Gems Sparkle on West Dyke
by Victoria Martinsson
They are like beautiful pearls on a green
necklace, the six bridges of the Western Dyke, located on the west side of Kunming Lake by
the Summer Palace. This area is especially beautiful in April, with swans swimming in the
lake and magnolia and red peach blossoming.
ÒWhere is the best scene along the Yuquan Mountains? The scenery at Kunming Lake is matchless.?This couplet was written by Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795). It was he who enlarged Kunming Lake and built the Western Dyke with its beautiful bridges. Emperor Qianlong was inspired by the Su Dyke in the Western Lake of Huangzhou, in southern China. He wanted to create something just as beautiful the Summer Palace.
The enlargement of Kunming Lake was completed in just a few months, to be ready for Emperor QianlongÕs motherÕs birthday in the spring of 1750. To fill the new enlarged Kunming Lake, water from both Yuquan Mountains and the West Mountains was used. More than 20,000 men worked with the enlargement. In 1756, the six bridges of the Western Dyke were completed and the water could flow freely between West Lake and Kunming Lake. At the same time as the six bridges were built, another bridge was built, namely the 17-Arch Bridge. This is the largest bridge in Kunming Lake.
When the Western Dyke was built, stones were laid along the sides, protecting it from being washed away by water. These stones are still visible today, just as the 2-meter sticks were also used to protect the dyke. Just look closely by the waterÕs edge around the dyke and you will see them sticking up. These sticks are made of a hard type of Chinese wood and are more than 250 years old.
Six Bridges
The most famous of the bridges is the white marble
Jade Belt Bridge. It is the only arched bridge among the six bridges along the Western
Dyke. Its parabolic surface looks exactly like a jade belt, hence the name. It is also the
only bridge high enough for a boat to pass through.
The other five are, from north to south: the Bridge of Jie Lake, the Bridge of Bin Wind, the Mirror Bridge, the Silk Bridge and the Willow Bridge. All of them, except the Bridge of Jie Lake, have a pavilion on top: an excellent place to have a picnic or just rest tired legs. There used to be a pavilion on top of the Bridge of Jie Lake as well. Unfortunately, it burnt down in 1948.
The names of the bridges have been derived from ancient poems to describe the beautiful surroundings. And this part of the Summer Palace Park truly is beautiful, especially in early spring. Already during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) this was a popular place to visit. Be it for a picnic under the magnolia trees or a walk along the water.
Seventh Bridge
But there actually is a seventh bridge on the Western Dyke, between Willow Bridge and Silk Bridge, called the One Arch Bridge. Empress Dowager Cixi built it to create access to Zaojian Hall, situated on an island. This bridge was constructed during the end of the 19th century and originally made out of wood. This bridge could be opened, so Cixi could go by boat through the bridge. Today the One Arch Bridge is made out of stone and thus can no longer be opened.
Empress Dowager Cixi used Zaojian Hall for banquets for ambassadors and other foreign guests. Since it was located on an island, it was considered a very safe place to entertain important guests. Cixi decorated Zaojian Hall with furniture and artefacts from the Western world. Today there is a road leading to Zaojian Hall, but the building itself is closed to visitors.
More to See
But there is more to see in this part of the park. Between the Silk Bridge and the Willow Bridge is The Pavilion of Bright Scenery. And just like this whole area, it is inspired by the southern parts of China. In fact, it is an imitation of the Yuegang Pavilion in Hunan Province.
When Kunming Lake was constructed, the dug-up soil was used to build a hill on the far side of West Lake. On this hill, Emperor Qianlong built the Hall of Magnificent View. The view from here lives up to its name, with the Western Hills on one side and West Lake on the other. According to Chinese tradition, mountains are a symbol for benevolence and water a symbol for long life. For a Chinese garden to be complete, it should have both water and mountains. Otherwise the garden lacks soul.
Emperor Qianlong used to come to the Hall of Magnificent View to write poems and
calligraphy, and at night, he would watch the stars. Today, this is a popular place to
practise Tai Chi, especially for the older generation.
The Summer Palace and the park were opened to the public in 1912 and today more than 1,500 people work here taking care of the park. It is a popular with both locals and tourists, but the West Lake area remains remains an undiscovered gem.
The best way to reach this part of the Summer Palace is to enter either by the Ruyi gate (Bus 375 departs from Xizhimen) or the South Ruyi Gate (Bus 374 departs from Gongzhufen).
Bus 332 departs from Beijing Zoo and stops at Donggongmen (East Gate of Summer Palace)