Located in central Beijing and near the Forbidden City and the Tiananmen Square, Beihai Park is one of the oldest and best preserved royal gardens in China. It has experienced throughout 5 dynasties included Liao Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing and has a history of over 1000 years. It is a typical combination of the grandness of China’s northern gardens and the delicacy of the southern gardens. Moreover, it also presents a perfect integration of magnificent imperial palaces and solemn religious architectures. It is a gem of garden art.
The construction of Beihai Park can be traced to an ancient legend. It said once upon a time there were 3 magic mountains named ‘Penglai’, ‘Yingzhou’ and ‘Fangzhang’ located to the east of Bohai. Gods livede in the mountains and had a certain medicine that could make humans gain immortality. Many Chinese emperors pursued an eternal life and sought for the mountains. However, they failed but then they began to imitate the building pattern in the story, that is, one pool and three mountains, bearing the wish of immortality. Most emperors built their imperial garden with the pattern implanted. Beihai Park surely follows this style: Taiye Pool(divided into three parts:Beihai Lake in the north, Zhonghai Lake in the middle and Nanhai Lake in the south. Beihai Lake is the best known among the three and Beihai Park got its name therefore; three mountains on the Pool, including Qionghua Islet, the Tuancheng Island and the Xishantai Island.
There are several famous and outstandingly beautiful sites that you should not miss in the Park.
White Dagoba
It was built on the top of Qionghua Islet by Emperor Shunzhi of Qing Dynasty to show his belief in Buddhism and his desire for the unification of various Chinese nations at that time. In the dagoba, two pieces of Sarira (saints’ remains) were treasured. Besides, as it is the highest point in the Park, it also serves as the best viewing platform of beautiful scene of the whole park.
Haopujian Garden
Here you could feel a seclusion from society because you would be soaked in an extremely tranquility, relaxed and happy. The building originated a ancient story of dialogue between Zhuangzi and Huizi, two famous philosophers in ancient China. Standing on Hao River, Zhuangzi said: ‘How happy are the fish in the river!’ Huizi questioned: ‘You are not the fish. How can you know whether the fish are happy or not?’ Then Zhuangzi responded: ‘You are not me. Then how can you know that I don’t know the happiness of the fish?’ The Emperor Qianlong was inspired by the story so built the Haopujian Garden so as to seek happiness and relaxation as free as the fish in the river.
Jingxin(Quiet Heart)Studio
It is the most famous independent garden in Beihai Park. The pavilions, corridors, artificial hills and stream are well arranged and integrated, which is able to peace your heart. During Qing Dynasty, it was used by the royal members as a rest or study place.
Nine-Dragon Screen and Five- Dragon Pavilions
They are the must-sees for visitors. The Nine- Dragon Screen is the most delicate among China’s three Nine-Dragon Screens (the other two are respectively in the Forbidden City and Datong City of Shanxi Province). There are totally 635 dragons so vividly due to its exquisite embossing crafts. Five-Dragon Pavilions are the place where the emperors went fishing and enjoyed the bright moon. It is formed by five connected pavilions, which from a distance are seen like a coiling dragon.
Nine Gragon Screen |
Tuancheng Island
It is an exquisite garden sounded by a circular wall of 276 meters. There are many old trees in the garden, where most pines and cypresses are around over 700 years old. The Chengguang Hall is the most important building in the garden and two treasures are most worthy of your sight. One is the extremely precious white jade statue of Buddha; the other is the huge urn in front of the hall, made of a piece of dark jade engraved with a dragon in cloud and a sea horse on waves, used as the vessel to store wine by Kublai Khan( a famous emperor of Yuan Dynasty).
Entrance fee:
April 1-October 31: 10RMB
November 1- March 31: 5RMB