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A lecture of "Tracking the Traces of the Garden of Exuberant Spring (Changchunyuan): History, Exploration and Legacy" was given at the "Yanyuan Cultural Forum" to the students and teachers of Peking University in the afternoon of March 17th, by Dr. Zhu Qiang, Deputy Director of the Department of Landscape Gardening, College of Landscape Architecture of the BUA, and the winner of the "Most Beautiful Science and Technology Workers in Beijing" award. The lecture was held in the auditorium on the first floor of the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Peking University, and was hosted by Li Dihua, the Vice Dean of the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

There is a cluster of imperial gardens located in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, known as the "Three Hills and Five Gardens". One of its key components, the Garden of Exuberant Spring, once the residence and political center for the emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), has hidden in it profound historical significance and rich cultural value. Dr. Zhu Qiang gave a vivid presentation of the history and layout of the Garden of Exuberant Spring and its spatial relationship with the Peking University campus, and shared with the audience his latest research of the Garden.

The spatial intimacy between the campus of Peking University and the Garden of Exuberant Spring is obvious. By comparing the modern satellite images with the historical maps, Zhu has discovered the overlapping of the campus and the Garden. He pointed out that the Chengze Garden and other areas on the campus of Peking University were a part of the Garden of Exuberant Spring, where some historical traces can still be found.

As urbanization picked up pace, the site of the Garden of Exuberant Spring has been gradually covered by the modern constructions. In the lecture, Dr. Zhu Qiang presented the "Awakening Changchun" initiative, recommending the preservation and utilization of the Garden of Exuberant Spring by setting up a historical site park, implementing a geographical signage system, and building a cultural display center. He also called for the organization of a joint team to conduct rescue research, through which more historical value of the Garden of Exuberant Spring can be uncovered.

In recent years, the protection of the Three Hills and Five Gardens has become an important job of the Haidian District Government, which has successfully had this area included in the first batch Demonstration Zones for the Protection and Use of Cultural Heritage in China. Zhu Qiang believes that archaeological excavation and public display of the site will help bring the Garden of Exuberant Spring back to life in the future.