Photo by Zhang Aidong

Lotuses are in full bloom again at the Old Summer Palace.

The Old Summer Palace, or Garden of Eternal Brightness, is holding its 15th annual Lotus Festival. The event runs from July 11 to Aug. 31, coinciding with the peak of the blooming water lilies and lotuses.

The gardens are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. from Monday through Thursday. On Friday and on the weekends, the gardens stay open until 8:30 p.m., and admission is free after 7 p.m.

Originally called the Imperial Gardens, the Old Summer Palace was a set of palaces and gardens built in the 18th and early 19th centuries where the emperors of the Qing Dynasty resided and handled government affairs.

The Imperial Gardens were destroyed by British and French troops in 1860 during the Second Opium War. Today, destruction of the gardens is still regarded as a symbol of foreign aggression and humiliation in China.

A yellow lotus flower in full bloom at the Old Summer Palace. (Photo Source: china.org.cn)

How to get there:

The Old Summer Palace, Yuanming Yuan in Chinese Pinyin, is located 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northwest of the walls of the Forbidden City. Take Subway Line 10 to Haidian Huangzhuang and then transfer to Subway Line 4. The Old Summer Palace is just outside of the Yuanming Yuan Station.

The best route:

Below is the best route to enjoy the lotus flowers and water lilies, as recommended by the administration office of the gardens. You can print it and ask for an attendant for directions:

南門——小院——小花園——鑒碧亭——涵秋館——三園交界——風(fēng)荷樓——海岳開襟——轉(zhuǎn)香帆——法慧寺——全景模型——東門水上觀荷路線——長春園：蕩舟藕花深處