Off Limits: Area of Old Summer Palace Closed to Tourists

Dashuifa (The Grand Waterworks), part of the ruins of the Xiyang Lou (Western Pavilions) complex located inside Yuanming Yuan (The Garden of Perfect Brightness or Old Summer Palace) is no longer accessible to tourists. Park authorities decided to restrict entry to the site after years of abuse from visitors to the patriotically charged national ruin. A security line has been set up to protect the site from further damage – which mainly consists of people carving their names into the stone. Tourists can no longer get up close and personal with one of the recognizable sites of what is often presented as a symbol of China's past humiliation at the hands of foreign powers.

Links and Sources
Sina: 组图：圆明园大水法设隔离带防止游客破坏
Yuanmingyuan Park Official Site
China Heritage Newsletter: Yuanming Yuan, The Garden Of Perfect Brightness
China Heritage Newsletter: On Stage & Screen
Wikipedia: Xiyang Lou
Youku: Yuanmingyuan the Movie which includes a digital recreation of Yuanmingyuan
Tudou: Beijing Ligong Daxue’s Digital Yuanmingyuan
Icebin.cn: 圆明园经典图集 (digital image of Dashuifa)