The burning order was issued by Elgin and Grant, the leaders of the British invasion of China.
Just as the Qing government bowed to the invaders and promised to accept all the conditions of "negotiation and peace", on the other day, when signing the contract, Elgin and Grant, the leaders of the British invasion of China, made the Qing government "shocked" in order to impress them with their invasion of China, and even brazenly ordered the burning of Yuanmingyuan under the pretext that the Qing government arrested ministers and abused prisoners of war. Erkin wanted to send a message by burning Yuanmingyuan: It is the Emperor China and his minions who should be responsible for the atrocities such as arresting officials and abusing prisoners, not the people of China. A few days before the retaliation, Erkin ordered the following announcements to be posted all over Beijing, declaring the purpose of the British and French allied forces to burn the Yuanmingyuan: "No one, no matter how high his position, can escape responsibility and punishment after committing fraud and atrocities; Yuanmingyuan will be burned on (1860 10) 18 as a punishment for the treachery of Emperor China; Only the Qing imperial government should be responsible for this, and people who have nothing to do with atrocities do not have to worry about being hurt. " On June 10, June 18 and June 19, 3,000 or 4,000 British soldiers set fire to all parts of the garden. The fire didn't go out for three days and nights, and smoke clouds enveloped Beijing for a long time. This unique garden masterpiece was burned together. Afterwards, according to the official investigation of the Qing Dynasty, there were only 20 or 30 temples, pavilions, temples, official doors, value rooms and other buildings in the huge Yuanming Three Gardens, but many doors and windows were uneven, and the indoor furnishings and several cases were looted. Since then, some buildings of Qingyi Garden in Wanshou Mountain, Jingyi Garden in Xiangshan Mountain and Jingming Garden in Yuquan Mountain have also been burned down.