HIDDEN TREASURES OF CHINA

DESTINATION OF THE WEEK
CHINA’S CHENGDE – A FORESTED MOUNTAIN RESORT

Chengde lies in a valley in northern Hebei Province about 163 km/100 miles from Beijing It is known in China as “Mountain Hamlet for Escaping the Heat” (Bishu Shanzhuang) as it was the hill resort of the former Imperial family. The area of the resort is about twice as big as Beijing’s Summer Palace. Emperor Kangxi (1662-1772) who belonged to the Qing dynasty had the resort built to escape the heat and he came here every summer. Here he and emperors after him would relax away from the heat. They would hold feasts for Mongolian nobles and chiefs from neighbouring Xinjiang and Tibet. Hunting and archery on horseback were favorite sports to while the time away. Even today Chengde attracts visitors for its pleasant climate.
This resort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site has lakes, hills and plains, though the hills make up almost four fifths of the resort. They are covered with forests of pine and cypresses. If you go up to the snow Pavilion of South Hill (Nanshan Jixue Ting) you get a commanding view of the whole resort, lush and green and dotted with blue lakes. When the wind blows the sound of whispering pines is music to the ears.
There are only five lakes divided and separated by embankments. There are a number of small islands connected by quaint bridges. All the structures in the lake area borrow their architectural styles from neighboring areas. The tower of Mist and Rain (Yanyu Lou) is an exact replica of a similar structure at Nanlu Lake. Similarly the golden Hill Pavilion is like its namesake in Zenjiang. What is truly beautiful to behold are the temples that dot the hills to the north and east of the resort. They were built in the 18th century. They are built in what has come to be known in China as the Han, Mongolian and Tibetan styles.
Along with the resort these temples constitute one of the three major ancient architectural groups in China the other two being the Imperial Palace in Beijing and the Confucius Mansion etc in Qufu.
Of the Temples the most attractive is the Temple of Universal Tranquility (Puning Si). It is a Buddhist temple with the Mahayana Hall housing a carved wooden Buddha. This Buddha is about 25 meters high. It is said to be the biggest carved wooden Buddha in China. From outside, the temple is a bit deceptive as it looks as though it is made up on five-storeys.
There is another interesting temple built in the Tibetan style and patterned after the Potala Palace of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa. Perhaps this is why it is called the Little Potala. It is not so little though as it is the biggest of the eight temples. Its roof is adorned with gilded copper tiles. Guides will tell you that gold has gone into the gilding of each tile. Another temple built in the Tibetan style is the Temple of Sumeru Happiness and Longevity. This also has gilded tiles.
Chengde is cool and peaceful and makes for a lovely summer break. So enjoy the cool weather and your visit to the temples, reminders of China’s Imperial past.


For more information contact China National Tourism Administration, 9A Jianguomennei Ave., Beijing 100740, China, Tel: +86-10-65201114, Fax: +86-10-65122096, Email: webmaster@cnta.gov.cn and website: www.cnta.gov.cn