Experiencing the scents of history

Now, visitors will be greeted by the scent of the sweet osmanthus, allowing them to follow the fragrance to the exhibition area in front of Renshou Hall－or the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity－as soon as they enter the East Palace Gate of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) resort, which was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1998 by UNESCO.

"In the exhibition area, the garden is placed symmetrically in the middle on both sides and running from north to south according to Chinese traditional aesthetics," Han says.

Sweet osmanthus in the Summer Palace can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty. After four generations, these flowers have become a precious natural cultural relic of the imperial retreat.

The festival runs from Mid-Autumn to National Day and Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth month on the Chinese lunar calendar which falls on Oct 14 this year), and will last until Oct 17.

It also allows the palace administration to offer diversified and upgraded visiting experiences.