Beihai Park

Beihai Park - White Pagoda

Beihai Park - Jicui Archway

Located to the northwest of the Forbidden City, Beihai Park is a pleasant place to relish in the atmosphere of Beijing. The park’s many historic and cultural sites – not to mention its idyllic setting – draw families, the faithful and tourists, all eager to relax, have fun or find a little peace.
Begin your visit to Beihai Park at the Round Castle (Tuancheng), just inside the South Gate entrance. The castle’s main feature is the Hall of Received Brilliance (Chengguang Dian), where the emperors would change their outfits or rest. The structure was erected during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and now houses a large jade Buddha. It was in this hall that Yuan Shikai, the first president of China, had himself crowned emperor in year 1915, to much public opposition. He died less than three months later. The Jade Wine Pot, which sits in a glass-enclosed pavilion in front of the hall, is said to date back to the days of Kublai Khan, who used it on Hortensia Isle, just to the north.
Nowadays, Beihai Park has become a top destination for Beijing Day Tours and Beijing Holiday Packages . Besides being able to visit historical architecture here, you may also appreciate the breatktaking scenery of the park too.

Hortensia Isle
After leaving the Round Castle, walk north across the white marble bridge decorated with archways known as pailous at each end to Hortensia Isle. Climb the hill to the Temple of Eternal Peace (Yongan Si), a Lama temple built by Emperor Shunzhi, the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty. After this, you will come to the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falun Dian).
Continue up to the Hall of Universal Peace (Puan Dian) and the Hall of True Enlightenment (Zhengjue Dian), a double complex. A statue of Zongkaba, the founder of the Yellow Hat sect of the Tibetan Buddhism, sits in the former. Climb the staircase on either side, which will bring you to the vase of an observation tower. The building to the left is the Hall of Joyful Hearts (Yuexin Dian), where Qing dynasty emperors held meetings with senior officials. The White Pagoda, which crowns this hill and offers great views of Beijing, is a Tibetan structure that was built in year 1651 to mark the visit of the first Dalai Lama to Beijing. It was completely restored after the Tangshan earthquake in year 1976. The Hall of Cultivating Good Deeds (Shanyin Dian) is easled but was once home to a gilded bronze image of Yamantaka, a Tibetan deity. Unfortunately, the image was destroyed by Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution. Shaman rituals were held here during the Qing period.
Behind the dagoba, paths head down the hill. Walk east at the bottom of the hill (with the lake on your left hand side) until you come to a tower called the Pavilion of Shard Coolness (Fenliang Fe). This is the beginning of a two-story veranda that winds along the north shore of the island. Soon you will come of the Fangshan Restaurant, which is easy to find because of its huge red door attended by young women dressed in colorful Chinese outfits. The restaurant which specializes in imperial cuisine, was originally opened on the north shore of the lake by former imperial chefs in year 1926, two years after Puyi was forced to vacate the Forbidden City. It moved to its current location on this island in year 1959. The restaurant is moderately expensive but a nice place to stop for lunch or dinner.

Beihai Park

Beihai Park Bridges

North End of Beihai
From this area you can take a boat for the short ride across the lake to the Five Dragon Pavilions (Wulong Ting) on the north side. Otherwise, head east and pass through the Tower Leaning towards the Blue Sky (Yiqing Lou). The Norvana archway is in front of the bridge. Walk across the bridge, then turn left and walk north, with the lake to your left, until you reach the Haopu Water Pavilions, which were built in year 1757, and one of the many inner gardens inside the park. This small garden has roofed corridors and a nice pond.
Return to the main lakeside road and continue heading north. The next building on your right is the Studio of the Painted House, where the emperor once presided over archery contests held by Manchu princes and noblemen.
Next on the right is the Altar of Silkworms (Can Tan), which is now a nursery school and closed to the public. In the past, a ceremony was held here by the empress in honor of the mythological goddess of silkworms, wife of the also mythical Yellow Emperor.
Continue walking until you reach the bridge that will take you to the north Gate of the park. Cross the bride and bear east, left, until you reach the Studio of Quieting the Mind (Jingxin Zhai), a garden built in year 1758 that was used as a school for Manchu princes during the Qing dynasty. Turn right after you exit and walk southwest along the lake’s shore until you come to the Hall of the Heavenly Kongs (Tianwang Dian), a Ming-dynasty workshop. To the northeast is the Nine Dragon Screen (Jiulong Bi), one of the three such walls in China.
Farther south along the western shore is the Five Dragon Pavilion (Wulong Ting), whose west hall is said to have been a summer retreat for empresses and high-ranking concubines during the Qing dynasty. Just past the pavilion is a small botanical garden, formerly the location of the Temple of Praying Happiness (Chanfu Si). The Eight Allied Armies robbed the temple in year 1900 and in 1919 it burnt down; part of the temple has been rebuilt in recent years. In the northwest corner of the garden is a pagoda with 16 stone portraits of arhats that were carved during the Qing dynasty.
The final structure is a large square pagoda called Little Western Heaven (Xiaoxitian), a shrine built in honor of Guanyin Bodhisattva, the mercy Buddha, in year 1770. The pagoda is circled by a moat, with four guard towers and four archways.
If you want to visit the Rear Lakes, turn around and retrace your steps to the park’s North Gate exit. Or exit the part though the west or south gate.

Tours might suit your interests
	5 Days Beijing Impression Tour Tour Code: BJPPW5003 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Ding Tomb, Beijing Great Wall, Beijing Hutong, Beihai Park & Confucius Temple
	2 Days Beijing Essence Tour Tour Code: BJPPW2002 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs & Mutianyu Great Wall
	2 Days Beijing Easy Tour Tour Code: BJPPW2003 Highlights: Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven & Mutianyu Great Wall
	Beijing Day Tour to Tiananmen, Forbidden City, Summer Palace & Temple of Heaven Tour Code: BJPDT1010 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace & Temple of Heaven
	Beijing Day Tour to Great Wall & Beijing Olympic Heritages Tour Code: BJPDT1011 Highlights: Beijing Great Wall & Beijing Olympic Heritages