The Kunming Lake area is the most famous part of the Summer Palace. Covering the larger part of the Palace, this is where Emperors and Empresses used to relax and enjoy the cool climate of the park away from the hit putting Beijing on fire at summer time. Unique vistas among all that can be see in the park, the Kunming lake is paying tribute to natural beauty and inspiring relaxation and quietness to those having the chance to spend some times on its banks discovering its many highlights.

The Bronze Ox

The Bronze Ox is one of the most famous attractions of the Lake set on bluestone wave-lined pedestal, overlooking the east shore of the Kunming Lake. The reason for an ox presence in the park can appeal to reflection but for history, the ox is said in Chinese believes to have to power to control floods: a major cause of death in ancient China. Around the bronze ox developed the legend that the master of floods prevention: Da Yu, after completion of any of his projects would put an iron ox into the water for preventing the area or region from flood disasters. Customary since the Tang Dynasty (618-907), oxen are since then lined at the edge of waterways.

Originally, the bronze ox was set there by Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799). Adopting a realistic approach, the ox has become an integral part of the surrounding environment. It is the largest of its kind in China, reflecting the high casting level of ancient China.

Seventeen-Arch Bridge

Connecting the eastern shore of the Kunming Lake to the Nanhu Island in the west, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge is a major attraction of the Kunming Lake. With a length of 150 meters (164 yards) and a width of 8 meters (8.75 yards), it is the longest bridge in the Summer Palace, built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799). Highly inspired from other famous Chinese bridges such as the Lugou Bridge in Beijing and Baodai Bridge in Suzhou (Zhejiang Province), the Seventeen-Arch Bridge looks like a rainbow arching over the water. 544 distinctive white marble lions are carved on the column of the parapets with a bizarre beast on each end of the bridge.

An interesting legend connecting to the construction of this bridge can be noticed. Coming to the court to sell his "Longmen stone", a poor old man didn't receive any attention from the people who started to despise him because of his poor looking. Waiting for a buyer, the old man sat beside a tree but the rain forced him to shelter in some places. Kindly advised and sheltered by a man, the old man offered his Longmen Stone as a gift to his host to thank him, and returned home. Years after the beginning of the construction of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, just one stone was missing but no one could find nor design the appropriate shape. Remembering about the old man, people started to look for him in the vicinity but just found the exact stone given years ago to the host. Fitting perfectly, the stone completed the construction of the bridge that could start to be used by the Emperor. Since then, the old man is believed to be the incarnation of Luban, ancestor of carpenters, who came to help people build the imperial bridge.

Nanhu Island

The Nanhu Island (南湖岛South Lake Island) is the largest one among the three islands of the Kunming Lake. This over one hectare (2.5 acres) island is located in the southeast of the lake, connected to the east bank by the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. Originally, the island and the whole Kunming Lake were artificial for thousands of workers designed it, excavating the lake thus making the island emerging from the earth and water. The whole island is edged by huge stones and enclosed with carved stone fences. Seen from the distance, the island together with the Seventeen-Arch Bridge look like a tortoise stretching its neck. Symbol of longevity in Chinese culture, the tortoise was a beloved animal for Emperors and especially Emperor Qianlong, who originally built this garden in the name of his mother's 60^th birthday.

On the island, two main buildings make the highlights of the site: the Hanxu Hall and the Dragon King Temple. The Hanxu Hall is the shelter where Empress Dowager Cixi inspected the navy drill. Every time she came to the Summer Palace, she made a stop-over for worshiping at the temple, using a boat to reach the holy island.

Marble Boat

Maybe one of the most remarkable buildings that visitors notice when visiting the Summer Palace, the Marble Boat (Shifang) is a structure tracing back from Emperor Qianlong's reign (1711-1799). Located at the west end of the Long Corridor gallery, the boat was built in 1755 but the fires set during the Anglo-French occupation destroyed its superstructure. Empress Dowager Cixi's general reconstruction of the Kingdom's ancient buildings saved the memory of the original boat although rebuilt in an imitation of western-style yachts. Some wood subassemblies hidden through a marble texture are present in the boat, although called "Marble Boat".

Behind the creation of that boat lies an interesting story telling a lot about emperors' way of thinking the world and the management of the country. Indeed, the boat was constructed after the Tang Dynasty (618-907) minister Wei Zheng told the Emperor these words: "The waters that bear the boat are the same that swallow it up". Reading between the lines, the Emperor understood the comparison of the boat to the Emperor and the waters to the people. The saying turned into a real advice that the Emperor should care about his people for they can overthrow him. In order to make the reign of the Qing Dynasty the longest as possible, he ordered the creation of a firm boat made of stone that cannot be overturned by the waters.