Atlas of China
Chengde Mountain Resort 承德避暑山庄Chéngdé Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng
The Qing emperors' summer capital, ringed by temples, some modelled on Tibet's
- Best time
- May–Oct
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Days to budget
- 1½ days
- Stay in
- Chengde
- Region
- Hebei
- Type
- Heritage
- Listed as
- 5A scenic area, National heritage site, UNESCO World Heritage
Why go to Chengde Mountain Resort
For much of the 18th century the Qing court spent its summers in this walled park in the hills north-east of Beijing, where lakes, pavilions, wooded slopes and an open grassy plain recreate landscapes from across the empire. Beyond the walls, the Eight Outer Temples include a scaled-down copy of Lhasa's Potala Palace and a hall built around a giant wooden statue of the thousand-armed Guanyin.
The story
It was here, not in Beijing, that the Qianlong Emperor received Britain's first embassy to China under Lord Macartney in 1793, and sent it home without the trade concessions it had come for.
What to see at Chengde Mountain Resort
- Yanbo Zhishuang Hall 烟波致爽殿: The emperor's sleeping hall in the palace zone, built in 1711 and named by the Kangxi Emperor; the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors stayed in the resort in summer.
- Misty Rain Tower 烟雨楼: The main building on Green Lotus Island in the lake zone, modelled on the Misty Rain Tower at Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang.
- Wenjin Pavilion 文津阁: A royal library pavilion modelled on the Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo, one of four Qing imperial libraries that held a set of the Siku Quanshu.
- Putuo Zongcheng Temple 普陀宗乘之庙: The largest of the outer temples, styled on Lhasa's Potala Palace.
- Puning Temple 普宁寺: An outer temple whose hall houses a giant wooden thousand-armed Guanyin.
How to visit Chengde Mountain Resort
Enter the resort by the main gate and take the sightseeing buses, since the grounds cover about 5.6 km2; the palace zone, lakes and plain each take an hour or more. The outer temples lie outside the walls and are reached by taxi or bus, so keep them for a second half-day. In half a day, see the palace and lakes and pick one outer temple.
How to get to Chengde Mountain Resort
High-speed trains from Beijing reach Chengde in about an hour; the resort and the outer temples are short taxi rides from the city centre.
Where to stay
Stay in central Chengde, which is close to both the resort and the evening snack stalls and night market, and from where taxis reach the outer temples.
What to eat
- Jiangmi lianggao 江米凉糕: A Chengde cake of glutinous rice, sesame and red bean paste, sweet but not greasy.
- Almond tea 杏仁茶: A warm, sweet almond drink, easy to find near the resort.
Tips for visiting Chengde Mountain Resort
- Use the park's sightseeing buses to cover the resort's large grounds.
- Save energy for the outer temples: Putuo Zongcheng and Puning are the highlights.
- Summer weekends fill up with Beijingers escaping the heat, so go midweek if you can.
Nearby
- Jinshanling Great Wall 金山岭长城 70 km
A Ming ridge-top wall of 67 towers, restored at one end and wild towards Simatai - Simatai Great Wall and Gubei Water Town 司马台长城·古北水镇 70 km
Steep Ming watchtowers on a ridge above a resort water town, with a lit night walk
Also within 30 km: Puren Temple 溥仁寺 (under 10 km), City God Temple, Chengde 承德城隍庙 (under 10 km), Pule Temple 普乐寺 (under 10 km), Anyuan Temple 安远庙 (under 10 km), Xumi Fushou Temple 须弥福寿之庙 (under 10 km), Putuo Zongcheng Temple 普陀宗乘之庙 (under 10 km).
On the map
Open Chengde Mountain Resort on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.
Open Chengde Mountain Resort on the map