When was the Summer Palace burned down?

the Summer Palace itself has never been burned. However, its nearby Yuanmingyuan was burned by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860 and looted and destroyed by the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900.

As for the Summer Palace, it was looted during the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion in 1900 but was not burned. Therefore, it is inaccurate to say that the Summer Palace was burned.

Here is a detailed timeline of the related events:

  • 1860: The Anglo-French Allied Forces captured Beijing, occupying the Yuanmingyuan, and under the support of British Prime Minister Palmerston, British Emperor Elgin ordered the burning of the Yuanmingyuan. This event caused devastating destruction to the Yuanmingyuan, but the Summer Palace was not directly affected.
  • 1900: During the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance, the Summer Palace was looted, and its treasures were plundered. Despite suffering severe losses, the architectural structures of the Summer Palace did not undergo the same devastating destruction as the Yuanmingyuan.

In summary, the Summer Palace was not burned but was looted during the 1900 invasion by the Eight-Nation Alliance. The destruction of the Yuanmingyuan was a tragedy caused jointly by the Anglo-French Allied Forces and the Eight-Nation Alliance, reminding us to remember history, cherish cultural heritage, and strive to protect them from destruction.