The Afterlives of a Ruin

During the Second Opium War, British and French forces systematically destroyed the Yuanming, Changchun, and Qichun Gardens near Beijing, looting thousands of artifacts that were subsequently sold, displayed, or collected in Europe. The study reveals how these gardens—once prized imperial landscapes—became symbols of Western cultural appropriation, with plundered items labeled as 'from the Summer Palace' entering museums, auction markets, and private collections. Additionally, the ruins of European-style palaces within Yuanmingyuan attracted foreign diplomats and their entourage, who found them a picturesque spot for leisure activities.

Hevia, J. L. (2017). The Afterlives of a Ruin. Collecting and Displaying China’s “Summer Palace” in the West, 25–37. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315113395-2