Event: China - Beijing

Jingshan Park

When:	Daily
Where:	Jingshan Park
Costs:	RMB2
Opening Hours:	Daily 6am-9.30pm

Jingshan Park is situated directly behind the Forbidden City and is a good place to visit after seeing the sights on Tian'anmen Square. The views of the old city and the surrounding areas from here are the best in Beijing.

The park was created in 1179 using left-over mud freed up by the creation of a moat for the Imperial Palace. The artificially created mound acted as a windbreaker for the Emperors and their city, and they also believed that it shielded Beijing from malevolent spirits to the north.

Jingshan means "Coal Hill", taken from an era where it acted as the imperial coal store. However, it is better known as the location where the last Ming Emperor, Chong Zhen, committed suicide in 1644, on a lotus tree at the eastern side of the park, as rebel troops marauded through his palaces. The exact location is marked, and it is a poignant spot to take in the excellent view of his Imperial City, palaces and the impressive Soviet-style Tian'anmen Square.