Top Ten Parks in Beijing 北京十大公园
The Temple of Heaven is used by Emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties to worship the heaven and pray for rich
harvests.
Address: Xiangshan Lu, Haidian District
Phone: 010-6259-1155
Transportation: Bus 333 from Summer Palace, Bus 904 from Xizhimen subway station
Open Hours: 6am-7pm daily
Fee: RMB 5 (park), RMB 10 (Azure Clouds Temple)
Two miles west of the Summer Palace, Xiang Shan Park (also known as Fragrant Hills Park) is at its scenic best in
the fall when the maples turn flaming red. Its main attractions are the fine views from Incense Burner Peak(XiangLu
peak, Devil Frowning), accessible by a chair lift (RMB30) and the splendid Azure Clouds Temple(Biyun Temple or
Biyun Si), close to the main north gate. The Temple is guarded by the menacing deities Heng and Ha in the
Mountain Gate Hall. A series of halls leads to the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, where the revolutionary leader’s coffin
was stored in 1925, before being taken to his final resting palace in Nanjing. About a mile east of Xiang Shan Park
are the Beijing Botanical Gardens, with pleasant walks and some 6,000 plant species. The garden’s Sleeping
Buddha Temple (Wofo Si) is renowned for its magnificent 15-ft (5-m) bronze statue of a reclining Buddha. China’s
last emperor, Pu Yi (Aisin Gioro, 溥仪, 1905-1967), ended his days here as a gardener.
Address: 18 Jingshan Qian Jie, opposite the Forbidden City North Gate, Xicheng District
Phone: 010-6404-4071
Transportation: Subway Line 1 at Tiananmen Xi
Open Hours: 7am-8pm daily
Fee: RMB 2
Jing Shan Park (Coal Hill or Prospect Hill) lies immediately north of the Forbidden City. The hill was created from the
earth that was excavated while building the moat around the palace complex during the reign of the Ming Yongle
emperor. It is also where the last emperor of the Ming dynasty, Chongzhen, hanged himself from a locust tree
(huaishu) as rebel troops invaded. The park is dotted with pavilions and halls, but the highlight is the superb view of
the Forbidden City from the hill-top Wanchun Pavilion (Pavilion of everlasting spring).
Address: Chaoyang Gongyuan, Nongzhan Nan Lu, Chaoyang District
Phone: 010-6506-5409
Open Hours: 6:30am-9pm daily
Fee: RMB 5
Chaoyang Park – the largest urban public park in Asia-is almost unique in allowing people to kick a ball about or
picnic on the grass in the summer. Plenty of tree cover as well as some wonderful public sports facilities, including
dozens of basketball and football pitches, mean this is a great place to hang out in the warmer months. The
amusement park and boating lake are great for outdoor fun and Chaoyang Park is also the venue for many events.
Address: North of Lama Temple
Phone: 010-6404-4071
Transportation: Subway Line 2 at Yonghegong
Open Hours: 9am-9pm daily
Fee: RMB 1 (park), RMB 5 (Altar)
The park was named after the Temple of Earth (Di Tan), which was a venue for imperial sacrifices. The altar’s
square shape represents the earth. These days, the only thing that gets killed here is time: the park is always full of
pensioners strolling, chatting, and exercising. A lively temple fair (miaohui) is held here at Chinese New Year to
welcome the spring planting season and appease the gods.
Phnoe: 010-8563-5038
Transportation: Subway Line 1 or Line 2 at Jianguomen
Open Hours: 6:30am-9:30pm daily
Fee: Free
One of Beijing’s oldest parks, Ri Tan (the Temple of Sun) was laid out around a sacrificial altar back in the 16th
century. The round altar remains, ringed by a circular wall, but this is very much a living park, filled daily with people
walking and exercising. Stop in for a rest at the Stone Boat Cafe or one of the other restaurants surrounding the
park.
Address: 12 Nan Cai Yuan Street, Xuanwu District
Phone: 010- 6354-4993, 010- 63544994
Open Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm daily
Transportation: Bus 59、819、717、122、721、806、939 or 816 at Da Guan Yuan Stop
Located in Xuanwu District southwest of Beijing, Grand View Garden is a replica of Daguanyuan described in the
well-known Chinese novel "A Dream of Red Mansions" (one of the four classic novels in China, also known as Hong
Lou Meng or Dream of the Red Chamber, 红楼梦) by a Qing Dynasty writer Cao Xueqin (17l5-l763). The site used
to be a park dotted with willows and pines. In l984, it was created into garden scenes complete with pavilions, lake
and zigzag bridge for the hit TV series "A Dream of Red Mansions".
The Grand View Garden includes a front gate, four courtyards, Qinfang Bridge, Dicui Pavilion, winding paths and
other scenic sites. Yihongyuan (Happy Red Court), located west of Qinfang Bridge, used to be the residence of Jia
Baoyu, hero of the novel. Xiaoxiangguan (Bamboo Lodge), a small and simple courtyard decorated in light-green,
with slim bamboos grown in the courtyard, housed the weak and unlucky Lin Daiyu, heroine of the novel.
Address: 1 Zhonghua Lu, west side of Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng District
Phone: 010-6605-5431
Transportation: Subway Line 1 at Tiananmen Xi
Open Hours: 6am-10pm daily
Fee: RMB 3
Northwest of the Tiananmen, Zhong Shan Park (also known as Sun Yat Sen Park) offers respite from the crowds
thronging the nearby sights. The park was once part of the grounds of a temple and the square Altar of Earth and
Harvests remains. In the eastern section is the Forbidden City Concert Hall, Beijing’s Premier venue for classical
music by Beijing international festival chorus (www.beijingifc.org).
Address: 28 Qinghua Xi Lu, Haidian District
Transportation: Subway Line 4 at Yuan Ming Yuan
Open Hours: 7am-6:30pm daily
The Yuan Ming Yuan (Garden of Perfect Brightness, also known as yuanmingyuan remains park) now sits isolated
from the main Summer Palace, but was a grand collection of palaces by the Qing Qianlong emperor in the mid-18th
century. He commissioned Jesuits at his court to design and construct a set of European-style buildings in one
corner, which they likened to Versailles. Unfortunately, Yungmingyuan was destroyed by British and French troops
during the Second Opium War in 1860 and again by eight allied foreign forces in 1900.
Perhaps the most remarkable structure in yuanmingyuan was a zodiac water clock fountain which spouted from 12
bronze heads, four of which (an ox, a monkey, a tiger and a pig) are now housed in the impressive Poly Art Museum
immediately near Dong Si Shi Tiao metro stop at the new poly plaza.
The palace is now made up of three idyllic parks: Yuanmingyuan (Garden of Perfect Brightness) in the west,
Wanchunyuan (Garden of 10,000 Springs, known initially as the Garden of Variegated Spring, Qichunyuan) in the
south, and Changchunyuan (Garden of Everlasting Spring), where the European ruins of marble palaces can be
found, in the east. To the west of ruins there’s a fun labyrinth (wanhuazhen), a reconstruction of the one that was
destroyed. After you explore the ruins, the gardens are great for picnicking, scrambling over rocks, and rowing on
the lake.
- Bei Hai Park 北海公园
The Temple of Heaven is used by Emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties to worship the heaven and pray for rich
harvests.
- Xiangshan Park （Fragrant Hills Park, Xiangshan Gongyuan, 香山公园）
Address: Xiangshan Lu, Haidian District
Phone: 010-6259-1155
Transportation: Bus 333 from Summer Palace, Bus 904 from Xizhimen subway station
Open Hours: 6am-7pm daily
Fee: RMB 5 (park), RMB 10 (Azure Clouds Temple)
Two miles west of the Summer Palace, Xiang Shan Park (also known as Fragrant Hills Park) is at its scenic best in
the fall when the maples turn flaming red. Its main attractions are the fine views from Incense Burner Peak(XiangLu
peak, Devil Frowning), accessible by a chair lift (RMB30) and the splendid Azure Clouds Temple(Biyun Temple or
Biyun Si), close to the main north gate. The Temple is guarded by the menacing deities Heng and Ha in the
Mountain Gate Hall. A series of halls leads to the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, where the revolutionary leader’s coffin
was stored in 1925, before being taken to his final resting palace in Nanjing. About a mile east of Xiang Shan Park
are the Beijing Botanical Gardens, with pleasant walks and some 6,000 plant species. The garden’s Sleeping
Buddha Temple (Wofo Si) is renowned for its magnificent 15-ft (5-m) bronze statue of a reclining Buddha. China’s
last emperor, Pu Yi (Aisin Gioro, 溥仪, 1905-1967), ended his days here as a gardener.
Address: 18 Jingshan Qian Jie, opposite the Forbidden City North Gate, Xicheng District
Phone: 010-6404-4071
Transportation: Subway Line 1 at Tiananmen Xi
Open Hours: 7am-8pm daily
Fee: RMB 2
Jing Shan Park (Coal Hill or Prospect Hill) lies immediately north of the Forbidden City. The hill was created from the
earth that was excavated while building the moat around the palace complex during the reign of the Ming Yongle
emperor. It is also where the last emperor of the Ming dynasty, Chongzhen, hanged himself from a locust tree
(huaishu) as rebel troops invaded. The park is dotted with pavilions and halls, but the highlight is the superb view of
the Forbidden City from the hill-top Wanchun Pavilion (Pavilion of everlasting spring).
- Chaoyang Park 朝阳公园
Address: Chaoyang Gongyuan, Nongzhan Nan Lu, Chaoyang District
Phone: 010-6506-5409
Open Hours: 6:30am-9pm daily
Fee: RMB 5
Chaoyang Park – the largest urban public park in Asia-is almost unique in allowing people to kick a ball about or
picnic on the grass in the summer. Plenty of tree cover as well as some wonderful public sports facilities, including
dozens of basketball and football pitches, mean this is a great place to hang out in the warmer months. The
amusement park and boating lake are great for outdoor fun and Chaoyang Park is also the venue for many events.
- Di Tan Park 地坛公园
Address: North of Lama Temple
Phone: 010-6404-4071
Transportation: Subway Line 2 at Yonghegong
Open Hours: 9am-9pm daily
Fee: RMB 1 (park), RMB 5 (Altar)
The park was named after the Temple of Earth (Di Tan), which was a venue for imperial sacrifices. The altar’s
square shape represents the earth. These days, the only thing that gets killed here is time: the park is always full of
pensioners strolling, chatting, and exercising. A lively temple fair (miaohui) is held here at Chinese New Year to
welcome the spring planting season and appease the gods.
- Ri Tan Park 日坛公园
Phnoe: 010-8563-5038
Transportation: Subway Line 1 or Line 2 at Jianguomen
Open Hours: 6:30am-9:30pm daily
Fee: Free
One of Beijing’s oldest parks, Ri Tan (the Temple of Sun) was laid out around a sacrificial altar back in the 16th
century. The round altar remains, ringed by a circular wall, but this is very much a living park, filled daily with people
walking and exercising. Stop in for a rest at the Stone Boat Cafe or one of the other restaurants surrounding the
park.
- Grand View Garden (Beijing Da Guan Yuan, 北京大观园)
Address: 12 Nan Cai Yuan Street, Xuanwu District
Phone: 010- 6354-4993, 010- 63544994
Open Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm daily
Transportation: Bus 59、819、717、122、721、806、939 or 816 at Da Guan Yuan Stop
Located in Xuanwu District southwest of Beijing, Grand View Garden is a replica of Daguanyuan described in the
well-known Chinese novel "A Dream of Red Mansions" (one of the four classic novels in China, also known as Hong
Lou Meng or Dream of the Red Chamber, 红楼梦) by a Qing Dynasty writer Cao Xueqin (17l5-l763). The site used
to be a park dotted with willows and pines. In l984, it was created into garden scenes complete with pavilions, lake
and zigzag bridge for the hit TV series "A Dream of Red Mansions".
The Grand View Garden includes a front gate, four courtyards, Qinfang Bridge, Dicui Pavilion, winding paths and
other scenic sites. Yihongyuan (Happy Red Court), located west of Qinfang Bridge, used to be the residence of Jia
Baoyu, hero of the novel. Xiaoxiangguan (Bamboo Lodge), a small and simple courtyard decorated in light-green,
with slim bamboos grown in the courtyard, housed the weak and unlucky Lin Daiyu, heroine of the novel.
Address: 1 Zhonghua Lu, west side of Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng District
Phone: 010-6605-5431
Transportation: Subway Line 1 at Tiananmen Xi
Open Hours: 6am-10pm daily
Fee: RMB 3
Northwest of the Tiananmen, Zhong Shan Park (also known as Sun Yat Sen Park) offers respite from the crowds
thronging the nearby sights. The park was once part of the grounds of a temple and the square Altar of Earth and
Harvests remains. In the eastern section is the Forbidden City Concert Hall, Beijing’s Premier venue for classical
music by Beijing international festival chorus (www.beijingifc.org).
- Yuan Ming Yuan (Old Summer Palace) 圆明园
Address: 28 Qinghua Xi Lu, Haidian District
Transportation: Subway Line 4 at Yuan Ming Yuan
Open Hours: 7am-6:30pm daily
The Yuan Ming Yuan (Garden of Perfect Brightness, also known as yuanmingyuan remains park) now sits isolated
from the main Summer Palace, but was a grand collection of palaces by the Qing Qianlong emperor in the mid-18th
century. He commissioned Jesuits at his court to design and construct a set of European-style buildings in one
corner, which they likened to Versailles. Unfortunately, Yungmingyuan was destroyed by British and French troops
during the Second Opium War in 1860 and again by eight allied foreign forces in 1900.
Perhaps the most remarkable structure in yuanmingyuan was a zodiac water clock fountain which spouted from 12
bronze heads, four of which (an ox, a monkey, a tiger and a pig) are now housed in the impressive Poly Art Museum
immediately near Dong Si Shi Tiao metro stop at the new poly plaza.
The palace is now made up of three idyllic parks: Yuanmingyuan (Garden of Perfect Brightness) in the west,
Wanchunyuan (Garden of 10,000 Springs, known initially as the Garden of Variegated Spring, Qichunyuan) in the
south, and Changchunyuan (Garden of Everlasting Spring), where the European ruins of marble palaces can be
found, in the east. To the west of ruins there’s a fun labyrinth (wanhuazhen), a reconstruction of the one that was
destroyed. After you explore the ruins, the gardens are great for picnicking, scrambling over rocks, and rowing on
the lake.
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