A mid-year journey through the 12 seasonal customs at Prince Kung's Palace Museum

Sixth lunar month: Escaping the summer heat at Prince Kung's Palace

Prince Kung's Palace once served as a serene oasis of coolness against the summer swelter of Beijing. Ice was transported from the Shichahai ice cellars to the mansion, placed into boxes and bowls to cool the air and bring a refreshing chill to the surroundings.

Silk quilts on beds carried a gentle coolness, while a small ice bowl filled with shui wu ta – a frozen milk dessert – rested on a red-lacquered table, providing a sweet and icy respite from the heat.

Outside the halls, layered rock formations evoke the appearance of icy mountains. The scent of lotus flowers mingles with cool breeze, completing the tranquil and serene atmosphere at Prince Kung's Palace in high summer.