The Marble Boat

It is also known as the Boat of Purity and Ease. It is a lakeside pavillion on the grounds of the Summer Palace in Beijing. It was first erected in 1755 during the reign of the Qianlong Emporer. It was originally made from a base of large stone blocks which supported a wooden structure. In 1860 during the Second Opium War, the pavillion was destroyed by Anglo-French forces. It was restored in 1893 on the order of the Empress Dowager Cixi. The new structure is made out of wood but painted to imitate marble.