The city of Chengde in Hebei had…

The city of Chengde in Hebei had been chosen by the Kangxi Emperor in 1703 as the location for his summer residence.

Constructed throughout the eighteenth century, the Mountain Resort has been used by both the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors.

Since the seat of government follows the emperor, Chengde is a political center of the Chinese empire during these times.

The elaborate Mountain Resort features large parks with lakes, pagodas, and palaces ringed by a wall.

Outside the wall are the Eight Outer Temples, built in varying architectural styles drawn from throughout China.

The best-known of these is the Putuo Zongcheng Temple, on which construction is completed in 1771, during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor.

Built to resemble the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, it represents a fusion of Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles.

The temple complex covers a surface area of some 220,000 square meters, making it one of the largest in China.

Many of its halls and pavilions are adorned with copper and gold tiled roofs, adding to the splendor of the site.