Beauty of Beijing's Old Summer Palace

#discoverchina Walking through the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) felt like uncovering a poetic secret. Where the Forbidden City impresses with preserved grandeur, these ruins whisper stories of lost splendor. The scattered Western-style marble columns stood like ghosts among lotus ponds, while moon gates framed perfect snapshots of decayed elegance. Most moving? The labyrinth of broken foundations where emperors once strolled - now overgrown with wildflowers. Came at golden hour when long shadows made the carved fragments glow. Not just a park, but a powerful meditation on time's passage. Bring good walking shoes and imagination!