FOREWORD INTRODUCTION Ⅰ Let figures speak: The rarely-known trivial knowledge Ⅱ Ruins restoration: A comparison across 160 years Ⅲ Characters: Those who have influenced the THFG Ⅳ Illustration of history: The millennial time axis of the THFG Chapter 1 Overall Characteristic of the Imperial Gardens Region 1.1 The Water Yards 1.2 Scale 1.3 Layout Features 1.4 Garden-making procedure Ⅴ Common plants and animals in imperial gardens Ⅵ Domestic and overseas sights hidden in the THFG Chapter 2 Jingyi Yuan and Jingming Yuan-Imperial Palaces Incorporating the Charm of Woods and Springs 2.1 Jingyi Yuan 2.2 Jingming Yuan 2.3 Eight Scenes of Yenching Chapter 3 Changchun Yuan and Yuanming Yuan-The Heart of the Em pire amid Artificial Hills and Waters 3.1 Changchun Yuan 3.2 Clustering of gardens in Haidian 3.3 Yuanming Yuan Ⅶ Yuanming Yuan in the eyes of a French missionary who worked for the emperor 3.4 Charngchun Yuan and European Palaces 3.5 The darkest days Chapter 4 From Qingyi Yuan to Yihe Yuan-Garden Construction Originally Intended for Water Conservancy 4.1 Tracing back to the origin 4.2 Qingyi Yuan 4.3 Ready in shape 4.4 From Qingyi to Yihe Chapter 5 Garden-based Life of the Imperial Family 5.1 Court at front,life at rear 5.2 Landscape tours Ⅷ Calendar of the Qing imperial family in the THFG 5.3 Festival celebrations Ⅸ Lantern Festival agendas and menus at Yuanming Yuan 5.4 Military drill 5.5 Administration and management CONCLUSION GLOSSARY REFERENCES AFTERWORD