Another 40-minute bus ride, another historical marvel. The Summer Palace is on a lake that was enlarged to be about three times its size and has nice breezes. The emperor and then the Dowager Empress spent 6 months there each year when the other palace was too hot. The dowager empress, also known as the Dragon Lady, wormed her way into power for 48 years, and along the way she had two people poisoned and one emperor put on house arrest for years while she ruled instead of him. Quite a lady.
These are some sculptures outside the palace:
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Every day the empress walked along a beautiful covered walkway, about a half mile long, that parallels a canal with pond lilies. The setting is tranquil and serene.
The walkway is decorated with rows of stones made into flower and tree designs. The roof line of the walkway is decorated with 14,000 (!) paintings depicting scenes, including many scenes from well-known children's stories and legends.
At the end of the terraced walkway was a boat structure made of marble.
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