There is one stop at the West Gate of the Rail Transit Western Suburb Line. This section is driving right on the ground, and the vehicles seem to be walking through the park. It feels very romantic.

Cross the Jingmi Diversion Canal Bridge, keep left, towards the west embankment. The red brick road is covered with the south side of Kunming Lake and West Lake. The willows on the bank are tall and weeping. The north side is like a green fence, with dense trees and dense shade covering the sun.

Among the green trees on the north side, there is also a tall iron fence with thick railings. I am very curious, why is there a high iron fence around it before reaching the outer wall of the Summer Palace? At a flat bridge, several small square holes were opened in the iron fence, called bird watching entrances. Looking in through the bird watching entrance, there is a different cave in the sky. A clear clear blue water, and the Yufeng Tower of Yuquan Mountain is right in front of you.

This water area is Tuancheng Lake, with an isolated island in the center of the lake.

Tuancheng Lake is located due west of the Summer Palace, separated from the Gongzhitu Scenic Area by the Jade River, and separated from Kunming Lake by a small western embankment. So, why is this place surrounded by iron fences? It turns out that this is related to the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

Tuancheng Lake is the end point of the Beijing-Mihai Water Diversion Canal and the end point of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. The two major water sources are brought together and will contribute to the safety of urban water supply. In 2012, another lake was excavated on the south side of Tuancheng Lake and outside the south wall of the Summer Palace. Because it is adjacent to Tuancheng Lake in the north and is connected with it by a waterway, it is named "Tuancheng Lake Regulation Pool", which is also widely known as "Tuancheng Lake"."Tuancheng Lake" has become the largest water supply hub in the capital, so it is known as the "big water tank" in the capital.

The reason why this water area is enclosed is very simple, to put an end to the behavior of wild swimming. Because Tuanjie Lake is living water with clean and clear water, many people come here for wild swimming every summer. In order to protect the water sources in Beijing City and allow citizens to drink clean and sanitary water, the management had no choice but to build an entire circle of iron fences around Tuancheng Lake.

There is another thing to say about Tuancheng Lake: There was once a cit-shaped building on the island in the center of the lake, which was called the "Zhijing Pavilion" in history. Zhijing Pavilion was built in the 20th year of Qianlong. In the 10th year of Xianfeng, when the British and French coalition forces burned Qingyi Garden, Zhijing Pavilion survived because it was surrounded by water on all sides and was far away from the main building complex of Wanshou Mountain. In the 13th year of Guangxu's reign, Empress Dowager Cixi was short of funds to build the Summer Palace, and she had to tear down the masonry and wood of Zhijing Pavilion to build a huge palace on Wanshou Mountain. As a result, the island was deserted, and the original building only has a base site to this day.

From the perspective of landscaping, the Zhijing Pavilion was built to create a fairyland of "one water, three mountains". That is, three islands were set up in the vast water of Kunming Lake, and pavilions were built on the islands, namely Wangchan Pavilion (later known as Hanxu Hall, located on Nanhu Island), Zaojian Hall (in the middle of Kunming Lake and West Lake) and Zhijing Pavilion (Tuancheng Lake), which symbolizes the three "immortal mountains" of Penglai, Fangzhang and Yingzhou in the East China Sea in the myth and legend.
There is another rumor that needs to be clarified. It is said that the Zhijing Pavilion in Tuancheng Lake was originally a "water prison" specially used to detain eunuchs and palace ladies who made serious mistakes. Tuancheng Lake became a bit more mysterious and terrifying. Research has shown that the so-called "water prison" theory is groundless and pure myth.

The iron fence not only eliminates the behavior of wild swimming, but also creates a quiet and comfortable home for birds, resulting in a large increase in the number and species of birds. You can see that there are several bird watching entrances not far away on the iron fence. People often hold long guns and short cannons and occupy the bird watching entrances, concentrating on clapping.

Black Swan is a frequent visitor here. Look at how beautiful this figure is.

Walking towards the west embankment, you will see the mirror bridge.

After arriving at the Xidi, Wanshou Mountain and Foxiang Pavilion are in the northeast direction.

See the Jade Belt Bridge again.

When you reach the Yudai Bridge, don't get on the bridge, go left, see the fork not far away, turn right, and reach the Geng Zhitu Scenic Area.

The Gongzhitu Scenic Area was built during the Qianlong period, at the height of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, Emperor Qianlong specially moved the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau of the Palace Internal Affairs Office to the park. In 1860, the British and French allied forces burned down the "Three Mountains and Five Gardens" at that time, and the Geng and weaving map scenic area also suffered devastating damage, leaving only a stone tablet of "Geng and weaving map" written by Emperor Qianlong himself. In 1886, in the name of restoring lake water in Kunming, Cixi used naval funds at that time to build a water training school on the ruins of the Gengzhitu Scenic Area, making it a university of higher learning specialized in cultivating Manchu naval talents.

In 2004, the Summer Palace Farm-weaving Map Scenic Area was renovated and rebuilt. It consists of two historical buildings from different periods in the Farm-weaving Map area. One part is a garden-style building that embodies the royal farming and weaving culture of the Qianlong period, including Yanshang Zhai, Silkworm Temple, and the carving corridor of farming and weaving pictures; the other part is the restored Navy Academy.

Cultivate and weave the Kunlun stone tablet.

This is the only Qianlong relic in the Geng Zhi Tu Scenic Area. The whole body is carved of white marble, with an arc at the top symbolizing "Tianyuan" and a square at the bottom symbolizing "place". According to the written records on the stone tablet, the stone tablet was engraved in the 16th year of Qianlong. The three characters "Farming and Weaving Picture" on the front are Emperor Qianlong's royal pen, and the back is Emperor Qianlong's poem,"Jade Belt Bridge West Farming and Weaving Picture, Weaving Cloud Farming Rain Learn from Dongwu. Every time I pass by, I ask you questions about it, so that the scenery is more ordinary and interesting."

There is a silkworm temple east of the Kunlun stone tablet, which was used to worship the silkworm god at that time.

To the south of the Silkworm Temple, buildings such as Chengxian Hall, Yuhe Zhai, and Yanshang Zhai are built from south to north near the lake.

Chengxian Hall was the pier where Qianlong traveled to and from Yuquan Mountain for a rest.

The pavilion, Yanshangzhai, Yuhezhai and Chengxian Hall are connected by a veranda.

There are 48 stone carvings of farming and weaving drawings displayed in the promenades on both sides of Yanshangzhai. The stone carvings show the life scenes of men farming and women weaving at that time.

Opposite Yanshangzhai, the Water Exercise School was an aristocratic school established by the court during the Guangxu period to cultivate Manchu water military talents.

Continue to follow Tuancheng Lake to the west.

This is a paradise for waterbirds.

CCTV Tower shows its pointed head.

It was nearly noon and walked out of the west gate.

Beiwu Park is close to the west gate of the Summer Palace. I heard that there is a small lake here. Guanyu Spring Twin Pagoda Towers have a good effect.

Sure enough, it is the perfect location for Guanyufeng Tower.

The wonderful tower is slightly worse, only a little spire can be seen.

After lunch, I rested for two hours. After 4 p.m., continue to enter from the West Gate.

After crossing the Jingmi Diversion Canal Bridge, follow the west bank of Kunming Lake and West Lake south to the south end of the West Embankment.

This water area located on the south side of Tuancheng Lake is called Kunming Lake West Lake, which is a good place to watch lotus flowers in summer.

Looking at the Foxiang Pavilion here, the buildings are towering amidst the green scenery.

Jingming Tower.

Foxiang Pavilion, Jingming Tower, and Liuqiao seem to be arranged on the west embankment.

Arriving at the Xidi again, this time swimming from south to north.

Seventeen Confucius Bridge.

South Lake Island.

Liu Bridge.

Xiuyi Bridge.

The sun is about to set, the afterglow of the setting sun shines, the water surface is sparkling, the bridge pavilion and pavilions are covered with a layer of gold, and everything becomes hazy.

The sky darkened, the moon hung high on the horizon, several lights dotted the lake shore, and the Summer Palace entered a dream.

Two black swans wandered quietly on the water, enjoying their world.

Imagine that the Summer Palace is dimly lit at night, which should be a different scene. Unexpectedly, the Summer Palace does not turn on the lights at night. It is said that it is only open during festivals. There are not even street lights on the west embankment, for some unknown reason. Is it out of energy conservation and environmental protection considerations, or is it afraid of turning on the lights at night to attract more tourists, or some other reason? However, it is unreasonable to have no street lights. I hope that managers will stand from the perspective of tourists and consider issues for the convenience of tourists, protect and manage this world heritage well so that the people can fully enjoy it.

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