Heritage: Imperial Summer Villa, Eight Outer Temples

Lush forests, bleak rock formations and unique temples make a trip to Chengde an outdoor adventure and cultural tour.

If you thought the Summer Palace was a nice place to escape the city swelter, then you should head further north to Chengde, a town that boasts the largest imperial summer retreat complex in China. Known as the Imperial Summer Villa (bìshǔ shānzhuāng 避暑山庄), “escape the heat mountain villa,” the park has been Chengde’s main attraction since 1703. Set in a mountain valley and surrounded by an ancient wall, the parkland includes its own lake, pine forests, hunting ground and pavilions.

The town of Chengde itself sprung up only to support the imperial entourage that set up camp there every summer and has never lost the feel of a tourist destination. Radiating from the southern gate of the Imperial Summer Villa, modern Chengde is small, but has a lively street scene with vendors and markets and pleasant tree lined lanes. Crossing the Wulie River on the only bridge into town, you’ll find Chengde is a relaxed town far from the din and bustle of Beijing. These days travelers don’t come just to escape the summer heat, but also for Chengde’s clean mountain air.

When the weather is still warm, people of all ages come to hang out in the Town Square, flying kites and playing badminton well past dusk. The square on Nanyingzi Da Jie is the heart of the town and a fine place to sit and people watch. Continuing north along the road is a towering statue of Qing emperor Kangxi on horseback guarding the city’s largest traffic circle. Close to the statue is Lizhengmen Da Jie which curves close to the Imperial Summer Villa wall with grassy spaces that make for pleasant walks past the two main gates of the park. The eastern edge of town is bound by the Wulie River, a broad gentle waterway with views across to the hills that tumble right down to its banks. Along much of the length of the river is a waterfront park with winding paths, pine trees and rocks sculptures – another fine place for a stroll. If it’s hot, you might try the public swimming area just upstream from the city’s main bridge.

Besides the famed Imperial Summer Villa, Chengde also boasts the Eight Outer Temples (wàibāmiào 外八庙), built during the reigns of Emperor Kangxi and his grandson Qianlong. There were once 12 temples, but today only eight remain open to visitors. In its heyday, the temples had imperial patronage, and supported a large and vibrant spiritual community. The eight temples are all set in the hills north of the town center where the mountain scenery alone makes it worth the trip, not to mention the amazing Buddhist art.

One of the highlights of the eight temples is the enchanting golden statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Mercy, at Temple of Universal Tranquility (pǔníng sì 普宁寺). At 22m tall and with 42 arms, her statue is a figure that’s not easily forgotten. Climb a ladder to get a closer look at the Bodhisattva, one of the most stunning statues of its kind. The temple was built by Emperor Qianlong to commemorate his victory over Mongolian tribes and mixes Han Chinese and Tibetan ethnic styles.

And if you don’t have time to swing through Tibet during your stay in China, you should check out Putuozongcheng Zhi Miao (pǔtuózōngchéng zhī miào 普陀宗乘之庙), a replica of Lhasa’s Potala Palace, set against a backdrop of piney hills just to the north of the Imperial Summer Villa park. The temple was built for visiting heads of various Tibetan and Mongolian tribes who came to celebrate Emperor Qianlong’s 60th birthday; it was hoped they would feel more at home with a familiar sight. When you enter the first gate you can smell the whiff of incense, and heading up the stairs you’re slowly transported to Lhasa. The Potala is one of the finest architectural gems around, even if only in imitation. Spin the old brass prayer wheels for good luck – but make sure to spin them clockwise. Also make sure to look for the numerous artifacts exhibited within. The view from the top of the temple is stunning.

Also incorporating Tibetan architecture is the Temple of Happiness and Longevity (xūmífúshòu zhī miào 须弥福寿之庙), built to honor the sixth Panchen Lama who visited Chengde in 1780 for Qianlong’s birthday celebrations. On sunny days, the roof of the main hall is spellbinding. The hall’s double-tiered roof is made of copper and is gilded with 500kg of gold, and each eave sports two dragons each made from about a ton of gold. This and Putuozongcheng are typical Lamaist structures as the Qing emperors were fervent believers of Lamaist Buddhism. The Temple of Universal Happiness (pǔlè sì普乐寺) was built in 1766 for visiting dignitaries from minority groups.

Beyond the outer temples, the dry mountains of northern Hebei Province recede into the haze. The sandstone formations here are truly spectacular; they’re vaguely reminiscent of the American southwest. A few of the more fantastic rock forms have been given names, the most notable being Hammer Mountain (bàngchui shān 棒槌山), which looks like a giant hammer with its handle up, and Frog Rock (háma shí蛤蟆石), which looks like a frog about to jump. These two unusual formations are just uphill from the Temple of Universal Happiness, so it’s easy to do both in one excursion. More intrepid travelers might want to explore the trails heading off southeast that connect with peasant tracks and can be linked up with more distant mountains and ridges, all without entrance fees.

For those looking to make a complete circuit of the sites outside the town, buses leave from many of the large hotels every morning and taxis are abundant. The temples aren’t too far away from town and going by bike is an excellent way to see the sights.

IMPERIAL SUMMER VILLAWhile first established by Emperor Kangxi, the renowned mountain resort reached its prime in the 1790’s during the reign of Emperor Qianlong – one of the most famous Qing emperors. They each ordered the construction of 36 scenic spots, from moon gazing pavilions to rocks carved with Tang calligraphy. Today many of the 72 originals are no more – lost in the layers of time or destroyed by war. But for a park of nearly 590ha, there are still plenty of delightful old buildings tucked into meadows or glens. The entire parkland is closed in by a wall along the dramatic ridge at the northern edge and abuts the town along the south, adding to the feeling of separation from regular life. Tasteful trails cross the various creeks and hills and the wall itself can be walked in its entirety. While the surrounding countryside has long since been logged of its big trees, inside the park is a mature forest of pines and cypress, a rare treat in China. It’s easy to imagine royalty roaming this imperial playground on lazy summer days, perhaps stopping to write a poem when the mood struck.

As for the famous spots, many are worth mentioning. The first and grandest is the Front Palace (zhèng gōng正宫). The throne hall is an impressive structure, worthy of seating any emperor, and the Hall of Simplicity and Sincerity (dànbó jìngchéng diàn 澹泊敬诚殿) is notable for the fragrant wood, nanmu, from which it’s constructed. Just beyond the palace is a large lake crisscrossed by bridges and islands and dotted with 18th century buildings. This area is the most beautiful in the park and meets expectations for a traditional Chinese landscape. Be sure to visit Ruyi Island (rúyì zhōu 如意洲)and the Misty Rain Tower (yānyǔ lóu烟雨楼), the former imperial study. Beyond the lake is the Wenjin Chamber (wénjīn gé文津阁) which housed a set of anthologies commissioned by Emperor Qianlong. The anthologies took 10 years to compile. Sadly, of the original four sets, three have been lost and the remaining one is now in Beijing. Further on down the path is the Yongyou Temple Pagoda (yǒngyòusì tă 永佑寺塔), proudly standing over a grassy meadow and the remnants of a temple.

After you’ve had your fill of historic sites, roaming the hills in search of solitude and birdsong is a pleasure in itself. Who knows, you might find one of the missing 72 scenic spots. The back of the park was originally the imperial hunting grounds, chosen for its varied terrain. Now, instead of going on horseback, there are hourly tour bus trips up the hills that stop at the scenic points where tourists still look for deer or joke about tigers and wolves. If you make it up to the top ridge the views are indeed superb and many of the other local sights are visible, including Hammer Mountain to the east and the Putuozongcheng Zhi Miao to the north.