China Beijing Beihai Park

“Let’s row our boat, little boat, pushing away the waves…”, the familiar song describes this very place.The Beihai is located northwest of the Forbidden City and is one of the three seas, along with the Zhonghai and Nanhai.The park was once a royal garden, with pavilions scattered about, and the lakefront is full of lush trees, making for a beautiful scenery.

Beihai has a long history of lotus cultivation and breeding, which has been passed down and developed to the present day. Beihai Park currently has more than 100 varieties of lotus, and more than 1,200 pots of lotus and various aquatic plants are maintained each year.From June to August, the morning, afternoon, and evening lotuses compete with each other to bloom.

Highlights

This is another park with an old Beijing charm at the foot of the Imperial City. In the morning, you will see elderly people exercising andwalk their birds; in the afternoon and evening, it is more suitable for boating in the park.When you come to Beihai Park, you can admire the exquisite buildings left behind by the imperial dynasty of that era; you can also sit by the lakeside, chat with the elderly people around you, listen to them tell the untold stories of the imperial family in Beijing, and talk about those long-forgotten past events; you can even blend in with the people playing shuttlecock and diabolo, and ask them for tips. Perhaps this is also a way to blend into the life of old Beijing.

Area overview

Beihai Park is centered on the north shore, and the entire park is divided into four major areas: the “North Shore Scenic Area,” the “East Shore Scenic Area,””Qiongdao Scenic Area” and “Tuancheng Scenic Area” are the four major areas.

The North Bank Area is located in the northwest corner of the park and is mainly composed of a series of religious buildings such as Kuaisuetang, Wulongting and Xiaoxitian, Jingxinzhai, Chenfusi and Xitianfanjing. The well-known “Nine Dragon Wall” is also located in this area.

The Dong’an area is located in the northeast corner of the park and is mainly composed of Xiancan Altar, Huafangzhai and Haopuzhai.The Qiongdao Scenic Area is located in the southern part of Beihai, with Yong’an Temple at its center, surrounded by buildings such as the Long Corridor, Yilan Hall, Yuexin Hall, and Yegu Building.

The White Pagoda, which has become a landmark of Beihai, is located at the high point of the center of Qiongdao, and it has quite the momentum of dominating the entire park.The main building is the Chenguang Hall, which houses the 1.5-meter-tall Jade Buddha, inlaid with precious stones and dazzling in its beauty. It is a must-see when visiting the park.

Major attractions

The White Pagoda, located on the high part of Qionghua Island, is a Tibetan Buddhist pagoda.The tower is 36 meters high, with a round top and a square base, and is built on a stylized representation of Mount Meru. The top is surmounted by a canopy and decorated with sun, moon and flame patterns to signify that the Dharma is as radiant as the sun and moon, illuminating the earth forever.The white pagoda stands on the island of Qiong, surrounded by greenery and towering majestically. It is considered the symbol of Beihai Park.

Nine Dragon Wall, There are three Nine Dragon Walls in China, and one of the more distinctive ones is this one in Beihai Park.The Nine Dragon Wall is made of colored glazed tiles and is almost 26 meters long and 6.65 meters high. It has a five-ridge and four-slope roof, and each side of the wall is decorated with nine coiled dragons, for a total of 32 dragons on the roof and sides.The coiled dragons playing with the pearl are vividly depicted amidst billowing clouds and waves. The colors are bright and the craftsmanship superb. It is a masterpiece of Chinese glazed architectural art.People come from all over the country to see it for themselves!