At
the northern side of the Kunming Lake, east of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity lies
the Hall of Jade Billows. In front of the hall stands two rocks. It is believed that one
is male Emperor Guangxu, another is female, his mother-the Empress Dowager Ci'xi, the two
rocks face each other day and night and have come to be known as "The Mother and Son
Rocks", it seemed that each stone was complaining against the other.
This hall is well
known to have served as a prison for Emperor Guangxu for ten years. After the failure of
the Reform Movement in 1898. the Empress Dowager Ci'xi put her son, Emperor Guangxu under
house arrest in Yingtai (Water Terrace Pavilion) in Zhongnanhai ( the Central South Sea)
near the Forbidden City, the Emperor was later moved to the hall of Jade Billows in the
Summer Palace and confined there for ten years.
The confined
emperor was closely watched, several brick walls were put up and all the back door were
sealed. The poor emperor was isolated by those walls, the only outside view he could enjoy
was the weeping willow trees in the Perceiving the Spring Pavilion. |