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The West Causeway is a long causeway in Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace that winds from northwest to southeast. There are six bridges on the Su Causeway in West Lake, and six bridges were built on the West Causeway. Even the willow trees planted along the Su Causeway were copied to the West Causeway of Kunming Lake. To this day, there are still 19 willow trees from that time still on the enchanting West Causeway. But the difference is that the Su Causeway is straight, while the West Causeway is winding.
There are also wild peach trees planted on the West Bank. When they are in full bloom, the peach blossoms and the ancient buildings complement each other, creating a picturesque scene. The peach blossom cycle is generally in mid-to-late March.
Attraction Location: Inside the Summer Palace (颐和园), Haidian District, Beijing (北京市海淀区颐和园内)
History: The West Dike (西堤) was built during the Qing Dynasty under Emperor Qianlong (乾隆), modeled after the famous Su Causeway (苏堤) in Hangzhou’s West Lake. It was designed to integrate the charm of southern China’s waterscapes into the northern imperial garden.
Architecture: The West Dike stretches for about 1 km across Kunming Lake (昆明湖), with six elegant stone bridges crossing the water: Yudai Bridge (玉带桥), Jiehu Bridge (界湖桥), Xiuyi Bridge (绣漪桥), Donghu Bridge (东浦桥), Lian Bridge (练桥), and Jing Bridge (镜桥). These bridges and willow-lined pathways create a poetic landscape that blends human craftsmanship with natural scenery.
Cultural Value: It represents the blending of northern and southern garden styles and is often described as a “northern Su Causeway.” The West Dike provides one of the best perspectives to admire Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill (万寿山), and the central structures of the Summer Palace. It’s a favorite spot for poets, painters, and photographers.
Other Information: In spring, peach blossoms and willow trees create a picturesque scene; in autumn, golden reeds and falling leaves make it especially tranquil. It is less crowded than the main halls and provides a more peaceful walking experience.
Opening Hours: Same as the Summer Palace (颐和园)
April–October: 06:30–18:00 (last entry 17:00)
November–March: 07:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00)
Ticket Price:
Summer Palace Admission (includes West Dike access): ¥30 (Nov–Mar), ¥40 (Apr–Oct)
Combined Ticket (including special halls): ¥60 (Nov–Mar), ¥80 (Apr–Oct)
Best Photo Spots:
Yudai Bridge (玉带桥) – elegant arch reflected in the lake
Middle section of West Dike – panoramic views of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake
Sunset from Xiuyi Bridge (绣漪桥)
Time Reference: 1–2 hours walking along the West Dike; 3–4 hours if combined with Longevity Hill and main palace areas.
Other Info: Walking the West Dike involves gentle slopes and bridges, comfortable shoes are recommended.
The West Embankment of the Summer Palace was built in imitation of the Su Causeway in West Lake, Hangzhou. Peach and willow trees are planted along the embankment. In spring, the willows are green and the peaches are red. It is known as the "South of the Yangtze River in the North". Walking along the West Embankment from the south to the north, you will see green willows and red peaches, and the spring is bright, as if you are in a fairyland.
Walking along the West Causeway gives you the feeling of walking along the Su Causeway in West Lake. There are also six bridges of various shapes, with different scenery on both sides. On the left, Kunming Lake is as calm as a mirror, and the Buddhist Incense Pavilion in the distance is majestic and majestic; on the right, there are reeds, withered lotus leaves, and sparkling water, which is full of wildness, and you may occasionally encounter a family of black swans.
The West Bank of the Summer Palace is crowded with citizens on weekends, most of whom are exercising around the lake.
On the West Embankment, there are Mirror Bridge, Lian Bridge, Jingyang Tower and Willow Bridge lined up in a row, which are in full view. Behind the West Embankment, you can see the Tower of Buddhist Incense and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. Especially in late autumn, the West Embankment becomes a yellow ribbon, spreading across Kunming Lake, with a unique beauty.
I specially went around the Summer Palace from the West Bank. Each of the six bridges on the West Bank is different.
The West Causeway is also worthy of a separate entry under the Summer Palace's list. For most tourists, due to the distance, they usually don't walk to the West Causeway. But just like the West Lake is inseparable from the Su Causeway and Bai Causeway, the Summer Palace Kunming Lake, which was built to imitate the West Lake, is also inseparable from the West Causeway. But it should be noted that you need to be outside the causeway to enjoy the causeway. If you are not taking a boat, you can walk the road west of the West Causeway and then look east to see the West Causeway.
The West Causeway was modeled after the Su Causeway in West Lake in Hangzhou. From north to south, there are six bridge pavilions of different styles, namely Jiehu Bridge, Binfeng Bridge, Yudai Bridge, Jingqiao, Lianqiao and Liuqiao.
It was named "West Dike" in memory of Xi Shi, and it echoes the "Li Dike" leading to the "Bogong Island" scenic area at the west end of the island. The two dikes embrace the lake and connect the three scenes, and the dikes and lakes complement each other. Like the Li Dike, the West Dike is on the Xili Lake, but the two dikes are on the east and west sides of Yufu Island respectively. They connect Yufu Island, Shilifang Dike and the Ring Road into one, like two ribbons on Li Lake.
The scenery is beautiful, comparable to the West Causeway in Hangzhou. One of the main gardens of the Summer Palace, it not only attracts many tourists and photography enthusiasts, but is also a holy place for retired elderly people to walk around.
The West Embankment is a classic rural landscape of the Summer Palace. It separates Kunming Lake from Kunming West Lake and Tuancheng Lake, but it also serves as a place for people to look westward. From south to north, the West Embankment is strung with several pearl-like landscape buildings such as the Willow Bridge, Jingming Tower, Stone Bridge, Lian Bridge, Mirror Bridge, and Jade Belt Bridge. In spring, the willow buds on the West Embankment are light yellow and tender green, full of vitality like smoke and fog. Wild peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, pear blossoms, and peach blossoms are in full bloom, in clusters and clusters, like colorful clouds flying. When the wind blows, the petals fall in a riot of color, like snowflakes dancing, which is magnificent!