General Information
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The Old Summer Palace is located in the northwestern suburb of Beijing. It was the second financial center and a royal garden in the ancient China. It was also called as the "garden of gardens" and the "Versailles of the East" in Europe at that era. The Old Summer Palace covering an area of over 5000 mus with all the traditional Chinese architectural art and culture. The Old Summer Palace can be rated as one of the human’s cultural treasure houses with the numerous invaluable treasures preserved and the largest museum in the world as well.
The history event, the burnt of the old imperial palace took place in the late Qing Dynasty. The old imperial palace refers to the old summer palace (Yuanmingyuan). The crimes was committed by the Anglo- French Allied Forces when they invaded China in the October of 1860, as well as an appalling culture that ruining the modern Chinese history.
Starting from 1857, the Anglo- French Allied Forces launched the invasive war against China while the emperor Xian Feng was weak and powerless. The Old summer Palace was plundered and burned twice by the foreign invaders. On Octoer 6, 1860, they attacked the capital Beijing and rushed to the imperial palace to carry out the treasures. When they robbing off nearly all the treasures from palace, an English minister plenipotentiary ordered to burn the palace. After experienced the fire three days and night, the Old Summer Palace was no longer has its original appearance, except for some remote places and spots on water managed could be survive in this disaster.
The history event, the burnt of the old imperial palace took place in the late Qing Dynasty. The old imperial palace refers to the old summer palace (Yuanmingyuan). The crimes was committed by the Anglo- French Allied Forces when they invaded China in the October of 1860, as well as an appalling culture that ruining the modern Chinese history.
Starting from 1857, the Anglo- French Allied Forces launched the invasive war against China while the emperor Xian Feng was weak and powerless. The Old summer Palace was plundered and burned twice by the foreign invaders. On Octoer 6, 1860, they attacked the capital Beijing and rushed to the imperial palace to carry out the treasures. When they robbing off nearly all the treasures from palace, an English minister plenipotentiary ordered to burn the palace. After experienced the fire three days and night, the Old Summer Palace was no longer has its original appearance, except for some remote places and spots on water managed could be survive in this disaster.
History
The Imperial Place was first constructed in 1709 during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in Qing Dynasty (1709 A.D), it included the three main gardens: Yuanmingyuan Park, Chang Chun Garden, and Wan Chun Garden covering with a total area of 350 bectares. It finally finished building after went through six emperors with more than 150 years.
In October 1860, the Anglo- French forces sacked and looted the old summer palace and burned it to the ground. From then on, the imperial palace suffered continual damage at the hands of the warlords, bandits, and the Eight- Power Allied Forces. Its former beauty and glory were gone, the entire palace lay in clusters of ruins and debris.
After the birth of the People's Republic of China, the government has placed the old summer palace as a key cultural sites under special protection. In November 1979, the old summer palace history exhibition centre was formally inaugurated to the visitors or tourists. Because of an unredeemed and cruel history about the old summer palace, today, more and more tourists from all over the world come over to visit.
In October 1860, the Anglo- French forces sacked and looted the old summer palace and burned it to the ground. From then on, the imperial palace suffered continual damage at the hands of the warlords, bandits, and the Eight- Power Allied Forces. Its former beauty and glory were gone, the entire palace lay in clusters of ruins and debris.
After the birth of the People's Republic of China, the government has placed the old summer palace as a key cultural sites under special protection. In November 1979, the old summer palace history exhibition centre was formally inaugurated to the visitors or tourists. Because of an unredeemed and cruel history about the old summer palace, today, more and more tourists from all over the world come over to visit.
What happened to the Old Summer Palace in 1860s?
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In October 1860, the Anglo- French forces set a fire to the palace and burned it to the ground. After three days and nights fire that the imperial palace has suffered, only the European-styly palaces survived because they were made of stone unlike the Chinese- style structures. Fortunately, a few Chinese- style buildings that far away from the centre district had also survived the fire.
What happened to the Old Summer Palace after 1860s?
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The Chinese imperial court tried to rebuild the whole complex of the imperial palace but was unable to raise money and resources due to the difficult situation of China at that time. Most of the site was left and used by local farmers as for agricultural until 1980s was reclaimed by the government and turned to be a historical site. It led to debates of rebuild and other development issues.
What did the imperial palace represents in the past and now?
Past- It was the second financial center in the Qing Dynasty
- It was given name as " Garden of Gardens" and "Versailles of the East" in Europe at that era - It represents the power of the royal family - It represents the luxurious life |
Present- Reclaimed by the government and turned to be a historical site in 1980s
- Became a key culture site under special proetction - Used it as a tourist attraction - No longer belongs to the royal family |
What makes the Old Summer Palace important to the Chinese?
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- It was the second financial center in the Qing Dynasty
- It was the place where witnessed the three great emperors (Kang xi, Yong zheng, Qian long) meet up for the first time and the only once was in the old summer palace
- It represented the power of the royal family in the past hundred years
- It was the greatest creation that the ancient people left to us
- It used to be our Chinese's pretension
- It was the place where the famous french writer, Victor Hugo, described as the world miracle, the old summer palace.
- It was the place where contained the Chinese's heritage
- It was the place where witnessed the three great emperors (Kang xi, Yong zheng, Qian long) meet up for the first time and the only once was in the old summer palace
- It represented the power of the royal family in the past hundred years
- It was the greatest creation that the ancient people left to us
- It used to be our Chinese's pretension
- It was the place where the famous french writer, Victor Hugo, described as the world miracle, the old summer palace.
- It was the place where contained the Chinese's heritage
How does the imperial palace influence China through different areas?
Political impact: It used to be the second financial and political center in the past hundred years where the emperors spent most their life in. For example, the emperor Yong Zheng (雍正) spent most his life and doing work in the old summer palace. In fact that he spent more time in the old summer palace than the Forbidden City (The imperial palace from Ming Dynasty to the end of Qing Dynasty where the emperors held court). After 1860s, the foreign invaders had brought out their ideology of capitalism to China once they gain over half control of the Qing government. Because of that period of time, people started to think critically, so then called the end of feudalism and the start of bourgeois then later the proletariat.
Economic impact: The western forces had used their power to plunder people's food and resources, but they did bringing their technologies to China, which made China a more modernize country.
Culture impact:The foreign invaders had transfered the idea of slavery and colonisation to the people China, which it was then serious crushed people's confident and dignity.
Social environment impact: People had suffered from the corrupted Qing government and under foreigners' control. There were some voices coming out from different social classes. Because of people started to have critically thoughts, it led China to get out of the feudalism and started with the bourgeois period.
Military Impact: After the eight power forced had invaded the capital Beijing, the emperor realized that the world has already gone with using cold weapons period, such as sword and lance. It led China to a more develop period of investigating on science and technology.
Why was the burning of the old summer palace a tipping point in Chinese history?
The historical event, the burnt of the old summer palace can be a tipping point to the Chinese history because this event reflected the corrupted Qing government and the emperor has no longer gained the supreme power. After 1860, the Qing government had becoming weaker and weaker that the foreign invaders can easily control our country. The western imperialist had brought their new ideology and technologies to China, which destroyed people's belief and their dignity. Then China has a huge change from a feudalism period to a new communist society.