The Old Summer Palace, also known in China as the Gardens of Perfect Brightness (Traditional Chinese: 圆明园; Simplified Chinese: 圆明园; pinyin: Yuánmíng Yuán, referred to in many books as Yuan Ming Yuan), and originally called the Imperial Gardens (Traditional Chinese: 御园; pinyin: Yù Yuán), was a complex of palaces and gardens 8 km (5 miles) northwest of the walls of Beijing, built in the 18th and early 19th century, where the emperors of the Qing Dynasty resided and handled government affairs (the Forbidden City inside Beijing was used only for formal ceremonies). Known for its extensive collection of garden and building architectures and other works of art (a popular name in China was the "Garden of Gardens", 万园之园), the Imperial Gardens were entirely destroyed by troops from Britain and France in 1860. Today, the destruction of the Gardens of Perfect Brightness is still regarded as a symbol of foreign aggression and humiliation in China.
参考资料：http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Summer_Palace