Kunming Lake covers about three quarters of the total area of the Summer Palace. There are six Bridges on the west embankment in the lake, which are built in imitation of West Lake in Hangzhou. The seventeen-arch bridge connects the east embankment and the South Lake Island. The bridge railings are carved with 544 stone lions of various shapes, forming a beautiful landscape painting together with the surrounding buildings. You can choose to explore Kunming Lake on foot or by boat.

The Seventeen-Arch Bridge was first built in the 15th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1750). It connects the east embankment in the east and the South Lake Island in the west, with a total length of over 150 meters. It is the longest bridge still existing in Chinese imperial gardens and is named for its seventeen arches. There are 544 stone lions of various shapes carved on the bridgehead and the balustrade balusters. At both ends of the balustrade, there are four stone-carved strange beasts.

The Qingyan stone boat in the Summer Palace, also known as the Marble Stone Boat or the Qingyan Boat, is a famous water-based structure within the Summer Palace.

The Long corridor is 728 meters long and has 273 sections. There are over 14,000 colorful paintings of figures, landscapes, flowers and birds on the beams and lintels. The content is rich and there is no repetition. It is the longest painted corridor in the world and also the holder of the Guinness World Record.

The Tower of Buddhist Incense is a landmark building in the Summer Palace. It is located on the mountainside of Longevity Hill, with three floors and four eaves on eight sides, standing 36 meters high. It is supported by eight large iron pear wood pillars that reach the top. It was once an important place for the royal family to pay homage to Buddha.

The Hall of Happiness and Longevity was first built in the 15th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1750). It was constructed by Emperor Qianlong to celebrate the 60th birthday of his mother, Empress Xiaosheng Xian. It was burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860), rebuilt in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign (1886), and renovated in the 17th year of the Guangxu reign (1891). Later, it became the bedroom of Empress Dowager Cixi.

The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity is the main building of the imperial court area in the Summer Palace. It was the place where Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu, during their stay in the palace, presided over state affairs, received congratulations and received foreign envoys.