Why Chengde
Chengde is a prefecture-level city situated in the northeastern corner of Hebei province, approximately 225 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Covering the largest area among the province's prefectures, the region is dominated by mountainous terrain and borders Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Beijing, and Tianjin. Historically known as Jehol or Rehe—a name referring to a local river whose warm waters once resisted freezing in winter—the city is recognized for its local dialect, which is considered the closest to Standard Chinese.
In 1703, the Qing dynasty selected Chengde as its imperial summer retreat, developing the location into a major secondary political center for the empire throughout the eighteenth century. Significant historical events occurred at the imperial site, including the signing of the First Convention of Peking by the Xianfeng Emperor in 1860. Following later periods as a provincial capital, a period of Japanese occupation from 1933 to 1945, and subsequent control by the People's Liberation Army in 1948, the city was incorporated into Hebei province in 1955.
The city's primary historic attraction is the Mountain Resort, constructed between 1703 and 1970. Recognized as China's largest royal garden, Qing rulers used the expansive complex to escape the high summer temperatures of Beijing. Enclosed by a perimeter wall stretching over 10,000 meters, the resort comprises three main sectors: a lake district with eight distinct lakes, a plains area historically used for hunting and horse racing, and a large hilly region containing numerous temples and palaces.
Surrounding the resort wall are the Eight Outer Temples, built in architectural styles gathered from across China. Among these is the Putuo Zongcheng Temple, completed in 1771 and modeled after the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Nearby, the Puning Temple, established in 1755, houses the world's tallest wooden statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. Natural features in the area include Sledgehammer Peak, a distinct rock formation shaped like an inverted hammer, alongside surrounding valleys and grasslands.
Chengde experiences a four-season, monsoon-influenced climate with cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers, though its higher elevation maintains cooler conditions than Beijing. The region sees rapid thermal shifts during spring and autumn and receives roughly 2,746 hours of sunshine each year. Travelers can reach the city using road and rail networks, including the Jingcheng Expressway directly from central Beijing, or via an airport located 19.5 kilometers northeast of the city center.
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