Yuanming Garden was located in the northwest suburbs of Beijing, adjacent to Yihe Garden, comprising Yuanming Garden, Chang Chun Garden, and Qichun Garden, also known as the Three Gardens of Yuanming.
What she saw in later generations was the ruins left behind; this was also her first time seeing such a majestic and splendid Imperial Garden during the Yong Zheng period.
It is well-known that Yuanming Garden was bestowed by Kangxi to the not-yet-enthroned Yong Zheng as a place for leisure. At that time, Yuanming Garden was not as large as it appeared in later generations, having been reconstructed and expanded by Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Daoguang.
The Qing Dynasty was established by the Man people, who had long lived in the Northeast. How could they endure the dry, sweltering heat of Beijing's high summer?
Furthermore, after a great fire in the early years of Kangxi's reign, high palace walls were built for fire prevention, making the Emperor feel uncomfortable in his residence.
