Kunming Lake

Kunming Lake

Kunming Lake is located within the Summer Palace in Beijing and covers approximately three-quarters of the total area. Originally a natural lake formed by the convergence of springs in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, it was once known by names such as Qili Luo and Dabo Lake. The predecessor of Kunming Lake was called Wengshanpo, named after the nearby Wengshan Mountain, which was the former name of Longevity Hill. Due to its location in the western suburbs of Beijing, it was also called West Lake.

After the Yuan Dynasty established its capital in Beijing, in the 29th year of the Zhiyuan era (1292 AD), the hydrologist Guo Shoujing oversaw the excavation of the Tonghui River, diverting water from the Shen Mountain springs in Changping, along with other flows from the Western Hills, into the lake. This turned it into a reservoir to support canal transport within the city. Wengshanpo thus became a storage reservoir for regulating the capital’s water supply.

By the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong decided to build the Qingyi Garden in the Wengshan area, expanding the lake to its current size. He named it Kunming Lake, inspired by Emperor Wu of Han’s excavation of Kunming Pool in Chang’an for naval drills. In one of his poems about boating on Kunming Lake, Qianlong wrote, “Where in the Yan Mountains brings the most delight? None rivals Kunming in matchless scenery.” In 1860, the Qingyi Garden was burned down by Anglo-French allied forces. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi used the pretext of raising funds for the navy to rebuild it with over 5 million taels of silver, renaming it the Summer Palace as a summer retreat and retirement residence.

In the 1990s, multidisciplinary research confirmed that the lake has a history of 3,500 years.

The Summer Palace is the largest and most magnificent classical garden preserved in China. It mainly consists of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. The Summer Palace is located 10 kilometers northwest of Beijing, with Kunming Lake situated at the southern foot of Longevity Hill. Longevity Hill is an extension of the Western Hills, protruding eastward with a relative height of over 60 meters, forming an embrace around the lake. To the west of the lake, the peaks of the Western Hills rise majestically. To the southeast, the lake borders the Beijing Plain, placing it in the transitional zone between the alluvial fan of the Western Hills and the alluvial plain.

The lake primarily extends eastward and westward. Part of the original lakeshore was intentionally included within the lake, forming the West Dam and the Three Islands. The excavated soil was used to raise Longevity Hill, significantly increasing its elevation. Around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, the Summer Palace (Qingyi Garden), Jade Spring Mountain’s Jingming Garden, Fragrant Hills’ Jingyi Garden, along with Changchun Garden and Yuanming Garden, were all large-scale gardens built against the backdrop of the Western Hills, collectively known as the “Three Hills and Five Gardens.” After many changes, by the time of liberation, this ancient garden had fallen into decline. After liberation, extensive restoration efforts were made, and Kunming Lake was dredged, giving it a completely renewed appearance.

Due to the beautiful scenery and excellent landscape here, poets in the Ming Dynasty often described the natural beauty around West Lake as “resembling the scenery of the Jiangnan region” and “the grandest sight of the region.”

One of the design features of Kunming Lake is its West Dam and the bridges on it. The West Dam of Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace was originally a narrow embankment with little practical use. The flat dam was artificially interrupted, and six bridges, known as the “Six Bridges of the West Dam,” were built on it, creating the picturesque “Willows and Mist over Six Bridges” scene, which rivals the Su Causeway of Hangzhou’s West Lake. The most beautiful of the six bridges is the Jade Belt Bridge. To the south of Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace lies a small island intentionally preserved during the garden’s construction, connected to the eastern shore of the lake by the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. Following the traditional imperial garden design principle of “one pond, three islands,” three central islands were built in the lake: South Lake Island, Mirror Governance Island, and Algae Mirror Hall Island. The West Dam was also modeled after the Su Causeway of Hangzhou’s West Lake. The shimmering lake water, winding dam paths, scattered islands, and various buildings hidden in the lakeside scenery form the exquisite water-themed landscape of the Summer Palace. Kunming Lake skillfully employs the Chinese garden art technique of “borrowed scenery,” incorporating the distant Western Hills and Jade Spring Mountain peaks into the view. The interplay of lake and mountain scenery is breathtaking. Major attractions on Kunming Lake include the West Dam and Six Bridges, the East Dam, South Lake Island, and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.

Six stone bridges are built along the dam, each exquisitely designed and uniquely shaped. Among them, the Jade Belt Bridge, carved from white marble, features a high arch that resembles a jade belt from afar. Each of the three lake sections has an island, symbolizing the Three Penglai Islands. Among them, South Lake Island boasts the most beautiful scenery, covering over 16 acres. It houses ancient structures such as the Hanxu Hall and the Dragon Jade Temple. It is said that the Hanxu Hall resembles the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan, originally having three stories. During the Qing Dynasty, emperors and empresses would watch naval drills from the top. From the higher vantage points on the island, the panoramic lake and mountain views are stunning.

Attraction Location

No. 19, Xinjian Gongmen Road, Haidian District, within the Summer Palace

Summer Palace

Yulan Hall

Longevity Hill

Buddha Fragrance Pavilion of the Summer Palace

Seventeen-Arch Bridge

Renshou Hall

Beijing Stone Boat