China Stamp: 2008-10

China Stamps
Name: The Summer Palace
Number: 2008-10
Date of Issue: 10 May 2008
Value: 6 stamps/set

Denominations:
1.20 Yuan (6-1): Shiqikong Bridge (Seventeen-Arch Bridge)
1.20 Yuan (6-2): Long Corridor
1.20 Yuan (6-3): The Marble Boat
1.20 Yuan (6-4): Garden of Harmonious Interests
1.20 Yuan (6-5): Yudai Bridge (Jade Belt Bridge)
1.20 Yuan (6-6): Back Lake

The Summer Palace or Yi he yuan (traditional Chinese: 頤和園; simplified Chinese: 颐和园; literally "Garden of Nurtured Harmony") is a palace in Beijing, China. The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill (60 meters high) and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is water. The central Kunming Lake covering 2.2 square kilometers was entirely man made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill. In its compact 70,000 square meters of building space, one finds a variety of palaces, gardens, and other classical-style architectural structures.

The Summer Palace started out life as the Garden of Clear Ripples (traditional Chinese: 清漪園; simplified Chinese: 清漪园) in 1750 (Reign Year 15 of Emperor Qianlong). Artisans reproduced the garden architecture styles of various palaces in China. Kunming Lake was created by extending an existing body of water to imitate the West Lake in Hangzhou. The palace complex suffered two major attacks--during the Anglo-French allied invasion of 1860 (with the Old Summer Palace also ransacked at the same time), and during the Boxer Rebellion, in an attack by the eight allied powers in 1900. The garden survived and was rebuilt in 1886 and 1902. In 1888, it was given the current name, Yihe Yuan. It served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi, who diverted 30 million taels of silver, said to be originally designated for the Chinese navy (Beiyang Fleet), into the reconstruction and enlargement of the Summer Palace. More...

Official Website of The Summer Palace

2008-10 The Summer Palace Stamps
2008-10 The Summer Palace Souvenir Sheet