This site is in continued development. Please check back soon for new events and features. Thanks for your patience.
Your key to the Forbidden City and other tips for visiting Beijing's landmarks
Cosmology and garden design
Decoding the Chinese garden...
Chinese gardens are designed with precision; nothing is left to chance. The components necessary for any Chinese garden, including expanses of water, little bridges, pavilions, walls and rocks, are positioned not only for their aesthetic value, but for their symbolic meaning: the rocks represent mountains, the bodies of water are seas and lakes, and pavilions and other edifices are the human element.Compacting all these elements into one small area is akin to creating a microcosm of the universe in one's own backyard. Most of Beijing's private gardens have now been turned into public parks. Formerly owned by royalty and officials these gardens were used as an escape from the stresses and strains of public service. Enclosed by high walls, they provided a haven of serenity and the entrance into a world of flight and fantasy. Obviously each garden reflects the character of its creator and his or her lifestyle preferences and leisure pursuits. It is said that the Empress Dowager Cixi's favourite view was looking out at the Summer Palace from within Kunming Lake, seated on her marble boat.
It is no coincidence that so many royal gardens are north-west of Beijing. At the foot of the Western Hills, this location has not only lovely backdrops, but the yang (masculinity and strength) of the mountains also perfectly complements the yin (femininity and calm) of the water in the lakes and ponds. According to Chinese philosophy yin and yang need to be balanced to create a harmonious environment – too much of one or other could well give way to catastrophe.
Poppy Toland