Five site visits over four centuries: Imagining pasts and futures for Yuanming Yuan Garden (圆明园), Beijing, China

Abstract

The place of historic gardens within contemporary cities is a challenge for landscape architecture, particularly in relation to the experiential potential of heritage interpretation. How can the stories of the past be revealed in places which are often fragmented, abridged and largely erased? Within the palimpsest of the city of Beijing, China, the historic garden of Yuanming Yuan, known in English as the Old Summer Palace, can still be traced within the vast urban landscape. However, appreciating this garden as a coherent whole, and gaining insights into its historical significance and evolution, is challenging. On-site interpretation is only found in the form of occasional signs, and elements such as the boundaries of the site are submerged under the urban fabric.