Beihai Park 北海公园Běihǎi Gōngyuán

Why go to Beihai Park

Immediately north-west of the Forbidden City, Beihai ('Northern Sea') is a former imperial garden whose lake covers more than half of its area. Cross to Jade Flower Island and climb through Yong'an Temple to the White Dagoba, a Tibetan-style stupa on the summit, then take a boat to the north shore for the Five Dragon Pavilions and the glazed-tile Nine-Dragon Wall.

The story

The garden grew from a Jin-dynasty resort of 1179 and was later enclosed in the Imperial City of Kublai Khan's capital, but it opened to the public only in 1925. The White Dagoba was built in 1651 in honour of a visit by the Fifth Dalai Lama, and rebuilt the year after an earthquake destroyed it in 1679.

What to see at Beihai Park

• Round City 团城: A walled terrace by the south gate whose Hall of Received Light holds a Buddha figure about 1.6 m tall carved from a single piece of white jade.
• White Dagoba and Jade Flower Island 白塔与琼华岛: The white stupa on the island's summit, about 40 m high and carved with sun, moon and flame motifs, with Yong'an Temple on the climb up.
• Quiet Heart Studio 静心斋: A garden-within-the-garden on the north shore, with pavilions, rockeries and a pond across more than 4,000 sq m.
• Nine-Dragon Wall 九龙壁: A screen of seven-coloured glazed bricks with nine dragons playing among the clouds on each side.
• Five Dragon Pavilions 五龙亭: Five linked Ming-era pavilions with upswept eaves on the lake's north bank, a favourite spot to look back at the White Dagoba.

How to visit Beihai Park

Enter by the south gate, see the Round City first, then cross to Jade Flower Island and climb to the White Dagoba. From there walk or take a boat across to the north shore for the Five Dragon Pavilions, the Nine-Dragon Wall and the Quiet Heart Studio. This takes two to three hours; with half a day, add a lakeside walk or a rowing boat, and keep the walled gardens for a day other than Monday.

How to get to Beihai Park

Take Metro Line 6 to Beihai North, a few minutes' walk from the park's north gate, or take a short taxi ride from Tian'anmen to the south gate.

Where to stay

Stay in the lanes around Shichahai and Nanluoguxiang, which lie immediately north and east of the park, or in the Xicheng hutongs to the west.

What to eat

• Small cornmeal buns 小窝头: Little cone-shaped steamed buns with a hollow underneath, a court-style snack served at the park's imperial-style restaurant.
• Pea-flour cake 豌豆黄: A smooth, pale-yellow sweet of pressed pea flour, one of the pastries associated with the imperial kitchens.
• Kidney bean roll 芸豆卷: A fine-textured white roll of kidney-bean paste around a sweet filling, a traditional Beijing pastry.

Tips for visiting Beihai Park

• Buy the combined ticket if you want to climb to the White Dagoba: it covers Yong'an Temple and the dagoba, as well as the Round City by the south gate.
• Yong'an Temple, the way up to the White Dagoba, and the other walled gardens inside the park are closed on Mondays except public holidays.
• Pedal and electric boats can be hired on the lake in the warmer months, and in mid-winter part of the frozen lake turns into an ice playground with sledges and ice bikes.

Nearby

• Forbidden City 故宫 under 10 km
  Six centuries of imperial power behind vermilion walls in the heart of Beijing
• Prince Gong's Mansion 恭王府 under 10 km
  A Qing courtyard mansion and rock garden, home first to a corrupt minister, then a prince
• Shichahai 什刹海 under 10 km
  Three linked lakes ringed by hutongs and lakeside bars, with open-air skating in winter
• Drum and Bell Towers 钟鼓楼 under 10 km
  Beijing's old timekeeping towers, with drum performances and views over the hutong roofs
• Tiananmen Square 天安门广场 under 10 km
  A vast ceremonial square below Tian'anmen gate, where the national flag is raised at dawn
• National Museum of China 中国国家博物馆 under 10 km
  Ancient bronzes, jades and porcelain in a vast museum beside Tian'anmen Square

Also within 30 km: Dagaoxuan Hall 大高玄殿 (under 10 km), Former National Library of Peiping 北平图书馆旧址 (under 10 km), Jingshan Park 景山公园 (under 10 km), Church of the Saviour (Beitang) 西什库教堂 (under 10 km), Guo Moruo Residence 郭沫若故居 (under 10 km), Zhizhu Temple 智珠寺 (under 10 km).

On the map

Open Beihai Park on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)