Nestled in the mountains, Chengde is quite beautiful with fresh, clean air, lakes, gardens and mountains. It is a seemingly untouched part of a country that has been marked by capitalism and industrial plants; unlike other cities, Chengde is relatively uncluttered of skyscrapers and factories.
Originally known as Rehe, Chengde is known for its beauty, its relics of the Qing dynasty and its people. For those looking to learn Mandarin, the Chengderen (people of Chengde) speak with little accent.
Chengde is located about 140 miles northeast of Beijing and is accessible by both train and car. For tourists interested in making an additional stop, the Jinshangling section of the Great Wall of China is located about halfway between Beijing and Chengde.
The Chengde Summer Mountain Resort, the Largest Imperial Garden in the World
A favorite destination of Qing dynasty emperors, Chengde is home to the Mountain Resort. Built in the early 18th century, the Mountain Resort was the summer home for emperors and their families as they looked to avoid the heat of Beijing. The translation for the Mountain Resort, or "Bishu Shanzhuang," literally means "Escaping-the-heat Mountain Villa."
Larger than the city of Chengde, the Mountain Resort consists of two main areas: the palace and the garden. The palace and its accompanying government buildings – where Qing emprors conducted state business – cover roughly 25 acres of the vast resort. The rest of hte nearly 1,500-acre resort is devoted to snapshots of gardens, mountains and lakes. The rolling fields are spotted with temples and pagodas, and China's shortest river, the 9-mile Rehe River, lazily flows past the gardens.
The Eight Outer Temples of Chengde, Han and Tibetan Architecture
Located just outside the Mountain Resort are the Eight Outer Temples, which actually consist of 12 temples built in the late 18th century. Each of the temples was built following the architectural style of various Chinese ethnic groups, including the Mongolians, Tibetans and Han Chinese. Of these 12 temples, only six are open to the public: Putuo Zongcheng Temple, Puning Temple, Pule Temple, Anyuan Temple, Xumi Fuschouzhi Temple and Puyou Temple.
Putuo Zongcheng Temple and Puning Temple are among the most popular of the Eight Outer Temples. Putuo Zongcheng, the largest temple, is modeled after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Puning Temple, or the "Temple of Universal Peace," houses the largest wooden Buddha, Avalokitesvara, in the world.
In addition, both the Mountain Resort and the Eight Outer Temples were made World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1994.
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