The Ruins won't ruin you

Although YuanMingYuan may have had a turbulent past, today it is a great place for a tranquil stroll amidst picturesque archways, columns (well, segments anyway) and a lake. Having been to any museum that has European art, most of those statues are missing arms, legs, noses, or other, more essential parts. So in fact going here seems like many other aesthetic experiences. You do feel a sense of history here of course and the past is not forgotten, but for Chinese and foreigners alike, my feeling is that this park is a nice place to visit, and that its somewhat distant past doesn't bring about too many bad feelings, but does stir some reflection on the larger picture of life.