The East Palace Gate donggongmen is the main entrance to the Summer Palace. It has three doors, the one in the center being exclusively for the emperor and the empress, and the two side doors for nobles and ministers. The three characters, Yi He Yuan Summer Palace, on the plaque of the gate, were written by Emperor Guangxu, the last but one emperor of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911. This emperor is said to have worked at calligraphy specially so as to give a good account of himself in handwriting.