Is Xiyuan, where the emperor used to live, the same place as Xiyuan in Haidian District now?

The Xiyuan where the emperor once lived is today's Zhongnanhai.

Located in the north of West Chang 'an Avenue in Beijing and south of Beihai. Zhongnanhai is the collective name of China Sea and South China Sea. Before the Ming Dynasty, it was called Taiye Pool, Xihaizi and Xiyuan. Zhongnanhai was founded in Liao Dynasty, and expanded continuously in Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. It has been a royal garden for hundreds of years, and most of the buildings were built in the Qing Dynasty. The total area of Zhongnanhai is 1.500 mu, of which the water area is about 700 mu. The South China Sea and China Sea are bounded by Pteris vittata Bridge, and the China Sea and Beihai Sea are bounded by Jin Ao Yudong Bridge.

The main buildings in the South China Sea include Bao Yue Tower, Yingtai, Huairentang and Haiyan Hall. Bao Yue Building is now the south gate of Zhongnanhai, with heavy floors and heavy eaves, and seven rooms are wide. It was built during the Qianlong period and is now called xinhua gate. Yingtai is a peninsula, facing water on three sides and living in the South China Sea. Its buildings are carved with beams and painted with buildings, and the layout is compact and reasonable, such as Penglai on the sea, hence the name Yingtai. This is the place where the emperor handled state affairs, and it is also the place where Emperor Guangxu was imprisoned after the failure of the Reform Movement of 1898. The main buildings are Qin Zheng Hall, Xiangluan Pavilion, Hanyuan Hall, Penglai Pavilion and Fengze Garden.

Land buildings between the Central Sea and the South China Sea include Ziguangge, Banana Garden, Wanshantang and Shuiyunxie. Located on the north bank of Haixi, Ziguangge is a place where the Qing Dynasty remembers its predecessors and entertains heroes. Bajiao Garden is located on the north shore of the central part of the East China Sea, with Wanshantang, Yunshui Pavilion and other buildings, among which Yunshui Pavilion is built by clear water, and there is an imperial monument inscribed by Qianlong, which is one of the eight scenic spots in Yanjing.

The North Sea, the China Sea and the South China Sea are connected by clear water. They are all famous royal gardens in Beijing, which have been operated for generations and are precious cultural heritages left by predecessors.

Xiyuan

The northern, central and southern waters on the west side of the Forbidden City in Beijing are collectively called Xiyuan. It is the main imperial garden in Ming Dynasty, and it is an important place for emperors to rest, live and handle government affairs. Beihai has the largest area, with a total area of about 70 hectares, accounting for more than half of the whole park. The layout is centered on Chidao, and the building is set around the pool. Qionghua Island is stacked in the southeast, with Guanghan Palace (in the early Ming Dynasty) built on it, which was changed to Yonghe Palace in the early Qing Dynasty, becoming the composition center of the whole garden and the commanding height and symbol of the whole garden. There are also Xinyue Concert Hall and Xiao Qing Concert Hall on the island. There is a two-story arc corridor along the pond in the north of the mountain, and several groups of religious buildings are arranged on the north bank, including Xiaoxitian, Daxitian, Zhanfu Temple and colored glass inlaid with Kowloon Wall ... There are three groups of small scenic spots on the south bank and north bank, Pujian Fangzhai and Jing Qing Zhai, which are the gardens of the North Sea.

China Sea and South China Sea have large waters and few small landscapes. China Sea is long and narrow, with lush trees on both sides and few buildings. The South China Sea is small and round, and there is a Yingtai Island in the water. The buildings on the island are low and flat. There are not many buildings on the shore.