Royal Waterway Cruise on the Imperial River of Beijing

　　The Long River has a history of over 700 years and was historically known as the Imperial River. During the Yuan Dynasty, it was called the "Gaoliang River," and in the Ming Dynasty, it was renamed the "Jade River." It is the only waterway in Beijing’s water system that carries the imperial imprint. The Empress Dowager Cixi Waterway was the mandatory water route she took every summer when traveling to the Summer Palace for leisure and to escape the heat. It originated in the Qianlong era, flourished in the Guangxu era, and spanned six reigns: Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, and Guangxu. It was the exclusive waterway used by Qing emperors, empresses, princes, princesses, and other nobility. One Empress Dowager Cixi Waterway tells half of the Qing Dynasty’s history. From the 16th year of Qianlong’s reign to the 34th year of Guangxu’s reign—over 157 years—six emperors, one empress dowager, and more than a hundred empresses and concubines cruised this ancient river. Empress Dowager Cixi visited the Summer Palace 32 times in her lifetime, taking boat trips from the Temple of Longevity every year. This waterway is named after her.

　　

　　Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development