Best Essence of Chengde
Emperors of ancient Qing Dynasty spent 89 years and numerous money to establish a vast complex of palaces, temples, halls, gardens and walls in Chengde, also known as the Mountain Resort where the emperors used to decamp from the summer heat and hold ceremonies with northern Mongol tribes. Without doubt that Chengde is a mysterious heaven land that even the emperors wanted to possess privately and the reasons might be the comfortable weather, beautiful mountains, connected with grassland, close to Beijing…
Fortunately Chengdu now is no longer the private garden of Qing Dynasty emperors anymore. All travelers are welcomed to explore those exquisite palaces and beautiful gardens. Currently, Beijing is the best gateway to travel to Chengde, with fast and comfortable high speed bullet trains available. Our private Chengde tour is to help you travel to Chengde in a worry-free and valuable way. You will take a morning high speed train to Chengde from Beijing, and have 2 full days to discover the most highlighting sites in Chengde, and then return to Beijing by high speed train.
Highlights of this tour
This morning, you will take an early high speed train to Chengde (about 1.5hrs), the private backyard garden of Beijing. Upon arrival at Chengde train station, your local tour guide and drive will meet you and escort you to start your Chengde discovery tour!
On the way to Chengde, you will drop by Two-Pagoda Peaks where two giant rocky peaks stand together with two similar ancient pagodas on the flat tops. Formed by water and wind erosion, the twin stone pillars have existed over forty million years. And, the two brick pagodas were confirmed to be constructed during Liao Dynasty over 1,000 years ago, one is well-preserved with a golden statue of sitting Buddha and another one is already in ruin. Whether you take a leisure hike or cable car to visit this spot, you must wonder about how the Khitans completed such work in the ancient time without obvious access up to the summit.
And then, drive about half an hour to Chengde Mountain Resort, a famous royal summer resort of Qing Dynasty that has been evaluated as one of China’s Four Famous Gardens & one of Three Greatest Ancient Architectures and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site with Eight Outer Temples around. Built between 1703 and 1792 for a total of 89 years by Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors for temporary stay during autumn hunting, the resort is a huge complex consisting of scenic areas of palaces, administrative and ceremonial buildings, gardens and different natural landscapes. Many emperors of the Qing Dynasty spent nearly half a year staying here, processing government affairs and enjoying summer holidays. Kangxi and Qianlong Emperor even named 36 scenic spots each to express their great affection for it.
You will enter from Lizheng Gate to firstly visit the Palace Area. Take your time to visit Chengde Mountain Resort Museum (former Zheng Palace), Songhezhai and Wanhesongfeng Hall to trace back to previous royal offices and living quarters. Next, walk to enjoy peaceful green lakes embraced by many shoreside lush trees and ancient buildings, which will refresh your mind and offer you a pleasant summer retreat like Chinese ancient royals. Have a leisurely stroll along the lakes and visit Yanyu Tower to view elegant Jiangnan-style architectures with handwriting of Qianlong Emperor. Plain Area is where the ancient emperors held horse racings and met and feted the nobility of the minority and religious leaders and foreign envoys. You can walk through vast grassland and dense forests in Wanshu Garden and see the Mongolian yurts and Liuhe Pagoda, a nine-storey Buddhist stupa built by Qianlong Emperor to repay thanksgiving of his mother which imitated the shape of Great Bao’en Temple in Nanjing.
After about 3 hours’ sightseeing, go to your hotel for rest.
Nightlife ideas: go to enjoy the evening show of "Grand Ceremony of Kangxi" which fully demonstrates the historical scene of the heyday of the Qing Dynasty, and expresses the brilliant life of Emperor Kangxi.
After breakfast, you will be taken to visit major temples of the Eight Outer Temples. Begin with Putuo Zongcheng Temple, the biggest architecture complex among the Eight Outer Temples, which are components of World Cultural Heritage with Chengde Mountain Resort. The temple, located near the resort, was built to celebrate Qianlong Emperor’s 60th birthday and his mother Empress Dowager Chongqing’s 80 birthday. Modeled after the Potala Palace in Tibet, this Tibetan Buddhist temple cluster is also known as “Little Potala Palace”.
Enter the front gate, you will see a red-walled Tablet Pavilion with three archaic steles from Qianlong Emperor, and followed by Five-Pagoda Gate, a typical Tibetan Buddhist doorway set with five different colored Lamaist pagodas. Continue to visit Glazed Archway, an artistic Qing Dynasty multi-colored gateway, guarded by two stone-carved elephants at sides. Hike further to visit the flat-roofed white oblong towers spreading on the hillside and finally get to the majestic Great Red Palace, the main body and most eye-catching building of Putuo Zongcheng Temple. In this highest spot, you can see colorful pray flags and impressive circled red walls covered by lots of small glass windows and glazed Buddhist niches. Go upstairs to visit Wanfaguiyi Hall, enjoy unique Chinese and Tibetan style architectures like the exquisite undulating ridges, eaves lined with ancient animals and hanging Tibetan Buddhist bells on each corner, golden rooftop with shinning fish scale-like tiles. From the elegant Cihangpudu Pavilion, you can catch a panoramic view of the “Little Potala Palace” and Mountain Resort and Qingchui Peak (Hammer Rock) nearby.
Later, move to Puning Temple (Temple of Universal Peace), an over 250-year-old Buddhist temple found by Qianlong Emperor to commemorate two victories of the ethnic rebellions. This magnificent temple simulated from the Samye Monastery, a sacred temple of Tibet. It is a fusion of both Chinese and Tibetan featured architectures. The highlight is the 27.21-meter and 110-ton gold lacquered wooden statue of Thousand Armed and Eyed Bodhisattva enshrined in the Dachengzhige Pavilion.
Your last stop is Pule Temple (Temple of Universal Happiness) in the Qingchui Peak National Forest Park. It was built in 1766 during the Qianlong Emperor period for showing respect of minorities’ religion and reinforcing central authority’s rule. Admire the traditional Chinese architectural techniques and make pilgrimage to the statue of Cakrasamvara Tantra worshiped in the central Mandala.
Tour ends. You will be transferred to catch your high speed train back to Beijing.
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Beijing / Chengde / Bashang / Beijing
Chengde / Jinshanling Great Wall / Beijing
Beijing / Chengde / Beijing
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“Very good experience”
“WONDERFUL 25 DAYS IN CHINA - PRIVATE TOUR”
“Awesome China tour from northeast to southwest”
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