wall most of the time. This shot is back in the direction of picture 2, but a bit further down.
7) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2030.jpg
The sign on the wall of Foxiang Ge (again, visible from 1)
8) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2031.jpg
The wall. It's a bit dramatic. Fortunately, I got to go down the stairs; I didn't have to climb up them.
9) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2034.jpg
This was the kindest set of stairs there. I think you get the idea of why I'm glad I didn't have to climb up them.
10) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2033.jpg
11) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2032.jpg
Two shots of other parts of Foxiang Ge not available to tourists.
12) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2010.jpg
And a shot from Foxiang Ge to two of the other main parts of the
On the way there, some of the things I saw...
13) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2015.jpg Another shot of Beiha
14) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2037.jpg
15) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2039.jpg
Statue of a dragon and a ... bird of some sort. Feng Huang? Unsure. In wire mesh since people kept wearing them down by touching them.
16) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2040.jpg A building near Foxiang Ge - one of the satellite buildings.
17) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2020.jpg A tower in the distance. I didn't have time that visit to go out to it. I plan to next time - I missed a few places, most notably Suzhou Market.
18) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2021.jpg
19) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2023.jpg
A building closer to the top of the hill that Foxiang Ge's on. I wanted to take pictures of the inside, but there's a lot of no-picture zones here. Mainly because they're trying to raise money by selling their own photos, which I didn't want to buy.
20) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2046.jpg
21) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2045.jpg
22) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2043.jpg
Shots of the Dragon Boat. They've got three of these for tourists. I didn't bring enough money to ride one, they're kinda expensive. Besides, seeing it was enough.
23) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2048.jpg
The Marble Boat. Used to be open to tourism, isn't any longer. Got this picture of it, though.
24) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2050.jpg
I don't know what this is, honestly, other than a monument on the north end of Beihai.
25) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2052.jpg
Another building around there.
26) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2018.jpg
27) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2006.jpg
28) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2004.jpg
Three other buildings. These were closer to the top of the hill, but I walked past all three of them twice so it fits well here.
29) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2009.jpg
30) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2008.jpg
31) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2007.jpg
And three sections of
32) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2063.jpg
Chang Lang, the Long Corridor. This thing was so crowded I didn't even bother trying to go into it. I just took a picture above the crowd and made a note to come back later.
33) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2068.jpg
Finally, at that bridge. Oddly enough, the island itself wasn't too impressive, though a large part was under construction; I plan on going back and rewalking it later.
34) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2073.jpg
35) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2072.jpg
Two shots of the pavillion right next to the bridge.
36) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2071.jpg
One of the 500-odd lions apparently on the bridge, according to the tourist notes lying around. All of them are rather cool, but I liked this guy the most.
37) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2061.jpg
38) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2060.jpg
39) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2059.jpg
Three places I don't remember the location of. I believe 37 and 38 were on the island, while 39 was somewhere else.
And thus ends the sloppily organized tour! There's one other thing of note...
40) http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g168/Taishyr/Set2074.jpg
This was a decoration off one of the roads leading away from the bridge. No, I don't get it either.
If you want to see a more organized tour (but with smaller pictures), a great site's here: http://www.kinabaloo.com/summer_palace.html
Five new words!
ge (pronounced guh) 阁 - Tower.
bei (pronounced bay) 北 - North.
nan (pronounced nahn) 南 - South.
dong (pronounced dong) 东 - East.
xi (pronounces cshee) 西 - West.
东西南北 - East West South North. This is how the Chinese refer to the four cardinal directions. Southeast is 南东 , while Northwest is 西北。
再见！
-Tom .
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