In 1680, Kangxi began restoring the gardens
on what is now called Longevity Hill.
Qianlong continued the work, excavating
Kunming Lake in honor of his mother’s
sixtieth birthday, in 1754. The large lake
recalled the beauty of West Lake in
Hangzhou. The garden was named Yihe
Yuan, the Garden of Harmony and Ease,
in the 19th century.