The Emperors’ Mountain Retreat: I

On October 1, 1949 Mao Tse Dung proclaimed the creation of the People’s Republic of China from the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Tiananmen Square. Mao and his once puny communist party had succeeded in ending a century of political chaos. The last emperor, Puyi, had abdicated in 1912 as a boy of 5 when efforts to establish a constitutional monarchy failed. Long before then, however, China had been racked by foreign wars and internal rebellions. The fall of the Qing Emperor Puyi, however, did not bring stability; it took another 40 years before the Chinese Communist Party was able to do that. And so, the Chinese celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic with a two day national holiday every October. University students (and faculty too), I discovered, get a full week’s holiday!

I decided to use the long break to visit Chengde in the mountains to the northeast where the Qing emperors had established a summer retreat for themselves. Most people assume that the emperors of China were Chinese. Not so. The last ruling dynasty was actually from Manchuria on the other side of the Great Wall. A summer place in Chengdu appealed to them because it was close to the grasslands in the north where the Manchu had their tribal roots. (It was also cool there, unlike Beijing where the summer heat is often unbearable.)

I had imagined that Chengde would be a small, picturesque town ringed by impressive Chinese mountains. Well, I got part of it right. It was set in mountains just like those portrayed in classical Chinese paintings. But small it was not. Chengdu is now a city of over 3 million people. (That shouldn’t have been a surprise, there are 1.3 billion people in China today and they have to live somewhere.) Despite its size, however, it is still visually dominated by the Qing emperors’ resort, now a World Heritage Site. Against a west hill is the resort itself, an impressive 3 ½ square mile area enclosed by a wall which stretches up and above the city, dominating the skyline. Surrounding the city are 8 colorful temples (once 11), most now restored and again visible on its hillsides.

The resort was begun in 1703 by the Emperor Kangxi and completed 87 years later by his grandson, the Emperor Qianlong. Both were remarkable men. Each had long and successful reigns in which China knew prosperity and peace. Each worked to unite China’s disparate lands and ethnic groups into one people, in one empire. Together they successfully incorporated Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, Tibet, Taiwan, and the northwestern region of Xinjiang, and together they unified the culturally diverse peoples over whom they now ruled. One can understand why the present regime admires their accomplishments and has chosen to restore Kangxi’s and Qianlong’s long-abandoned summer resort.

To enter the retreat, one goes through the rather ordinary, but ambitiously named, Gate of Beauty and Uprightness. Today you can use any of the three entrances; originally, only the emperor and his immediate family used the center passage. Beyond the first gate is a second, followed by a small courtyard leading to another gate (this one named the Gate of the Mountain Village Where You Can Escape the Heat) and a large courtyard. Here the emperor would sit on soft cushions and watch archery contests or receive dignitaries from around the empire. Beyond that courtyard is another (the Courtyard of the Tranquil Heart and Honor to Sincerity) with 42 pine trees. Facing it is a deceptively simple, almost rustic, seven bay hall constructed of cedar transported from western China and set on a low stone pediment. It was here that the emperors held formal receptions.

Within the hall is an imperial throne under a coffered ceiling. On either side are incense burners of cloisonné, storks (symbolizing longevity) and behind the throne peacock feather fans. The carpets and cushions are the imperial yellow only the emperor could use. All this testifying to the power and majesty of the Qing.

In a second courtyard beyond, is the Hall of Refreshing Mists and Waves containing the living quarters of the emperor. It was here that the unfortunate Emperor Xianfeng signed the Treaty of Beijing, ceding yet another defeat to the West, and it was here that he died in 1861. That was enough for his widow, the Dowager Empress Ci Xi ,who summered thereafter in the Summer Palace she restored in a northwest suburb of Beijing.

Beyond the emperor’s compound lies a landscaped garden. It was carefully fashioned to create a picturesque lake, steep hills, and a large grassy plain where tame deer wander freely. Throughout are pavilions where the emperor and his guests could admire a view, converse, paint, listen to music or read. Barge-like boats moved Qing aristocrats leisurely from shore to shore.

Among the more interesting structures, is the Pavilion of Literary Delights (what a great name for a library) built to contain Qianlong’s immense Si ku quan shu, a complete anthology of all the classics, philosophy, history and literature of China (all, that is, that met with the Emperor’s approval).

Each area contains references to regions of the empire. There’s a pagoda from Hangzhou in the south, the lake is modeled after the West Lake, also in Hangzhou, and the hills and grassy plain are intended to evoke Qing memories of Manchuria.

It is easy to understand how even powerful emperors would find release and relief in such a setting. Here are Kangxi’s own words describing the delight he felt there:

It is when one is beyond the Great Wall that the air and soil refresh the spirit; … the mountains are densely packed with woods ‘green and thick as standing corn.’ As one moves further north the views open up…instead of feeling hemmed in, there is a sense of freedom….

Before leaving, my tour included a trip north into inner Mongolia. Despite my better judgment I mounted a horse (some would say, pony) and set out onto the grasslands where Kangxi and has court had gone to hunt and compete with one another in archery and horsemanship. The vast expanse of steppe was exhilarating. Kiangxi was right; there was an undeniable sense of freedom!