"3-Hour Walking Guide to the Old Summer Palace! Pass + Route + Photo Spots All Included"

📍 Old Summer Palace, Beijing | Travel through a century in three hours, where the most poignant "beauty" is hidden

🎫 Ticket Guide

General admission 25 RMB (includes Western-style building ruins), enter through the Zhengjue Temple entrance (currently under renovation but can be passed quickly), heading straight to the core area saves time!

🚶‍♀️ 3-Hour Highlight Route

Zhengjue Temple → Western-style Building Ruins (Grand Waterworks, Xieqiqu, Fangwai Pavilion) → Restored Sand Table

⚠️ Reminder: The park is as big as a maze! Three hours only covers 1/5 of it; for an in-depth visit, half a day is recommended.

💔 Must-Visit "Painful Aesthetic"

1️⃣ Western-style Building Ruins: Peering through broken walls and ruins reveals the "Garden of Gardens" from the Qianlong era. The stone carvings and the curves of the remaining columns tell stories of past luxury. Standing before the Grand Waterworks, imagine the fountain cascading like a waterfall, then contrast it with the current desolation—national pride and humiliation surge simultaneously.

2️⃣ Restored Sand Table: A 1:150 scale model restoring the entire Old Summer Palace, helping you understand what "moving heaven and earth in your heart" means. What we walk through is just the tip of the iceberg.

3️⃣ Fuhai Scenic Area: The lake in autumn and winter is desolate and tranquil, with withered lotus and solitary boats forming an ink painting—perfect for sitting quietly, daydreaming, and reflecting on history and the present.

🎧 Immersive Experience Tips

✅ Rent an electronic guide device (20 RMB each), scan the code to listen to stories behind the ruins, more touching than just a quick look.

✅ Wear comfortable sneakers! Walking inside exceeds 20,000 steps, and the stone paths are uneven, so be careful.

✅ In autumn and winter, it’s best to enter at 2 PM; the soft light makes the silhouettes of the remaining columns very atmospheric.

📸 Photo Guide

▪️ Side lighting on the Grand Waterworks stone columns instantly creates cinematic shots

▪️ Use the ruined wall of Xieqiqu as a background; wearing plain clothes enhances the sense of desolation

▪️ On the bench by Fuhai, capture photos themed "Loneliness and Eternity"

💭 Personal Reflection

This is not an ordinary park but a three-dimensional history textbook. When your fingers touch the burned stone columns and the wind blows through the empty European-style arches, you suddenly understand what "the country is broken but the mountains and rivers remain" means. Parents bringing children might want to explain some Old Summer Palace history beforehand; the impact on-site far exceeds textbooks.

🚇 Transportation Information

Subway Line 4, get off at Old Summer Palace Station, Exit B, 5-minute walk to the South Gate

For driving, park at the South Gate Parking Lot; spaces are limited, so arrive early

🌿 Hidden Easter Egg

The cultural and creative shop at the exit has an "Old Summer Palace Passport"—collecting stamps is super fun! Buy an ice cream shaped like the "Grand Waterworks" (22 RMB), enjoy it while strolling for an extra vibe~

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"One Old Summer Palace, half of modern history."

The beauty here carries scars; the pain here inspires progress.

If you come to Beijing, please reserve half a day for it.