Enter the solemn Old Summer Palace Ruins Park

Number of days: 1 day
Time: May
Average cost: 50 yuan
With whom：parents and children
Tour kinds：Free travel
The author went to these places： Old Summer Palace Tsinghua University Dafofa Zhengjue Temple Western-style Building

The Old Summer Palace was once known as the "Garden of Gardens." Its scale and architectural style were second to none in the world. It's a pity that such a magnificent and beautiful building was burned down by a group of robbers.

I first came to the Old Summer Palace in 1982. Xu Guodong, a classmate from Tsinghua University, took me here to visit. That was also my first introduction to the Old Summer Palace. At that time, I mainly visited the ruins of the Great Fountain. The surrounding area was a wasteland and no one was guarding it. The second time I visited the Old Summer Palace was in the summer of 1991. My company organized a tour to visit here. After years of continuous repairs and restoration, it has become a large park with ruins and water scenery as its main features.

May 3rd was right in the middle of the May Day holiday. Seeing that tickets for that day were still available, I decided to join in the fun. My children said you were going to see people. On the subway, my daughter mentioned posts about people waiting in line for two hours at the South Gate to get in. However, our ticket indicated the entrance to Zhengjue Temple, so we got in smoothly without waiting in line. In front of the temple, there's a stone inscription with the words "Never Forget" written by Mr. Ouyang Zhongshi. Yes, that humiliating era of oppression and abuse must never be forgotten. Zhengjue Temple wasn't crowded either, so we first visited it. There's an exhibition of the twelve animal heads. Seeing these returned national treasures deeply resonated with the idea that a strong nation possesses dignity. Upon entering the Old Summer Palace, I was immediately captivated by the scenery. It truly was like "spring colors bloom inky black, the clear waters and small bridges become picturesque." Walking along the lakeshore, green willows swayed in the breeze, a breathtaking sight. Bougainvillea and chrysanthemums blossomed in unison, a truly breathtaking sight. "The willows reach the sky in endless green, the flowers reflect the sun in a striking red." At the food counter, I witnessed a bustling scene. Everyone seemed to be spending other people's money, scrambling to scan and pay. It truly is like the saying, "Fame is like clouds and smoke, gold is like earth, yet even a moment of joy is enough." The Old Summer Palace's waterscape is magnificent, with schools of fish swimming happily, mandarin ducks and wild ducks frolicking leisurely. Different boats are also distributed in different areas, making boating or riding on the lake a refreshing experience for visitors. Spending money on a boat trip is naturally enjoyable. It's truly "the scenery, both near and far, is breathtaking, and the leisurely boats empty your wallet." We took a boat from Kingfisher Pier to the Panorama Model Pier, and purchased an additional 10 yuan ticket to visit the "Panoramic Model Exhibition of the Old Summer Palace in Its Heyday." Even though it was just a model, I was deeply moved. If such a magnificent building still existed today, it would undoubtedly be a treasured treasure for all mankind. The landscape within the gardens, a blend of Eastern and Western elements, is a first-class grandeur. It truly is "a scene that should only exist in heaven, never seen again on earth." Next, we arrived at the ruins of the Western Building, which also charges an additional 15 yuan entrance fee. The buildings in the Western Building area were once the centerpiece of the Old Summer Palace, a perfect showcase of Western architecture adapted to Chinese culture. Today, they are a devastating sight. Seeing the remains of the famous Great Fountain and the Sea Tranquility Hall, I was immediately reminded of the poem, "The shame of the burning of the Old Summer Palace has yet to be avenged, and the hatred of the nation will never be extinguished. Riding an eagle, I trample over the palaces of eight nations. With aspirations to feast on the flesh of barbarians, I jokingly talk of drinking the blood of foreigners. When I am strong, I will rebuild the old mountains and rivers and face the heavens." The heads of the twelve zodiac animals, which were returned a few years ago, once stood in front of the Sea Tranquility Hall. Within the ruins of the Western Building, a structure has been restored to its original appearance: the Yellow Flower Array, also known as the Ten Thousand Flowers Array. This garden, modeled after a European palace, was where the emperor, his empresses, nobles, princesses, and other nobles held their evening parties. The numerous paths leading from the surrounding entrances to the central pavilion are fascinating and winding. I believe there is only one path to the center, and the rest are a maze.

During its heyday, the park boasted numerous bridges. A ruined bridge stands as the sole remaining bridge after its destruction, bearing witness to its rise and fall, and to today's peaceful and prosperous times.

Though lacking the splendor of its heyday, the Old Summer Palace Ruins Park retains the allure of a landscape garden. While appreciating the beauty, one can still reflect on history. Here, one can feel indignant and passionate.

It is truly:

As spring draws to a close and summer approaches, koi carp ripple in the lake. Like a carpet of green, weeping willows evoke a boundless landscape. The desolate ruins, stained with blood and tears, beggar the old path. Now, a vibrant time returns, the east wind blazing a new trail.