Beihai Park

Beihai (North Sea) Park is one of the most popular parks in the city of Beijing. It covers a total area of over 68 hectares, more than half of it is taken up by the lake. Early in the 10th century, the Liao Dynasty built a secondary imperial residence here, called Yaoyu or Jade Islet. When the Jin took over, they renamed the capital Zhongdu, meaning Central Capital, and built an imperial palace. Qionghua (Jade Flowery) Islet was built of earth dug out from the lake, and the rocks used for piling on the hill were brought from Kaifeng, Henan Province. During the Yuan Dynasty, the place was rebuilt three times, and Guanghandian or the Palace in the Moon where Kublai Khan used to live and many other palace buildings were built on top of the hill. It was in this palace that Kublai Khan received Marco Polo. Unfortunately it was destroyed. The Islet became the centre of Dadu (Great Capital) and is still situated in the heart of modern Beijing.

The Ming Dynasty saw more construction and renovation: the Five Dragon Pavilions and the Nine-Dragon Screen on the north bank of the lake and many pavilions and galleries were erected during that period. From the White Dagoba, visitors can have an excellent view of the Five Dragon Pavilions standing on the opposite bank of the lake, with colourful ferry boats travelling back and forth between the shores. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong, construction lasted for 30 years. The project included many other pavilions, halls and terraces which made the park even more harmonious in design.

The layout of the park is based on an ancient Chinese legend. According to the legend, there were supposed to be three islands to the east of Bohai Bay where the gods lived. One of them was called Penglai Island where a kind of herbal medicine grew, that was supposed to prolong life. The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty wanted to live fovrever. He sent people to the islands to look for the longevity medicine, but failed. Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty also wanted to live an eternal life. He ordered that a big pool be dug at the back of his palace, complete with three artificial hills to represent Penglai and the other islands. So these legendary hills were built in the eastern capital of Luoyang during the Sui Dynasty and also in the Tang Dynasty capital of Chang'an. Such a traditional style of gardening was followed during the succeeding dynasties and Beihai Park was built after this traditional style.

White Dagoba

Towering at the top of Qionghua Islet, the White Dagoba was built in 1651 on the former site of the Palace in the Moon. At the suggestion of a famous Tibetan lama priest named Momhan, Emperor Shunzhi, the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty agreed to the suggestion as a gesture of devotion to the Buddhist belief and a desire for unification among China's various nationalities. The dagoba was damaged in an earthquake and reconstructed on two occasions. It stands 35.9 metres high, resting on a square base built of huge stone slabs, and is topped by two bronze parasols, with 14 bronze bells hanging around them. It resembles a huge umbrella resting on a densely-wooded island. Since it was the highest point in old Beijing, it served as a vantage point of military significance.

The Bridge of Eternal Peace was built in the 13th century in the early part of the Yuan Dynasty.

Beihai (North Sea)

The lake is called Beihai in Chinese, meaning "north sea." It is 68 hectares in area, with an average depth of 2 metres. The water comes from the Jade Spring Hill and Yongding River, northwest of the city. Boating and fishing are popular here in spring, summer and autumn, and people come here to skate in winter.

Jade Islet Spring Shade

On the eastern side of the Islet stands a tablet known as the Jade Islet Spring Shade, one of the eight beautiful scenes in ancient Beijing.

Qing Emperor Qianlong was so fascinated by the beautiful scene here that he wrote a poem and an inscription that reads Jade Islet Spring Shade. The inscription was later carved on the facade of the tablet and the poem on the back. The tablet is enclosed by marble balustrades. Close by the tablet a path leads to the top of the hill.

Fangshan Restaurant

Enter Beihai Park by the east gate, cross the bridge, turn right and walk along the lakeside for 5 minutes, you will get to Yilantang (Hall of Gentle Ripple) on the Qionghua Islet where Fangshan Restaurant is located. With a hill behind and a lake in front, the restaurant offers a picturesque view. There are 11 halls, large and small, which can accommodate a total of 250 people. The dishes and desserts are imitations of imperial cuisine.

It was first built in 1757. The place is surrounded by rocky formations, covered with trees. decorated with winding stone bridges and spacious halls in an environment of quiet seclusion. Sometimes Empress Dowager Cixi came here to spend her summer days and listen to traditional storytelling.

Huafangzhai (Studio of Colourfully-Painted Pleasure Boat)

It lies on the east shore of the lake. It consists of several water-surface buildings. In the centre is a pond surrounded by winding galleries. On the left is Guketing (Courtyards with Old Trees), in front of which is an old ash-tree planted in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Nowadays, the Studio is often used for exhibitions of calligraphy, paintings and photographs.

The White Marble Pillar

The White Marble Pillar with the design of coiling dragons, located to the northwest of the Dagoba, stands midway along the hillside.

On its top is the bronze statue of an immortal holding a plate which is named Chenglupan (Receptacle of Dew). Legend has it that Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) once used this method to gather dew-drops to mix the medicine he took for longevity. It is on this basis of the legend that Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty had this structure built.

Qingxiaolou (Hall for Night Parties)

The Hall for Night Parties lies on the western part of the Islet. In the imperial days, on the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the Ist month of the Chinese lunar calendar). Empress Dowager Cixi would come to enjoy the skating games here.

Yuegulou (Chamber for Reading the Classics)

The Chamber is located on the western side of the Jade Islet. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795), a collection of famous calligraphical works up to the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420), possessed by the imperial court, were on stone tablets rubbings, which constitute the "Sanxitang (Hall of Three Rarities) Model Calligraphy." The total comes to 495 pieces forming acollection of China's treasures in the art of calligraphy.

Five Dragon-Pavilions

The Five Dragon-Pavilions were built in 1602 and renovated several times under the Qing.
The Qing emperors went fishing, enjoyed camp fires or moonlit nights. Since the pavilions were built over the water, they were called dragon-pavilions.

This Nine-Dragon Screen was built of 424 pieces of coloured glazed tiles during the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlona. The screen is 6.65 metres high, 25.86 metres long and 1.42 metres thick. It shows nine dragons playing in the waves. The Nine-Dragon Screen in "Beihai Park is one of the indispensable sights for foreign tourists to Beijing to take in if they wish to follow the traces or China's dragons. In nine different postures the nine dragons equally portray fierceness and vigour. Tourists marvel at the great artistic merit and the beautitul modelling of this ancient art object. There are three nine-dragon screens in China: the largest is the one in the city of Datong, Shanxi Province; the best one is in Beihai Park and the other one is in the Forbidden City.

The Tower of Ten Thousand Buddhas

Located at the northwestern corner of the compound, the Tower of Ten Thousand Buddhas was built in 1771 in honour of the 80th birthday of Emperor Qianlong's mother. The tower contained 10,000 niches, each holding a gilded Amitayus Buddha. It's a pity they were looted when the allied forces of the eight powers invaded Beijing in 1900.

Miaoxiangting (Pavilion of Buddhist Apprehension)

The pavilion is octagonal in shape. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty had Wanfolou (House of Ten Thousand Buddhist Deities) built in celebration of his mother's eightieth birthday. The pavilion is part of the construction. In the pavilion there is a stone pagoda, on which are carved sixteen buddhist figures. Each one of them is full of life and marvellous in form.

The Iron Shadow Screen

This is a cultural relic from the Yuan Dynasty. It stands 3.56 metres long and l.89 metres high. There are some simple but lively animal carvings on both sides. The colour of the screen looks like iroh, actually it is carved out of neutral igneous rock, hence the name.

Jingxinzhai

Jingxinzhai (Heart-ease Study) is a fascinating garden located on the northern shores of Beihai Park. The whole garden is surrounded by a gilded and painted rigzag corridor that follows the shape of the hills.

The garden was first named Jingqingzhai (Clear Mirror Study) built wlth fine workmanship in 1758 and was known as the "miniature garden of Qianlong." The Qing emperors and empresses used to come here to relax after worshipping Gods at Xiaoxitian (Little Western Sky) in Beihai. Empress Dowager Cixi made it her favourite resort because of its quietness and seclusion and a special narrow-gauge railway line was built from her residence at Zhongnanhai right down to the entrance of the garden. In 1913, this place was renovated and renamed Jingxinzhai.