Called "Dong Gong Men" (东宫门) in Chinese, the East Palace Gate is the major entrance to the Summer Palace with two side doors: the main door in the middle exclusively reserved to emperors, empresses and queen mothers and the side one for officials. The road leading to the entrance for emperors is chiseled with two relief dragons playing with a ball: a symbol of Chinese imperial dignity.

Upon entering the Gate, visitors will be impressed by the three big and vigorous characters meaning the Summer Palace in Chinese: 颐和园 (Yi He Yuan). It is said to be the handwriting of Emperor Guangxu who ruled the country from 1875 to 1908 under the supervision of Empress Dowager Cixi. The origin of these 3 characters is the center of a story passed for years from generation to generation. Indeed, during the restoration of the Summer Palace, craftsmen asked for Emperor Guangxu's own writing on the plaque to be disposed at the entrance of the Summer Palace. Pleased to accept their request, Emperor Guangxu wrote the three words of "颐和园". Angry at its nephew's calligraphy, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered to take off the characters, forcing then Guangxu to realize his bad writing and start to take lessons of calligraphy. After earnest efforts, the emperor finally succeeded in writing the characters in a proper way, using just one stroke. Satisfactory work, his writing is now to be admired at the East Palace Gate.

True or not, the characters at the entrance give to the Summer Palace a spiritual and forceful meaning showing the great sceneries and historical relics that are to be discovered in the park. By entering the East Palace Gate, visitors are walking into the state affairs and administrative area of emperors.