Chengde Summer Resort and Neighboring Temples in Hebei Province 河北承德避暑山庄及周围寺庙

承德避暑山庄，又称“热河行宫”，座落于中国北部河北省承德市中心以北的狭长谷地上，占地面积584公顷。避暑山庄始建于清康熙四十二年（公元1703年），雍正（公元1723～1736年在位）时代一度暂停营建，清乾隆六年（公元1741年）到乾隆五十七年（公元1792年）又继续修建，增加了乾隆（公元1736～1796年）三十六景和山庄外的外八庙。整个避暑山庄的营建历时近90年。这期间清王朝国力兴盛，能工巧匠云集于此。康熙五十年康熙帝（公元1662～1723年在位）还亲自在山庄午门上题写了“避暑山庄”门额。避暑山庄主要分为宫殿区和苑景区两部分。

Chengde Summer Resort (CSR), or Rehe Inspection Palace, lies in a long, narrow valley in the north of Chengde City, Hebei Province in the north of China and covers an area of 584 hectares. First built in the 42nd year during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1703 AD), the CSR experienced suspended construction during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng (1723-1737 AD) and was later continued from the sixth year during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1741 AD) and the 57th year during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1792 AD), with the increased parts being Emperor Qianlong (1736-1796 AD) Thirty-six Views and The Eight External Temples outside the summer resort. The whole construction of the CSR has lasted a total of about 90 years, as during this period, the Qing Dynasty was in the peak of prosperity, having tons of craftsmen gathered here. In the 50th year (1662-1723 AD) during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, his majesty himself inscribed “Summer Resort” on the gate. The summer resort is mainly composed of Palace Zone and Garden Scenery Zone.

宫殿区位于山庄南部，宫室建筑林立，布局严整，是紫禁城的缩影。包括正宫、松鹤斋、万壑松风和东宫四组建筑。正宫是清代皇帝在山庄时，处理政务、休息和举行重大典礼的地方；松鹤斋寓意“松鹤延年”，供太后居住，建于乾隆年间；万壑松风是清帝批阅奏章和读书处，是宫殿区与湖区的过渡建筑，造型与颐和园的谐趣园类似；东宫在宫殿区最东面，原为清帝举行庆宴大典的场所，后毁于战火。

Located in the south part of the summer resort, the Palace Zone comprises rows of buildings in perfect layout, which resemble the Forbidden City in Beijing. The buildings fall into four groups: Central Palace, Pine and Crane Studio, Valleys and Pines, and East Palace. The Central Palace is wher emperors of Qing Dynasty used to handle state affairs, take a rest and holding grand ceremonies while staying in the summer resort; Pine and Crane Studio, which literally means longevity in short, was constructed during the reign of Emperor Qianlong as living quarters of the empress dowager; Valleys and Pines used to wher the emperors mark the reports and read books and it is transition architecture from palace area to lake area, resembling the Garden of Harmony and Fun in the Summer Palace; and the East Palace lies in the furthest east and used to be wher emperors in Qing Dynasty held grand ceremonies of congratulations and was later ruined during the war.

苑景区又分湖泊区、平原区和山岳区。宫殿区以北为湖泊区。湖区集南方园林之秀和北方园林之雄，将江南园林的景观移植到塞外。区内湖泊总称“塞湖”，总面积57公顷。平原区位于湖泊区以东，占地53公顷。区内的万树园不施土木，仅按蒙古民族的风俗习惯设置蒙古包数座。乾隆帝常在这里召见各少数民族政教首领，举行野宴。平原区的西部和北部是山岳区，面积422公顷，占避暑山庄总面积的五分之四。高耸的山峰好似天然屏障，阻挡了西北寒风的侵袭，是调节山庄气候的重要因素。康乾时期还在在山区修建了40余处建筑。

The Garden Scenery Zone is further divided into Lake Section, Plain Section and Mountainous Section. Located on the north side of Palace Section, the Lake Section is a combination of charming gardens of the south and the grandiose gardens of the north as if a garden south of the Yangtze River has been moved out of the hinterland; the lakes in the zone are together called Enclosure Lake, covering an area of 57 hectares; and the Plain Section is in the east of Lake Section, occupying an area of 53 hectares. There is no other civil engineering involved in Million Trees Garden than the several Mongolian tents based on the custom of Mongol Ethnicity. Emperor Qianlong used to receive chieftains of the minorities and hold open banquets. Lying in the west and north of Plain Section, Mountainous Section has an area of 422 hectares, accounting for four fifths of the total area of the summer resort. The towering peaks seem as if they are natural blockades preventing the bitter north wind from entering the zone and that seems to be how the weather here is regulated. Also, during the reigns of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, 40 plus buildings were constructed in the Mountainous Section.

避暑山庄周围12座建筑风格各异的寺庙，是当时清政府为了团结蒙古、新疆、西藏等地区的少数民族，利用宗教作为笼络手段而修建的。其中的8座由清政府直接管理，故被称为“外八庙”。庙宇按照建筑风格分为藏式寺庙、汉式寺庙和汉藏结合式寺庙三种。这些寺庙融和了汉、藏等民族建筑艺术的精华，气势宏伟，极具皇家风范。

The 12 neighboring temples of various styles were constructed by the then Qing government so as to unify the ethnic groups of Innger Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet, taking advantage of region as a means of ruling. The eight of them were under direct control of the Qing Government and were consequently called Eight External Temples. In terms of architectural style, the temples fall into Tibetan Temples, Han Temples, and Han-Tibetan Temples. These temples contain the quintessence of architecture of both Han and Tibetan ethnicities, looming as royal symbols in an overwhelmingly grandiose manner.

避暑山庄不同于其它的皇家园林，它继承和发展了中国古典园林“以人为之美入自然，符合自然而又超越自然”的传统造园思想，按照地形地貌特征进行选址和总体设计，完全借助于自然地势，因山就水，顺其自然，同时融南北造园艺术的精华于一身。它是中国园林史上一个辉煌的里程碑，是中国古典园林艺术的杰作，享有“中国地理形貌之缩影”和“中国古典园林之最高范例”的盛誉。

Unlike other royal gardens, Chengde Summer Resort is a perfect combination of quintessence of both the south and north gardens that follow the natural terrain and suit measures to conditions of mountains and waters for construction with site selection and design accomplished in light of the typography and landforms; it is an outcome of inheriting and further expanding the architectural philosophy of classical Chinese gardens – integrating artificial beauty with natural beauty and harmonizing with nature while transcending nature. It is a milestone of pride in China garden history and a masterwork of China classical garden art, claimed as “Miniature of China Geographic” and ”China First Classical Garden”.