Experiencing the scents of history
Right after Mid-Autumn Festival, which fell on Sept 21, nearly 70 pots of sweet osmanthus remain in full blossom in the Summer Palace as if welcoming a celebration of their beauty and scent. The 20th Summer Palace Autumn Sweet Osmanthus Festival officially kicked off last week. With the fragrance spreading to every corner in the palace, visitors can fully appreciate the elegance of the “southern beauty” on their doorstep.
One of the most famous flowers in China, the sweet osmanthus thrives in a humid and warm climate. It grows mostly in southern China and requires professional attention in Beijing to survive the winter.
“In order to improve visitor experience, we selected 64 pots of ancient sweet osmanthus with the best posture and flower shape achieved through precise florescence control,” says Han Ling, head of landscaping at the Summer Palace Administrative Office.
Now, visitors will be greeted by the scent of the sweet osmanthus, allowing them to follow the fragrance to the exhibition area in front of Renshou Hall — or the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity — as soon as they enter the East Palace Gate of the Qing Dynasty (16441911) resort, which was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1998 by UNESCO.
“In the exhibition area, the garden is placed symmetrically in the middle on both sides and running from north to south according to Chinese traditional aesthetics,” Han says.
Sweet osmanthus in the Summer Palace can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty. After four generations, these flowers have become a precious natural cultural relic of the imperial retreat.
The festival runs from Mid-Autumn to National Day and Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth month on the Chinese lunar calendar which falls on Oct 14 this year), and will last until Oct 17.
It also allows the palace administration to offer diversified and upgraded visiting experiences.
The row of ancient buildings on the south side of the East Palace Gate has been transformed into a cultural experience complex. Du Juan, chief of the business branch at the administrative office, dubs it the “Summer Palace lifestyle”, where “classic elegance and modern style collide”.
With gray walls and blue tiles, the nine ancient buildings in this row stand as silent as ever even in the fall breeze. The six buildings located in the east and west have an area of 56.4 square meters, and the middle three, with corridors, take up an area of 73 sq m.
Pushing open the ornate vermilion door of the East Palace Gate, visitors will be treated to the dazzling jewelry shops, a boutique cafe and a beauty store. A stop at the cafe any time will restore the energy of visitors. The aromas of coffee, fruit and cream intertwine in the air, like a guide directing the tourists’ thoughts from the royal garden back to modern reality.
Visitors can also enjoy sipping specially made drinks from the Summer Palace, watching the clouds traverse the sky, or listening to the raindrops on the eaves. For a time, they can travel back and experience the elegance of the ancient literati.
A total of nine cultural and commercial spaces in the palace have officially opened to the public, including jewelry stores, makeup boutiques, clothing emporia, stationery shops and a bakery.
“The construction of the commercial space of the Summer Palace is based on the premise of the effective protection and rational use of cultural relics and ancient buildings,” Du says. “By vacating office buildings and renovating the existing shops, the commercial space of the Summer Palace is built around the cultural and commercial trends of new business formats, trends and experiences, to create a new modern-day vibe. The fresh cultural business model, as well as meeting customer needs, is in line with the positioning of cultural heritage, and the integration of business and culture.”
The renovations account for 20 percent of the park’s total commercial space. In the next stage, the palace will look to continue upgrading its cultural products and services.
“The decoration of the shops follows the original appearance of the palace and has a unified style. After the renovation, the original wooden frame of the building is revealed, and the ‘four-beam and eight-pillar’ architectural technique of ancient Chinese structure is presented,” Du says.
“The frame and facade of the buildings have become both the main design and the highlights. At the same time, lighting is used for assistance in rendering and embellishing the cultural charm with a sense of style.”
Most of the products sold in the new commercial space are collaborations, such as the gold and silver bracelets and pendants jointly created by the palace and commercial brands, such as Caibai Jewelry. The clothing store allows both purchase and leasing of hanfu, a traditional garment of the Han ethnic group. Visitors can rent and match their costumes with the appropriate makeup to have an immersive hanfu experience.
In 2020, the service facilities of the palace were upgraded. Currently, two out of the planned five restrooms have been renovated. The East Palace Gate Tourist Service Center will also be put into use by the end of the year.
Summer Palace’s sweet osmanthus festival proves popular as visitors welcome unique exhibition, Zhang Lei reports.