Beijing
Part of the administration area near to the East Palace Gate where Cixi still pulled the court strings after her retirement. Inside the hall is a grand throne adorned with nine dragons. The rockery behind was designed to mimic the famous Lion Grove Garden in Suzhou. The Hall was reconstructed in 1888 after getting torched by the British in 1860.
The dragon and phoenix statues out front traditionally represented the emperor and empress – here it's the phoenix that commands the centre spot.
8.21 MILES
Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
10.74 MILES
An oasis of methodical Confucian design, the 267-hectare Temple of Heaven Park is unique. It originally served as a vast stage for solemn rites performed…
0.33 MILES
A marvel of Chinese garden design and one of Beijing's must-see attractions, the Summer Palace was the royal retreat for emperors fleeing the suffocating…
9 MILES
Flanked by triumphalist Soviet-style buildings, Tian'anmen Sq is an immense void of paved stone (440,000 sq metres, to be precise) at the symbolic centre…
7.5 MILES
Beihai Park, inside the old Imperial City, looks much as it would have done in the 18th century when it served as Emperor Qianlong's private gardens. The…
10.59 MILES
This immense fortress, part of the Ming City Wall Ruins Park, guarded the southeast corner of Beijing's city walls. Originally built in 1439 but repaired…
8.75 MILES
Instantly recognisable by its giant framed portrait of Mao, and guarded by two pairs of Ming dynasty stone lions, the double-eaved Gate of Heavenly Peace …
11.18 MILES
Contemporary art meets communist history at this thrilling enclave of international galleries installed within China's model factory complex of the 1950s…
0.05 MILES
Built on the orders of Empress Cixi, this three-storey theatre stage was used for performances of Peking Opera. Cixi was a huge fan of the artform, as…
0.06 MILES
This hall displays various cultural artefacts and imperial heirlooms from the Summer Palace, including Empress Cixi's calligraphy, as well as bronze and…
0.11 MILES
Echoing the sìhéyuàn layout of traditional Beijing courtyards, this was the living quarters of Empress Cixi, and still contains items of period furniture…
0.18 MILES
Stretching for 728m along the north shore of Kunming Lake, the open-air Long Corridor is one of the premier sights of the Summer Palace. One can imagine…
6. Garden of Harmonious Interests
0.2 MILES
In the northeast corner of the palace, this classical Chinese arrangement of pavilions, halls and bridges was considered one of the finest gardens in…
0.32 MILES
Neatly aligned with the Tower of Buddhist Incense behind it, the Hall of Dispelling Clouds was built by Emperor Qianlong for his mother on her 60th…
0.33 MILES
A marvel of Chinese garden design and one of Beijing's must-see attractions, the Summer Palace was the royal retreat for emperors fleeing the suffocating…