Stone Boat of the Summer Palace in Beijing

Stone Boat of the Summer Palace in Beijing

The Stone Boat of the Summer Palace in Beijing, also known as the Qingyan Boat, is situated on the northwest side of Kunming Lake, along the western shore of Longevity Hill. Constructed in the 20th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1755), its hull is hewn from huge stones and measures 36 meters in total length. The upper level features a two-story white wooden building, painted to imitate marble veins and adorned with decorative brick carvings on the roof—dainty and magnificent, making it a renowned aquatic architectural gem within the Summer Palace. When it rains, water falling on the boat’s roof drains through hollow pillars at the four corners and exits the boat via the mouths of four dragon heads along the hull, a highly ingenious design.

The original cabin structure on the boat followed traditional Chinese architecture, but it was burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces during their invasion. In the 19th year of the Guangxu reign (1893), following the intentions of Empress Dowager Cixi, the original Chinese-style cabin was rebuilt into a Western-style structure, with windows inlaid with stained glass in five colors, making it the only building in the park with Western architectural influence. It was named Qingyan Boat, symbolizing “peaceful rivers.”

Location

No. 19, Xinjian Gongmen Road, Haidian District, Beijing