The only surviving historic structure of the Old Summer Palace to be renovated

Reporters learned that Zhengjue Temple, a royal Buddhist temple during the Qing Dynasty, was the only historic architecture in the Old Summer Palace that survived the fire. Nearly 45 million yuan will be invested to rebuild it.

The only surviving historic structure of the Old Summer Palace to be renovated

On the morning of August 21, reporters learned from Haidian District officials that the Zhengjue Temple rebuilding project in the Old Summer Palace is currently being evaluated. The rebuilding of this temple is significant in preserving and promoting traditional Chinese architecture.

According to officials from the Old Summer Palace management office, who disclosed in the opening ceremony of the “150 year anniversary of the destruction of the Old Sumemr Palace,” that the Zhengjue Temple project will officially start this October, after the rebuilding of the Changchunyuan area is completed.

Located outside the Old Summer Palace’s Sanyuan Wall, it is the only old building that wasn’t burned down by a fire started by an Anglo-French Force. Despite later damage, with partial original architecture remaining, it is the most intact architectural complex preserved in the Old Summer Palace.

According to sources, the area of the Zhengjue Temple rebuilding project is 2658 square meters. The total construction space will take up to 14,300 square meters. A meeting of construction experts was already held by experts from state relics’ administration departments, which concluded that the construction plan was essentially in line with the planning for the Old Summer Palace Ruins Park and was therefore approved.

It has been learned that the rebuilding project also includes the Heavenly King Hall, the Three Religions Hall, the Top Tower, the Six Vajra Hall, East Zhuangjiaofang and the East Lupufang, openings, gates, and guards’ rooms. In order to revive the overall view of the temple, the project will include some rebuilt portions in the first phase of renovation, including the gate, Wenshu Hall, East and West Five Buddha Halls, East and West Side Halls, West Zhuanjiaofang and East Lupufang.

Our reporter also learned that in 2003, the management committee of the Old Summer Palace finished the first phase of rebuilding the structures left in the Zhengjue Temple which covered 990 square meters; in 2003, Beijing Culture Relics Bureau submitted the Zhengjue Temple rebuilding plan to the State Culture Relics Bureau. In September 2004, the revised planned was approved by the Bureau.

Translated by LOTO