Compared with the countless number of heritage sites across the length and breadth of China, the Summer Palace is young in its history. This, however, enabled the Summer Palace to take advantage of the best in the art of landscape architecture accumulated in a thousand years by the Chinese people and to become an unexcelled landmark in the history of the Chinese art of landscape architecture. This advantage, plus its position in the politics of modern history and the repeated disasters it has suffered, has turned the beautiful Summer Palace into a site that is attracting the attention of the people of the whole world.

The author has devoted much effort in preparing the book and explains the intricacies in the history of the Summer Palace in simple terms. Together with you, he inquires into the historical origin of the buildings, structures, gardens, hills and lakes in the Summer Palace and provides you with accurate information to answer questions you may want to ask during your visit. The book is illustrated with the finest landscape photographs to enhance the attraction of the Summer Palace.