Martha Kirby Jimbo and Abigail enjoy their tour in Summer Palace
It is the main entrance to the Summer Palace. The opening in the center was for the emperor and empress exclusively. The two side openings were for the use of princes and court officials. Eunuchs and soldiers used side gates to the south and north. The name plaque "Yiheyuan" in front of the gate was written by emperor Guang Xu. The stone slab in front of the gate bears a carving in relief of two dragons playing with a pearl, a symbol of imperial authority.
The first day of trip start from Somerset apartment located to the east third ring road of Beijing, because the that was the day of Monday due to avoide the mass of tourists and bad traffic so that we were straightly drove to the Summer Palace through the third ring road. all the way was ok and when we were arrived its main gate about 10 o'clock ...we bought three adult tickets and one student ticket. 20yuan for adult and 10yuan for children's ticket(8.2Yuan=1$) ...the Main gate of the Summer Palace is guarding by a pair of lions
On the right side of the lion is male lion with a ball under its claw and the left side with a baby lion under its claw is a female one. we took a photo there and following the tourists get inside of the pay gate.
After the main gate, we found a board to the right side that 's a introduce text and picture of the Summer Palace. it is said:" In 1888, the Empress Dowager Cixi spent the navy fund to built and she renamed it Garden of Nurtured Harmony which means Summer Palace.
On either side of center road with signs map and instruction of the Palace. and front of Pailow which similar as a gate ...after that we were noticed by a decoration named Qilin.
Qilin is a special ornament put it front of main hall of Benevolence and Longevity, where for the Emperor to held consultation with their high officials. This animal has the head of dragon, the antlers of dear, the hooves of ox and the tail of lion. it is said one of the son of the dragon. According to ancient Chinese mythology, the dragon had nine sons, but none of them became a real dragon. Qilin was one of the nine sons of the dragon. It was an auspicious animal that could avoid evil spirits in ancient lengeds.
At front of the main hall of Benevolence and Logevity decorated by bronze vats and bronze animals, cauldrons, dragons and phoenixes were placed. well, the vats for store water to prevent fire.
This is a incense burner in shaped a dragon actually, during the ceremony, it was used and the clouds of incense came out from its openning mouth...
We were turn to the left of the hall, and following the big tourists and then passed a artificial rocks hill reached at the shore of the lake.
Cover an area of 3300mu,the lake is decorated with bridges, corridors, Islands, willows and pavilions.
In summer, Kunming Lake is an ideal place to boat and view scenery and in winter, it is a good place to hold various ice-sports.
In the center of the lake built a Seventeen-Arch Bridge, 150m long and 8m wide, is ranked as the biggest bridge in Summer Palace. Connecting Dragon King Temple in the east and the Island west, the bridge spans Kunming Lake with 17 bridge openings under it, hence the nameSeventeen-Arch Bridge. With 544 lions caved out of white marble set on the balustrades, this bridge was rebuted to be the bridge which has the most stone lions in China.
On the other day of the year of 2005 on September, I and a Mr.Gorden went to the summer palace again.
Above the Jade Belt Bridge has a high arch and is one of the six bridges on the West Shore on Kunming Lake.
Inscribed on its back is a "Eulogy of the
Golden Bull" written by the Qing Emperor Qianlong
in the ancient seal style. this subject was believed can be control flood water that was the reason to put it there beside the lake and was watching the lake...If you take a boat from here cross to reach the other side of the lake at Marble boat...
It was made with huge marble stone blocks in 1755. The 36-meter-long immovable boat has two tiers. It was placed in the lake to symbolize the steadfast rule of the Qing Dynasty and also once used as a tea house .
The Summer Palace attracted thousands of tourists every day all year round
and with many visitors guided by local tour guide who speaks English and Japanese and spainish... 
