The Long Corridor at a glance
The Long Corridor is a covered walkway at the foot of the front hill of the Summer Palace. It measures 728 metres and has 273 bays. Along its length, the beams carry more than 14,000 paintings of figures, landscapes, flowers and birds.
It starts at the Yaoyue Gate, also called the Moon Invitation Gate, in the east and ends at Shizhangting in the west. Paiyun Hall stands on the central axis, and four octagonal pavilions divide the walk into stretches. The first corridor was built in 1750, destroyed by Anglo-French troops in 1860 and rebuilt in 1886.
The corridor is part of the normal park walk. You do not need a separate ticket for it, only the park ticket. This site is an independent guide and has no link to the park administration.
Walking the corridor from east to west
The route has a clear start and a clear end. Four stops are worth planning around.
The east end: Yaoyue Gate
The walk begins here, on the lakeshore side of the hill. Start in the east if you want to finish near the western shore, where the Marble Boat and the ferry piers are.
Marble Boat →Paiyun Hall at the centre
Paiyun Hall marks the middle axis of the corridor. It is a natural place to pause before you continue west.
Four octagonal pavilions
The pavilions break up the 728 metres. Use them as rest points, and look out over the lake from the open sides.
Kunming Lake →The west end: Shizhangting
A ferry route links Shizhangting with the Bronze Ox area for CNY 40 per person, one way. In the season from about mid-March to mid-November you can return by water instead of on foot.
Summer Palace tours and tickets
Entry tickets, guided walks and day trips that include the Summer Palace, with live prices and availability.
What the paintings show
The paintings cover the beams and the panels under the roof. The motifs are people, landscapes, flowers and birds, and the total passes 14,000. One panel shows the story of Niulang and Zhinu.
Do not try to count them. Look up as you walk, then stop at a panel that catches your eye and look at it from close range. The corridor is a protected monument, and the park rules forbid damaging, writing on or scratching buildings, rocks and trees.
Tickets and hours for the corridor
Prices and times for 2026, full adult rate, in Chinese yuan (CNY).
| 1 April to 31 October | 1 November to 31 March | |
|---|---|---|
| Park ticket | CNY 30 | CNY 20 |
| Through Ticket | CNY 60 | CNY 50 |
| Park opens | 06:00 | 06:30 |
| Last entry to the park | 19:00 | 18:00 |
| Park closes | 20:00 | 19:00 |
The park has no weekly closing day in the regular schedule. The Long Corridor is part of the park, so the park ticket is enough. The Through Ticket adds the paid areas inside the park: Deheyuan, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Suzhou Street and the museum. If you only want the corridor, the lake and the hill, take the park ticket. For the tower and the street, read the pages on the Tower of Buddhist Incense and tickets.
Children up to 6 years or up to 1.20 m enter free. Visitors aged 60 and over enter the park free with a valid passport. Bring the document that proves the reduction.
Tips for walking the corridor
Weekends and holidays bring longer waits at the boats and more people on the shoreline. A weekday morning is calmer. Rain does not stop the walk, because the corridor is roofed, but check the weather before you plan the rest of the day on the water.
Strollers and wheelchairs are allowed in the park. That does not mean every building and slope is step-free, so ask at the gate if you need a level route. Smoking, open fires, kites and drones are not allowed. Filming for media or commercial use needs prior registration with the park.
The corridor sits close to the lake and to Longevity Hill, so it combines easily with the tower and the Marble Boat. If you are building a wider Beijing plan, the imperial palace in the city centre has its own guide at forbidden-city.org.
Plan the rest of your visit
The other sights along the same shore.
Tower of Buddhist Incense
The octagonal tower on Longevity Hill, its extra ticket and hours.
The Marble Boat
History of the stone boat and the ferry from its pier.
Kunming Lake
Boats, the bridge and the lake in winter.
Tickets and Through Ticket
Park ticket, paid areas and who enters free.
Long Corridor: frequently asked questions
How long is the Long Corridor?
It is 728 metres long and has 273 bays. It runs from the Yaoyue Gate in the east to Shizhangting in the west, with four octagonal pavilions along the way.
Do I need an extra ticket for the Long Corridor?
No. The corridor is part of the park walk, so the park ticket covers it. The paid extra areas are Deheyuan, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Suzhou Street and the museum.
How many paintings are there?
There are more than 14,000 paintings of figures, landscapes, flowers and birds. You do not have to see them all. Pick a few panels and take your time.
When was the Long Corridor built?
The first corridor dates from 1750. Anglo-French troops destroyed it in 1860, and it was rebuilt in 1886.
Can I walk it in the rain?
Yes, the corridor is a covered walkway. Boats stop running in strong wind from force 4, in heavy rain and in storms, so plan the lake part of your day with the weather in mind.
Where does the corridor end?
At Shizhangting on the west side. A ferry route connects it with the Bronze Ox area for CNY 40 per person, one way, during the boat season.