The construction of YuanmingYuan, considered China's mostbeautiful garden historically,began in 1709 during the reignof Emperor Kangxi of the QingDynasty (1644-1911), who gave the impe-rial residence its name, meaning Garden ofPerfect Brightness. Yuanming Yuan (OldSummer Palace) is situated in northwestof Beijing, between Tsinghua Universityand Yihe Yuan (New Summer Palace).However, the garden met with a tragic endwhen it was burnt, desecrated and looted byAnglo-French Forces in 1860, humiliatingthe nation. At the time it was still under con-struction.