Combined with Yuanmingyuan, the spatial characteristics and water management characteristics of ancient royal gardens in China were discussed.

1. The Royal Garden covers a large area and has a large scale. Generally, the real landscape is chosen, and the scale of single building is stipulated by the palace. Therefore, the overall scale and individual scale of the garden are the largest. The royal garden adopts the layout mode of large dispersion and small concentration, with large space open and small space closed. There are gardens in the garden, large and medium-sized see small, small and medium-sized see large. The garden is divided into several scenic spots, including small scenic spots and several scenic spots. The scenic spots are separated and connected by rocks, trees, corridors, bridges and roads to achieve the artistic effect of continuity, connection and separation.

Yuanmingyuan Garden is generally composed of Yuanmingyuan Garden, Changchun Garden and Qichun Garden, which are interrelated and integrated. The three gardens can be divided into dozens of scenic spots, each of which is centered on a group of buildings and consists of several mountain-shaped water systems. Each group of buildings in the scenic area includes several courtyards, and each courtyard has several buildings respectively. An important feature of Yuanmingyuan is that there are gardens in the garden, which are nested at different levels.

2. The characteristics of water management in ancient waterscape gardens in China are summarized as follows: the form and sound are both ornamental and immortal, the national feelings are symbolic, and the thoughts of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are profound philosophical, elegant and refined. Unique cultural style, combination of appreciation and use, and comprehensiveness of multiple functions. Water control mode, one pool and three mountains. Since Qin Shihuang built Lanchi Palace and Penglai Mountain in the pool, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty built Zhanggong Taiye Pool and built Penglai, Abbot and Yingzhou Islands, creating a precedent of one pool and three mountains. The landscape of Yuanmingyuan is largely based on China's myths and legends and artistic conception of poetry and painting, such as Fanghu Scenic Area, Pengdao Yaotai (Penglai Xiandao), Wuling Chunjing (Peach Blossom Garden), Shangxiatianguang (Dongting Lake) and Xinghua Chunting (imitating the poems of Du Mu Xinghua Village). Many scenic spots in the south of the Yangtze River are imitations, which are called "restoration scenes", such as the Ten Scenes of West Lake taken from Hangzhou (all of the Ten Scenes of West Lake are imitations, and some of them are included in the Forty Scenes of Yuanmingyuan), Xifeng Xiuse taken from Lushan Mountain, Siyi Bookstore taken from Anlan Garden in Haining, Ruyuan taken from Zhanyuan Garden in Nanjing, Lion Forest taken from Suzhou, and Xiaoyou Tianyuan taken from Wang Manor in Hangzhou. In addition, there is a European-style building complex-Xiyang Building in the north of Changchun Garden.