Is the Mountain Resort really dull and boring? The Mountain Resort is a highly controversial royal garden

Those who like it find it naturally elegant, while those who dislike it think it's just a wild park. So what is the real situation? We have to start with history. The Mountain Resort, also known as the 'Chengde Palace' or 'Rehe Palace', is the largest existing royal garden in China. Its construction was not only for leisure and summer retreat but also had strong political purposes. The construction of the Mountain Resort began during the reign of Emperor Kangxi. At that time, the Qing government, in order to strengthen the management of the Mongolian region and consolidate the northern border defense, established the Mulan Paddock on the Mongolian grasslands more than 350 kilometers from Beijing. Every autumn, the emperor would lead members of the royal family, various officials, and Mongolian upper-class figures to the Mulan Paddock for hunting, to train the army and strengthen border defense. To solve the problems of the emperor's food and accommodation during the journey, a series of palaces were built between Beijing and the Mulan Paddock, among which the Mountain Resort was chosen as the central palace due to its superior geographical location. So you can understand the Mountain Resort as a political tool to unite ethnic minorities. Many elements in the mountain area of the garden are for show, such as the Anyuan Temple built in imitation of the Gulja Temple in Xinjiang, the Xumi Fushou Temple built in imitation of the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet, the Puning Temple which is half Han and half Tibetan, not to mention the Little Potala Palace and yurts. These elements all convey a message of openness and inclusiveness to the world. In stark contrast to the diverse religious buildings and courtyards is the simplicity, or rather the overly simple palace area and sparse lake area. This can give visitors a lack of visual climax experience. Only when you take the tour bus up the mountain and see the Little Potala Palace at a glance do you get a sense of visual satisfaction. Moreover, for various reasons, many wonderful buildings and courtyards in the Mountain Resort have been destroyed: 1. East Palace This was the most magnificent building complex in the palace area. The rear part was destroyed during the Japanese occupation of Rehe, and the front part's Qingyin Pavilion theater was accidentally burned down by our military personnel after the Japanese surrender. Today, the East Palace is almost completely destroyed, with only the ruins remaining. 2. Songhe Zhai It was one of the places where the emperor and empress lived. More than a hundred buildings from Leshou Hall to Jide Hall were burned down in November 1948. Although the Changyuan Building behind Jide Hall was saved through strenuous efforts, most of the buildings were reduced to ashes. 3. Wanhe Songfeng: The main building is preserved, but the corridors and walls are almost completely destroyed. Completely destroyed scenic spots: Including Qingshu Shanguan, Jiede Hall, Huiwan Zongchun Temple, Xin Suo, Huanbi Island, Linfang Villa, Xiangyuan Yiqing, Pingxiang Pian, Yuanjin Quansheng, Qianchi Xue, Ningjing Zhai, and dozens of other scenic spots, as well as more than 20 other scenic spots with only the building skeletons remaining. I say all this just to tell you that the scenery of the Mountain Resort is not just simple sparse woods and grasslands. Originally, there were countless themed courtyards hidden between the mountains and lakes.