Yiheyuan (Garden of Health and Harmony) is located in the northwest suburbs of Beijing. This expansive, park like retreat dates from the Yuan Dynasty, when engineers channeled spring water to create a series of man-made lakes; the construction was continued during the Qing Dynasty, and then took 15 years to complete. Known as "The Summer Palace", it served the emperors and empresses as a summer resort. The Palace was heavily damaged by Anglo-French forces in 1860, and was renovated in 1885 by the Empress Dowager Cixi, using funds diverted from China's naval budget. Its magnitude, impressive architecture and beautiful scenery have earned it recognition as a paragon of the art of the Chinese garden park.
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