Early spring beauty at the Summer Palace (1/10)

Situated in the northwest suburbs of Beijing, the Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved royal garden, and one of the four most famous gardens in China. It was first built in 1750 and restored in 1886 as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi after being destroyed during the Second Opium War in 1860.The Summer Palace landscape features a variety of palaces, gardens and other ancient-style architectural structures. [China.org.cn]