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| The Long Corridor |
| CCTV.COM 2003-06-05 10:06:56 |
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 One of the architectural marvels of the Summer Palace, a former imperial landscaped garden in Beijing, is the seemingly endless covered promenade. On December 2, 1998, the Summer Palace was included by UNESCO on its World Cultural Heritage List. The promenade, popularly known as the Long Corridor, has been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest of its kind in the world.
“The Long Corridor is famous for its length not only in China but also in the world. It measures 728 meters long and is divided by crossbeams into 273 sections,” said Li Wu, head of Construction Department of the Summer Palace.
 Most visitors to the Summer Palace like to walk along the Long Corridor. It stars at Yaoyuemen （Gate for Greeting the Moon） in the east and runs westward past Paiyundian （Cloud Dispelling Hall） below Foxiangge （Tower of Buddhist Incense）. Paiyundian marks the point that divides the corridor into two equal parts. To the north of the corridor is Wanshoushan （Hill of Longevity） and to the south is the broad expanse of the Kunming Lake. Located along the corridor are four octagonal pavilions with double roofs, which symbolize spring summer, autumn, and winter respectively. Duioufang （Facing－the－Seagull Boat） and Yuzaoxuan （Fish－and－Algae Pavilion） are another two lakeside structures along the corridor. Around a bend from the west end of the Long Corridor is the famous Marble Boat.
“The corridor is long and roofed and joins many scenic spots in the Summer Palace. So it can provide an excellent route for visitors to tour the garden, rain or shine,” said Li Wu, head of Construction Department of the Summer Palace.
The corridor looks like a beautiful silk belt that strings together the scenic spots lying scattered in front of Wanshoushan and is ingeniously used as a transitional zone from the hill to the Kunming Lake. When you stroll along it, you will find that the scene changes with every step and that whatever you see from it is as charming as a landscape painting by a master hand.
 According to Li Wu, The corridor is virtually an exceptionally long gallery. The corridor, along with the buildings it joins, features more than 14,000 paintings.
The beams and ceiling of the corridor all have paintings of flowers, birds, fish, insects, and famous Chinese buildings and landscapes. However, the most interesting are paintings of episodes from Chinese classical literature, folk tales as well as historical and legendary figures. The corridor is in fact an open－air museum of Chinese painting, where you can not only enjoy the art of Chinese painting but also gain an insight into China's history and its ancient culture.
A fine example of Chinese architecture, the Long Corridor always leads you into a world of paintings and enables you to admire the beauty of the Summer Palace in different seasons regardless of the weather.
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Editor: Liu Baoyin CCTV.com
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