Beihai Park, Beijing. Photo courtesy of China National Tourist Office (London)
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Beihai Park
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When:
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Daily
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Where:
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Beihai Park
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| Costs: |
Free
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| Opening Hours: |
6am-9pm
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Beihai Park, situated just west of the northern gate of the Forbidden City, is an imperial garden dating back more than 1000 years. The building at the centre is a former palace of a number of successive dynasties, which used to be called the Winter Palace by westerners.
Founded by the Liao dynasty and expanded and rebuilt by the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the beautiful artificial lakes called Beihai (North Sea), Zhonghai (Middle Sea) and Nanhai (South Sea) emerged when the emperor's architects excavated land in order to create a mirror image of the three legendary mountains of the Immortals, standing in the middle of the sea.
Of the three lakes, the Beihai is the most famous and has lent its name to the park. In the middle of the lake, at the top of the hill of Jasper Flower Island, stands the famed White Pagoda. Inside is a monster-like Buddha that guards the city against evil, outside there is a spectacular view of Beijing.
Other attractions in the park include the Circular City, Painted Boat Studio, Studio of the Tranquil Heart, Nine-Dragon Screen Wall and the Five-Dragon Pavilions.
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