By / MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network Editorial Team
The Old Summer Palace in Beijing, which was destroyed by the Eight-Nation Alliance 155 years ago, was recreated in Hengdian, Zhejiang and reopened on May 10. With a total area of over 6,200 acres, the “New Yuanmingyuan” (New Old Summer Palace), built by Chinese businesses with a total investment of 30 billion RMB (about 150 billion TWD) and recreating 95% of the original buildings at a 1:1 scale, attracted a huge influx of visitors on its opening day to catch a glimpse of the grandeur of the former imperial garden.
Chinese businesses invested 30 billion RMB to build the New Yuanmingyuan. (Image source / eplazahotels)
The Old Summer Palace was once a famous imperial garden in China, spanning more than 5,200 hectares. Construction began in 1709 and took over 150 years. It was burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, and an estimated 1.5 million cultural relics were looted and scattered around the world. To coincide with the opening of the New Yuanmingyuan, three precious relics from the original palace have been returned to the site, including a bronze gilt treasure-inlaid hero incense burner from the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, a cloisonné eight auspicious symbols moonflask, and a bronze gilt dragon-patterned square zun with flanges.
The New Yuanmingyuan recreates 95% of the original architectural complex. (Image source / eplazahotels)
Reviving the splendor of the former imperial garden. (Image source / eplazahotels)
Attractions such as the Hall of Uprightness and Brightness and the Hall of Eternal Blessing are built based on the “Forty Scenes of Yuanmingyuan.” (Image source / eplazahotels)
The opening day drew large crowds eager to see the imperial garden’s charm. (Image source / eplazahotels)
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