China Beijing Jingshan Park

Jingshan Park is located on the central axis of Beijing and was the imperial garden of the Ming and Qing dynasties.The central peak of the park was once the commanding height of old Beijing. The pavilion on the central peak is called the “Wanchun Pavilion” and is a must-visit for tourists to Jingshan Park. From here, you can overlook the entire central urban area of Beijing and the Forbidden City. It is also a great place to take panoramic photos of the Forbidden City.Tour route and time Jingshan Park has three gates: east, west and south. Most tourists enter through the south gate (opposite the Shenwu Gate of the Forbidden City).The park is not large, and there are many signs to guide you. It usually takes 15-20 minutes to walk from the foot of the hill to the top.Wanchun Pavilion offers a panoramic view of the Forbidden City. From Wanchun Pavilion, you can see the Forbidden City to the south, the Bell and Drum Towers on the central axis to the north, the White Dagoba in the Beihai to the west, and Zhongnanhai to the southeast.Of course, this is only possible if there is no smog in Beijing.In front of Wanchunting is also the sign for “Beijing City Center,” which is the center of the capital city.Another famous attraction in the park of the old Chinese scholar tree where the Chongzhen Emperor hanged himself is the place where the Chongzhen Emperor of the Ming Dynasty hanged himself.At the eastern foot of the Jingshan Hill, there was originally an old Chinese scholar tree. According to legend, when Li Zicheng attacked Beijing at the end of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Chongzhen fled here and hanged himself with his own belt.During the turmoil, the old pagoda tree was cut down as part of the “Four Olds” campaign, and a new ancient pagoda tree was transplanted at the original site in 1981.Other buildings and attractions The main buildings on Jingshan include the Qiwang Tower, which is dedicated to Confucius; the Shouhuang Hall behind Jingshan, where the Ming and Qing emperors’ spirits were kept and their portraits and ancestral tablets were stored; the Yongsi Hall and Guande Hall on the east side; and the Huguo Zhongyi Temple and Wuzafeng Pavilion.Jingshan Park is now also a place for Beijing citizens to sing and dance for leisure. You can see many folk choirs singing revolutionary songs and folk songs here.On a fine day, some locals like to go straight to the top of the park after work to admire and photograph the sunset.The park has tens of thousands of flowers such as peonies and Chinese peonies, and there are flower exhibitions in spring, summer and autumn.In addition, the park has a photography service point where you can pay extra to dress up in Qing Dynasty costumes and have your picture taken as the emperor or a princess.