between 1750 and 1764 the qing emperor qianlong created the garden of clear ripples (summer palace), extending the area of the lake and carrying out other improvements based on the hill and its landscape. during the second opium war (1856-60) the garden and its buildings were destroyed by the allied forces. between 1886 and 1895 it was reconstructed by emperor guangxu and renamed the summer palace, for use by empress dowager cixi. it was damaged in 1900 by the international expeditionary force during the suppression of the boxer rising and 24 years later, it became a public park in 1924.