The Chengde Summer Resort, located at Chengde City, Hebei Province, is the largest imperial garden in modern China. It covers a total area of 564 square kilometers and is twice as large as the Summer Palace in Beijing. It took 89 years (1703-1792) to complete the project under emperors Kangxi and then Qianlong during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

It is said that when Emperor Kangxi once led a group of officials and generals hunting in pursuit of a mysterious white rabbit, he discovered a hot spring, beyond which were vast grasslands backed by tree-shrouded mountains. At first glance, the emperor decided to build a palace there. As soon as he had announced his intentions, the white rabbit appeared before him again. Emperor Kangxi believed that the divine rabbit was sent to lead him to the special spot.

The summer resort, together with its temples and palaces, has made Chengde a famous historical and cultural city and one of China's leading scenic areas. In December 1994, the Chengde Summer Resort and its outlying temples were listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the World Heritage List.

Located only 250 kilometers from Beijing, emperors from the Qing Dynasty lived there with their concubines and ministers during the summer months. The emperors handled court affairs and received foreign envoys and tribal leaders at the summer resort, which was known as the second capital of the dynasty.

The summer resort is an important location, filled with splendid landscapes and a pleasant climate. Grand palaces, delicate temples, peculiar mountains, exquisite pavilions and tranquil waters can be explored by walking, hiking, climbing, riding and boating inside the garden.

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