Which gate is the best to enter the Summer Palace?
The first is the East Palace Gate.
As the main entrance of the scenic spot, Donggongmen is the gate chosen by most tour groups, and it is close to the subway station, so most people choose to enter the scenic spot from this gate. After entering here, it is not far from the core of the palace area, and you can quickly reach the Yulantang under house arrest of Emperor Guangxu, the Leshou Hall of Cixi, the promenade, the Buddha Hall and other attractions.
Second, the new palace gate
Many people with local annual tickets will take this gate, which will greatly reduce the queuing time when there are many people. This door is the Seventeen-hole Bridge and Nanhu Island, which is directly in the core of the lake area.
Third, the North Palace Gate
Some free travellers will enter through this gate, and there is also a subway station, which is very convenient. After coming in from this door, you came to the back of Wanshou Mountain. First visit Suzhou Street, then climb the mountain, visit four continents, and then climb Wanshou Mountain to reach the core area of the Summer Palace.
The rest of the Summer Palace West Gate, South Ruyimen and North Ruyimen are not recommended. Unless you have been in Beijing for a long time and have been to the Summer Palace many times, you can only consider these three entrances if you want to avoid the crowds and enjoy different scenery.
Of the three doors you often go through, which one feels best when you enter the Summer Palace? The answer is Beigongmen.
First of all, Wanshou Mountain is the commanding height of the Summer Palace, and the North Palace Gate is near the back of Wanshou Mountain. From here, you need to climb Wanshou Mountain to reach the core area. Standing on the commanding heights of the Summer Palace, the view is extremely broad, and the whole Kunming Lake can be seen everywhere, which makes people shine at the moment and suddenly become enlightened. Standing on the top of the mountain, commanding, there will be a feeling of sitting on the world. Standing here, I can't help sighing. No wonder Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt the Summer Palace with 30 million taels of silver, formerly known as Qingyi Garden. Everywhere she went, she saw beautiful scenery. Moreover, the winding path above the mountain is secluded, and it also smells of adventure.
Secondly, if you enter from Beigongmen, you won't miss the scenic spots on four continents. The four continents of the Summer Palace were built according to ancient Indian philosophy. It is a combination of Chinese and Tibetan buildings in the middle of Wanshou Mountain in the Summer Palace, covering an area of 20,000 square meters. Four continents and eight small continents are arranged in four directions around the cabinet of Xiang Yan Zongyin, which symbolizes Maitreya Buddha, the center of the world. There are four Lama pagodas in the southeast, southwest, northeast and northwest of the pavilion, which represent the "four wisdom" of Buddhist scriptures. Climbing all the way, there is a feeling of pilgrimage.
Third, as soon as the North Palace Gate enters, there are buildings and scenery with Jiangnan characteristics such as small bridges and flowing water, which are very charming. This is Suzhou Street in the Summer Palace. This is a trading street built by Qianlong imitating the water town in the south of the Yangtze River, rebuilt on 1986, and it is the only orphan of the ancient "palace market" in China.
For the above reasons, it is best to enter the Summer Palace from the North Palace Gate. The scenery of the Summer Palace can be summarized as one mountain and one lake. From the perspective of sightseeing, it is necessary to have the experience of traveling and the process of playing with water. When you enter the North Palace Gate, you can experience both. Moreover, you can avoid the peak of people flow, and you can visit the whole park without queuing.