The Ancient Imperial Retreat of Chengde Imperial Mountain Resort

Wendy X. theBeijinger

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For ardent China travelers, the stunning Potala Palace in Tibet is considered a must-see bucket-list destination, and rightfully so. However, for foreigners, it is also one of the most difficult places to reach in Asia; not only is it located in the depths of the Tibetan plateau, but the Chinese government also requires visitors to first attain a travel permit prearranged through a registered Tibetan operator. If all of that seems a little daunting to you, you may instead consider traveling to the "Little Potala Palace" at the Imperial Mountain Resort of Chengde instead.

The Little Potala Palace may not quite live up to the original but it makes for a fun day trip nonetheless

About Chengde's Imperial Mountain Resort

Not to be confused with the similar-sounding city of Chengdu (成都 chéngdū), Chengde (承德 chéngdé) is a moderately sized city in Hebei province. It's perhaps best known for being one of the favorite summer retreats of the emperors during the Qing dynasty when they wanted to get a little further out than Beijing's Summer Palace.

The city's biggest draw is the impressive Imperial Mountain Resort, which was founded by Emperor Kang Xi (1662-1723) during one of his annual hunting trips. The extensive, walled-off complex, which took 89 years to complete (read more about this via QR code below), comprises 5.64 million square meters and features lakes, hills, temples, prayer halls, and, of course, an area to hunt. In 1994, the "Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples" was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Thankfully, to see all this, Beijingers don't have to travel far. Chengde is conveniently located just a little more than 200km from Beijing and can be reached in a few hours by bus or train.

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What to see in and around the resort

If you only have one day in Chengde, it's almost impossible to see all the attractions on offer, so we suggest you prioritize heading to the two main attractions: the Putuo Zhongcheng Temple (普陀忠诚之庙 pǔtuó zhōngchéng zhī miào), one of the Eight Outer Temples, and which bears a striking resemblance to the Potala Palace, and Sledgehammer Peak (磬锤峰 qìng chuí fēng), which is a rock formation that looks very much like its name suggests. The latter is situated in the east of the resort and will require you to buy an entrance ticket to the Pule Temple to visit. One option is take a peaceful hike to the top, but if you're tired or short of time, hop onto the cable car and take in the view of this magnificent formation from above.

Sledgehammer Rock at sunset

On the way, you can enjoy a wider view of the Mountain Resort's layout (pictured at top), which is divided into the Palace Area and the Lake Area in the south, as well as the Mountain Area and Plain Area in the north. Altogether, it makes for an awe-inspiring example of how Chinese architects past would attempt to integrate buildings into the natural surrounding environment.

How to get there

By train: Take train K7711, K7753, or 2257 from Beijing Station to Chengde Station. Tickets cost approximately RMB 100 each way.
By bus: Scan/Extract QR code below for more information.