Xi Yang Lou (Chinese: 西洋楼; Hanyu Pinyin: Xī Yáng Lóu, lit: Western Mansion(s)) are ruins of 18th-century European-style imperial buildings on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. They are located in the northern part of the Chang Chun Yuan, one of the three gardens which once made up the Old Summer Palace, and cover an area of about 7 hectares. Pinyin (拼音, Pīnyīn) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to Hànyǔ Pīnyīn (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin used in the... The Imperial Gardens as they once stood The Old Summer Palace, known in China as the Gardens of Perfect Brightness (Chinese: 圆明园 / 圓明園; pinyin: ), and originally called the Imperial Gardens (Chinese: 御園; pinyin: ), was an extremely large complex of palaces and gardens 8 km (5 miles) northwest of the walls of Beijing, built... (help· info), a city in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... A hectare (symbol ha) is a unit of area, equal to 10,000 square meters, commonly used for measuring land area. ...

History

The Xi Yang Lou were commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor and designed mainly by the Italian Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione who was in his service as a court painter. Castiglione relied on the French Jesuit scientist Michel Benoist for the engineering tasks, in particular for the fountains, which were the chief interest of the emperor. Construction was carried out by Chinese craftsmen working under their supervision with some further contributions by other European artists, such as the German Ignatius Sickelpart and the Florentine Bonaventura Moggi. The Qianlong Emperor (born Hongli, September 25, 1711 – February 7, 1799) was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... Giuseppe Castiglione (郎世宁 1688-1766) was a Jesuit missionary to China. ... Michel Benoist (Chinese: 蔣友仁; pinyin: , October 8, 1715 in Autun or Dijon, France – October 23, 1774 in Beijing, China of a stroke) was a Jesuit scientist, who stood in the service of the Chinese Qianlong Emperor for thirty years and is most noted for the waterworks he constructed for the emperor. ...

Planning of the gardens started in 1747 and four years later in 1751, the first waterworks (Xie Qi Qu) were completed. Other milestones were the building of a large labyrinth (Huang Hua Zhen) in the years 1756 to 1759 and an observatory (Yuan Ying Guan) which was added in 1783. // Events January 31 - The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Dock Hospital April 9 - The Scottish Jacobite Lord Lovat was beheaded by axe on Tower Hill, London, for high treason; he was the last man to be executed in this way in Britain May 14 - First battle of Cape... Events Adam Smith is appointed professor of logic at the University of Glasgow March 25 - For the last time, New Years Day is legally on March 25 in England and Wales. ... 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1759 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Like the rest of the Old Summer Palace, the Xi Yang Lou was destroyed in a fire laid by the Anglo-French allied forces in 1860 during the Second Opium War. However, since the masonry work was not consumed by the fire, significant ruins of many of the buildings can still be found on the site. 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Some conservation work on the site was carried out between 1977 and 1992. The Huang Hua Zhen labyrinth was rebuilt during this time. For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1992 (MCMXCII in Roman) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

Architecture

The centerpiece of the Xi Yang Lou complex were several waterworks around which the major buildings were arranged. The buildings showcased distinctive European style elements, in particular of Italian baroque. The Grand Trianon apparently served as important source of inspiration. However, numerous design elements of Chinese origin were also included making the result a mixture of European and Chinese architecture. The Grand Trianon, 1678, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, architect Built near Versailles by Louis XIV, the Grand Trianon was designed to act as a place where Louis XIV could rest after his work at the Palace of Versailles. ...

The main structures of the Xi Yang Lou are: the Huang Hua Zhen labyrinth, the Xie Qi Qu (Harmonious Wonder) waterworks, the Yang Que Long (a gate with aviaries), the Fang Wai Guan (belvedere), the Hai Yan Tang (Hall of National Peace), the Yuan Ying Guan (Immense Ocean Observatory), the Da Shui Fa (Grand Waterworks), the Guan Shui Fa (Throne for Viewing the Waterworks), and the Xian Fa Shan (Hall of Perspective). This article is about the mazelike labyrinth. ... Belvedere (occasionally Belvidere) is an architectural term adopted from the Italian (literally fair view), which refers to any architectural structure sited to take advantage of such a view. ...

Huang Hua Zhen

Huang Hua Zhen

The Huang Hua Zhen (黄花阵, lit.: Yellow-Flower Maze) is a maze formed of 1.2 meter-high embossed-brick walls covering an area of 89 by 59 meters. The total length of the walls is 16 kilometers. In its center sits a European-style circular pavilion. The emperor is said to have sat in this pavilion to watch his concubines competing in a race with yellow lanterns through the labyrinth on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 579 KB) Photograph of the Huang Hua Zhen in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 579 KB) Photograph of the Huang Hua Zhen in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ...

Xie Qi Qu

Ruins of the Xie Qi Qu

The Xie Qi Qu (谐奇趣, lit.: Harmonious Wonder) is located in the southwest corner of the Xi Yang Lou. The complex is noted for containing China's first European-style water feature. The basins of the key fountains had a floral layout (shaped like crabapple or chrysanthemum flowers); they were fed by bronze waterspouts in the shape of animals (rams, ducks, fish). Water for the fountains came from a water tower which was filled by a mule-drawn water wheel. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1317 KB) Photograph of the ruins of the Xie Qi Qu in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1317 KB) Photograph of the ruins of the Xie Qi Qu in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... Species - Southern Crab - Siberian Crabapple - Sweet Crabapple - Apple - Japanese Crabapple - Oregon Crab - Chinese Crabapple - Prairie Crab - Asian Wild Apple - European Wild Apple Malus, the apples, is a genus of about 30-35 species of small deciduous trees or shrubs in the family Rosaceae, including most importantly the domesticated Orchard or... Species - tricolor daisy - pyrethrum - pyrethum daisy - crown daisy - marguerite - daisy - florists           chrysanthemum C. segetum - corndaisy Ref: ITIS 35791 See also Daisy (disambiguation) The chrysanthemum, also known as the mum, is a flowering perennial plant of the genus Chrysanthemum in the daisy family (Asteraceae). ...

Yang Que Long

Ruins of the Yang Que Long

The Yang Que Long (养雀笼, lit: Bird-Raising Cage) was a European-style gateway (archway) with side-wings housing aviaries. It is located towards the western end of the main east-west axis of the complex and was built in 1759. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1252 KB) Photograph of the ruins of the Yang Que Long (Aviary Gate) in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1252 KB) Photograph of the ruins of the Yang Que Long (Aviary Gate) in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... 1759 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Fang Wai Guan

Ruins of the Fang Wai Guan

The Fang Wai Guan (belvedere, 方外观) is a mansion located north-east of the Yang Que Long and facing south. It was built in 1759 and was originally two-stories tall. The mansion was decorated with European-style landscape paintings. Some of the artwork was done by the French Jesuit painter Jean Denis Attiret (1702-1768), others were designed by Giussepe Castiglione. The mansion is said to have been frequented by a Uyghur concubine in favor with the Qianlong Emperor and have contained tablets inscribed in Arabic which were lost in the early 20th century. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1105 KB) Photograph of the ruins of the Fang Wai Guan, a mansion in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1105 KB) Photograph of the ruins of the Fang Wai Guan, a mansion in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... 1759 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Jean Denis Attiret (Chinese: 王志誠; pinyin: , July 31, 1702 in Dole, France – December 8, 1768 in Beijing, China) was a French Jesuit painter and missionary to China. ... Events March 8 - William III died; Princess Anne Stuart becomes Queen Anne of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Uyghur (Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر; Turkish: Uygur; Simplified Chinese: 维吾尔; Traditional Chinese: 維吾爾; Hanyu Pinyin: ) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group living in northwestern China, mainly in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where they are the largest ethnic group, together with Han Chinese, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Turks, and Russians. ... The Qianlong Emperor (born Hongli, September 25, 1711 – February 7, 1799) was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China. ...

Wu Zhu Ting

Ruins of the Hai Yan Tang

The Wu Zhu Ting (五竹亭, Five Bamboo Pavilions) were located opposite to the southern front of the Fang Wai Guan. The ensemble consisted of five pavilions with double-eaved roofs connected by bamboo verandas. However, the building complex has been lost completely. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 954 KB) Photograph of the ruins of the Hai Yan Tang in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 954 KB) Photograph of the ruins of the Hai Yan Tang in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ...

Hai Yan Tang

The Hai Yan Tang (海晏堂, Hall of National Peace) is a building and garden complex erected east of the Fang Wai Guan in 1759. It consisted of a two-storied main building with a large fountain in front and an h-shaped water tower behind it. The fountain was known as the "Water Clock" because it was surrounded by twelve bronze waterspouts in the shape of human bodies with animal heads which were successively activated every two hours. 1759 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Yuan Ying Guan, Da Shui Fa, and Guan Shui Fa

Ruins of the Yuan Ying Guan (Immense Ocean Observatory)

The Yuan Ying Guan (远瀛观, Immense Ocean Observatory), and the Da Shui Fa (大水法) waterworks and the throne of the Guan Shui Fa (观水法) are located at the center of the Xi Yang Lou complex, where the form a much shorter north south axis. The Yuan Ying Guan was a large building with a central archway supported by tall white marble pillars. Some of the richly-carved masonry work can still be seen in the ruins which remain today. South of the observatory, in the center of the complex was the Da Shui Fa, a group of elaborate fountains. The Guan Shui Fa, to the south of the grand fountains served as a throne for the emperor to observe the water displays. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 535 KB) Summary photo taken by myself. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 535 KB) Summary photo taken by myself. ...

Xian Fa Shan

Ruins of the Xian Fa Shan

The Xian Fa Shan (线法山, lit: Perspective Hill) is a round hill east of the center of the Xi Yang Lou. Its name derives from perspective painting which was introduced to China by the western artists who worked on the buildings. On top of the hill stood an octagonal pavilion of which only scattered stone blocks survive. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1504 KB) Photograph of the Xian Fa Shan, a circular mount in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1504 KB) Photograph of the Xian Fa Shan, a circular mount in the Western Mansions area on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Xian Fa Hua

The Xian Fa Hua (线法画) was a display of perspective paintings of European landscapes. The paintings where arranged on seven pairs of symmetric walls to give the viewer the impression that he was actually looking out onto a European landscape. The display marks the eastern end of the Xi Yang Lou complex.

External links

• yuanmingyuanpark.com (mostly Chinese with some useful information in English)
• European Buildings with Chinese Characteristics