Chengde, one of the premier historic and cultural cities of China, is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, situated just 230km northeast of Beijing. It is best known as the site of the Mountain Resort, a vast imperial garden city formerly used as the summer residence by the Manchu Emperors of the Qing Dynasty.

 

The topography of Chengde is mainly divided into plateau and mountainous regions, including Yanshan, Yinshan and Qilaotushan mountains, as well as the Luanhe, Liaohe, Chaobaihe and Jiyunhe rivers flowing through the city, providing the natural beauty and pleasant summer climate that inspired the Kangxi Emperor, in 1703, to choose this region as the location for his summer residence.