What is private tour?
By China private tour, you will enjoy 100% freedom and flexibility and you have own private tour guide and professional driver.No other tourists will join your private group.Not like the big group ,you have to wait for each other .We have some tour packages ,if these package can’t meet your demand, You may choose an ideal pre-made
private tour on our website. Alternatively, we can customize an itinerary in line with your specific wishes.
Top 5 best china private tours by eastern8.com
TOP1:12 Days of Beijing- Xian-Chengdu-Jiuzhaigou-Shanghai Tour (Tour00217)
Destination:Beijing-Xian-Chengdu-Jiuzhaigou-Shanghai Full price from:$1499
TOP2:11 Day China Highlights Hangzhou-Wuzhen Tour (Tour00216)
Destination:Beijing-Xian-Hangzhou-Wuzhen-Suzhou-Shanghai Full price from:$888
TOP3:6 Days of Ancient Capital and Modern Metropolics Tour (Tour00215)
Destination:Beijing-Shanghai Full price from:$420
TOP4:8 Days of Ancient and Picturesque China Tour (Tour00213)
Destination:Beijing-Guilin-Xian Full price from:$750
TOP5:8 Days of Beijing-Xian-Shanghai Tour (Tour00212)
Destination:Beijing-Xian-Shanghai-Suzhou  Full price from:$708

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The Courtyard, a traditional unique folk house in the hutongs, has a long history in Chinese architecture. It is called ‘Siheyuan’ in Chinese, ‘Si’ means ‘Four’, which here refers to the four sides: east, west, north and south. ‘He’ refers to the surrounding, meaning the four sides circle into a square. Due to its special layout, it is compared to a box with a garden in the center. There is only one gate leading to a hutong, so when the gate is closed the courtyard loses touch with the outside world. Therefore family members can fully enjoy tranquility and share the happiness of a peaceful family union.

Most of the existing courtyards are relics of the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) Dynasties. They are the shadow of old China. The ancient furniture, fish pond, wooden doors and windows, and cane chairs remind you of their flourishing past. Those flashed bricks, Chinese eaves and cornices, fine brick designs, and wood carvings, reveal a strong classical tone of old Beijing. Hidden in the forest of armored concrete, it presents an aching beauty of decadence, waiting eagerly for you to explore its past. You cannot fully understand Beijing until you live in the courtyards.

Owners of the courtyards often grow flowers and trees in the garden to decorate their happy life. Generally speaking, they love planting date trees, locust trees and cloves. The pomegranate tree is also their favorite because it has many seeds. In Chinese, the pronunciations of ’seed’ and ’son’ are the same, and old people believe that the more sons, the more blessings. This is the reason why we can see many pomegranate trees growing in the courtyards. Living in this elegant and harmonious environment, they must enjoy a peaceful and blissful life!

The Hutongs and the Courtyards reflect the ritualistic and traditional ideas of China, and contain rich cultural connotations. They are the archetypes of the royal architecture. It’s a great pity that these traditional heritage sites are being replaced by high-rise buildings during the remodeling and new construction of the city. People from home and abroad are concerned that the historic and cultural value of Beijing will certainly be reduced if the Hutongs and Courtyards are destroyed and lost forever.

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The history of Hutong

Hutong is a narrow lane among courtyards. The history of hutongs can be traced back to Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368) when Beijing was the capital. After the establishment of Yuan authority, the nobles and heroes were pleased to be awarded with certain pieces of land as feudal estates. They actively built houses and courtyards which were arranged in order around water wells. The passages between houses were left in consideration of light and ventilation and convenient right-of way. Though these countless passages crisscrossed the old capital like a chessboard, there were only 29 of them called hutong. Because city planning was very strict at that time, the roads which measured 36 meters (39.4 yards) wide were called main streets. The 18-meter (19.7-yard)-wide roads were named side streets and those nine meters (9.8 yards) wide or less were designated as hutongs

Hutongs were also places where grain was stored to satisfy the needs of the royal court and armies and to feed the starving people in lean years. For example, Lumicang Hutong became famous because it was the location of Lumi Grain Depot. Lumi Grain Depot was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) and measured over 200 meters (218.7 yards) long, covering half length of the Lumicang Hutong.

In the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911), city planning was less strict. Stallholders squeezed in the residential districts, which made the hutongs differ in width from over six meters (6.6 yards) to less than one meter (1.1 yards). What’s more, hutongs at this time presented various appearances. Some hutongs, such as Koudai Hutong (Pocket Hutong) only had one entrance. Some hutongs, such as Jiudaowan Hutong (Nine Turning Hutong) had many twists and turns. Some hutongs even wound around a somewhat squared off circle like the Four Rings Hutong. Small retailers peddled their wares among the hutongs to satisfy people’s daily needs. The basic appearance of hutongs was generally formed during these periods.

The culture of Hutong

In the same way that the Forbidden City is the symbol of China’s royal family, the winding Hutongs in Beijing represent the way of life of the common people. Hutongs are at the root of the Beijing people’s way of life. Beijing City is like a boxy bean curd or a chess board with each hutong lying due north to due south or due east to due west. This square layout not only influences Beijinger’s way of living, but also influences their thoughts and actions.

The names of these Hutongs are all-embracing and various and relate to their location, origin or history, such as Lumicang Hutong, Fuxue Hutong, and Gongyuan Hutong, which were named by official organizations. Examples of Hutongs named by craftsmen and ordinary people include: ‘earthenware pot Liu Hutong’ (now Dashaguo Hutong, maybe there once lived a Mr. Liu who sold earthenware pots) Wangzhima Hutong, and Mengduan Hutong. Hutongs named by their market trade include Xianyu Kou Hutong (Fish street), for it once was the place where fish was sold. There are also Hutongs which bear the names of horses and mules because these animals were once traded there. Some Hutongs take their name from special landmarks, such as Stone Tiger Hutong, Iron Lion Hutong and Cypress Hutong. Hutongs’ names are regarded as important materials when researching Beijing culture.

People are pleased with their easy life in Siheyuan (the courtyard distributed orderly in Hutongs). They live a peaceful and harmonious life in these small “boxes”, away from the hustle and bustle of the streets outside. Their daily needs could be fully satisfied by hawkers who sold vegetables, eggs, fruits, and snacks. In the past, they could even get their hair cut by the itinerant barbers without walking out of their neighbourhood to find a barber shop. The winding and narrow Hutongs were heaven for children playing games. They would have played rubber-band skipping, kicking shuttlecocks, and hide-and-seek. Even in modern times, young boys get together and hold football matches in these narrow lanes. Those who live in the Hutongs love their way of life so much that it is often described by the Chinese as a culture of happiness and harmony.

However, the love of this way of life can become a burden for some Hutong-dwellers. Because many people have never known anything outside of Hutong living, they can be reluctant to move house. People have been known to live in the same Hutong for decades, until the foundations are too weak to hold the weight of the house and until the roof allows rain in. But for these people, their house still had value because they loved the way of life that had lived there. In this insular environment, people live simply and happily but are unwilling to change.

People say that the real culture of Beijing is “the culture of hutong” and “the culture of courtyard”. How true that is. Often, it is Beijing’s winding hutongs that attract tourists from home and abroad rather than the high-rise buildings and large mansions.

Hutong is a typical lane or small street in Beijing that originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). “Hutong” is a Mongolian word, meaning “water well”. During that time, water well is the settlement around which people lived. There are tens of thousands of hutongs surrounding the Forbidden City. In the past, Beijing was composed of countless courtyards. Hutongs were formed when people left a passageway between two courtyards to make entering them more convenient.

As the symbol of Beijing City, a hutong has its own layout and structure, which makes it a wonder in the world. When taking a bird’s eye view of Beijing, you will find the combination of hutongs and courtyards just like an orderly chessboard with delicate gardens, fine rockeries, and ancient ruins. Hutongs have witnessed the development of Beijing. Where there is a hutong, there is a story.

Among the numerous hutongs in Beijing, Beixinqiao Hutong has the most turns. There are more than 20 in which you can easily get lost. The narrowest is Qian Shi Hutong (Money Market Hutong), measuring about 30 to 40 meters (32 to 44 yards), located in Zhubao Shi Street outside the Front Gate. The narrowest part is merely 40 centimeters (16 inches) wide, so when two people meet, they must turn sideways to pass each other. The longest one is Dong Jiaomin Hutong, with a total length of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles), lying between Chang’an Avenue and East Street and West Street of the Front Gate. The shortest one is Guantong Hutong measuring about 30 meters (33 yards).

Come and see it by hiring the rickshaw, and you’ll have a true taste of Beijing!

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Situated in the Xicheng District, Beijing Zoo was the first of its kind to be opened in China. The zoo contains a diverse collection of animals, a number of exhibition halls and some sites of historical interest.

The zoo is home to around 900 different species and has a population of some 20,000 animals. Some of the most popular attractions among visitors are the wild and rare animals of China itself, such as the pandas, golden monkeys, milu deer and northeast tigers. However, the collection is far from restricted to those species found only in the People’s Republic of China; the polar bears, American bison, zebras, kangaroos, giraffes and elephants also draw large crowds.

The Beijing Zoo site is comprised of 16 different exhibition areas and halls. One of the most popular of these is the Panda Hall. Built in 1989 and covering an area of around 10,000 square meters (2.5 acres), it delivers an impressive aesthetic scene while also managing to account for the practical considerations of housing such large and physical animals. The inside of the hall replicates the style of traditional Chinese gardens and is shaped in the pattern of a Tai Chi diagram.

Another of the zoo’s famous halls, the Gorilla Hall, was constructed two years earlier in 1987. The building houses a series of artificial hillocks and wooden apparatus for the animals which sit against a backdrop of attractive gorilla murals. Facilities introduced for the gorillas include a medical room, a mating room and a specialist feeding room. The hall itself is decorated by a series of rockeries and pools.

All of the zoo’s halls and exhibition areas are constructed so as to ensure that the animals enjoy a both comfortable and healthy living environment.

The Beijing Aquarium is a must for anyone visiting the zoo. Opened in 1999, it is widely-recognized by tourist bodies as being one of the country’s top attractions, and is actually the largest inland aquarium in the world. The aquarium features thousands of different aquatic species – man-eating fishes, precious Chinese sturgeons, huge sea elephants and fierce sharks are among some of the highlights. Tourists can also enjoy shows performed by the dolphins, sea lions and whales in the aquarium’s Ocean Theater.

While at the zoo, visitors also have the chance to sample some the nearby historical relics: Lemarck Hall was built to commemorate the life of Lemarck (1744-1829), a famous French natural historian, and has also been used as the Chinese Botanical Science Research Base.

Also on the site is the Song Jiaoren Memorial Tower. Song (1882-1913) was one of the early leaders of the Kuomintang, but was assassinated soon after he was elected as China’s premier in 1913.

Another site of historical interest is the Changguanlou: a two storied, baroque-style building constructed from brick and wood. In the late-19th century it was occupied by Ci Xi (1835-1908), the Empress Dowager and ruler of the Qing court between 1861 and 1908. Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), the founder of the Kuomintang, is also said to have lived in the hall during his stay in Beijing.

With the support of the Chinese government and having undergone continual development throughout its 90-year history, Beijing Zoo has become one of the largest in China. It provides thousands with the opportunity to witness strange and exotic species at firsthand, and also allows visitors to learn more about the lives of the animals that inhabit the world alongside us.

Admission Fee: Beijing Zoo:
CNY 15 (Apr. 1 to Oct. 31)
CNY 10 (Nov. 1 to Mar.31)
Beijing Aquarium: CNY 100
Opening Hours: Beijing Zoo:
07:30 to 18:00 (Apr. 1 to Oct. 31)
07:30 to 17:00 (Nov. 1 to Mar.31)
Beijing Aquarium:
09:00 to 17:30 (Apr. 1 to Oct. 31 )
09:00 to 17:00 (Nov. 1 to Mar.31)

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The National Stadium, affectionately known as Bird’s Nest, is situated in Olympic Green Village, Chaoyang District, and Beijing. It was designed as the main stadium of 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Olympic events of track and field, football, gave lock, weight throw and discus were held there. Since October, 2008, after the Olympics ended, the National Stadium has been opened as a tourist attraction. Now, it’s the center of international or domestic sports competition and recreation activities.

The design of this large stadium was accomplished together by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron and Chinese architect Li Xinggang and the others. The designers didn’t do any redundant disposals to the look of the stadium. They just exposed the steel structures entirely and let them become the most natural appearance. The form of the stadium looks like a big nest which embraces and nurses human beings. Also it looks rather like a cradle bearing human beings’ hope of the future.

The construction of the National Stadium started on December 24, 2003. On July, 2004, the project was stopped temporarily due to the amendment of the design. On December 27 of the same year, the construction was resumed and finished in March, 2008. The gross cost of the whole project is 2,267 million Chinese yuan (about 33 million dollars).

The stadium covers an area of about 258 thousand square meters (99.614 square miles), which can accommodate 80,000 fixed seats and 11,000 temporary seats. Its appearance was formed by big steel frames. Its top surface is saddle-shaped with the major axis of 332.3 meters (1,090 feet) and the stub axis of 296.4 meters (972 feet). The tallest point of the stadium is 68.5 meters (225 feet) above the ground and the lowest point is 42.8 meters (140 feet). The top is covered by semi-transparent air bubble film. This kind of material is waterproof and can make enough sunshine penetrate into the stadium. Owing to that, the lawns in it can grow well.

In the National Stadium, the designs of everything are humanistic. The bowl-like stands zone surrounds the court. The stands can be changed in many ways, which can satisfy the needs of different numbers of spectators in different periods. During the Olympics, the temporary seats were set at the top of the stands zone. Rows of the stands distribute scientifically. No matter where the spectator is seated, the whole game can be seen without any visual obstruction. The stadium adopted the electro-acoustic public-address system. It makes the index of voice definition reaches 0.6. This number assures that all the audience can hear the broadcast very clearly. What’s more, there are more than 200 wheelchair seats intended for the disabled. Many architectural experts think that Beijing National Stadium not only is a symbol building of the 2008 Olympics but also set a very good example to the world’s architectural history.

Tip: Besides Beijing National Stadium, you may visit its neighboring attractions such as the National Aquatics Center (Water Cube) and the National Indoor Stadium.

Admission Fee CNY50

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Being tired after making a long journey, you may wonder where else you can have entertainment. Beijing Happy Valley can fully satisfy your desire. Located in the southeast corner of Sifang Bridge, on the fourth ring road, in Chaoyang District in Beijing, it is your happy theme park, another Disneyland in Mainland China. Covering an area of 1,000,000 square kilometers (386,102 square miles), it has been open to tourists since 2006 and attracted a lot of visitors from home and abroad.

Thematic Landscapes

Beijing Happy Valley is composed of six theme parks, including Firth Forest, Atlantis, Aegean Sea, Lost Maya, Shangri-La and Ant Kingdom. More than 50 scenic sights of culture and ecology are scattered in all direction, to offer you a rare opportunity to experience the charm of various civilizations regardless of the distance of space and time. The full extent of the valley is compared to a beautiful artistic picture where you can see tree houses, docks, bridges, towns, ancient towers, lakes, forests and other amazing scenic spots beyond your imagination. After going through the famous ‘ecological forest’ in Firth Forest, the first sight you will see is the high-rising Crystal City. There you can have a close contact with those figures of ancient Greek myths in Aegean Sea. Recall the glorious Maya and their scattered huge stone pillars. Enjoy the happiness of simple life in dreamy Shangri-la. Wake up the child within you, and love for nature in Ant Kingdom. Beijing Happy Valley will fully satisfy your desire and curiosity.

Thematic Leisure Activities

Pop Music Festival: The super band is creating a grand music ceremony for you. Surrender to those deafening rhythms, marvelous sounds and hot dances that can easily arouse your excitement.

Maximal Exercise Festival: Your eyes will be feasted on all sorts of performance. It’s a most exciting and healthy festival of praising youth. Don’t hesitate to take part in the latest crazes from skateboards to bicycle riding. It’s up to you!

Chinese Spring Festival: You will be attracted by every splendid program in this riotous atmosphere. Performances with strong ethnic flavor will bring a fantastic visionary taste.

Water-Splashing Festival: Water symbolizes luck and wealth. On Water-Splashing Festival, people sprinkle water onto each other as a unique way to express their good wish. Come here and enjoy the cool and happy moment.

International Magic Day: Magicians of the first rank from all over the world present distinct magic tricks for you. Keep your eyes on this magical world full of suspension.

Thematic Park & Performance Time

Thematic Park is composed of six parts: Firth Forest, Atlantis, Aegean Sea, Lost Maya, Shangri-La and Ant Kingdom. Each of them has its own feature, but all of them can fully satisfy your desire of seeking happiness.

Tips:

To make your journey more convenient and comfortable, you can take a trainset, wecker, or electric power cart in the park.

Price of trainset\ wecker: CNY 20. Children under 1.2 meters (4 feet) are ticket-free, between 1.2 (4 feet) to 1.4 meters (4 feet 7 inches) pay half price.

Price of single electric power cart: deposit: CNY 300, you need pay CNY 30 for half an hour journey and CNY 60 for one hour journey.

You can take bus No.52 at Tiananmen Square and get off at East Jinsongqiao Station to take bus No.41 and get off at South Houfengqiao Station. Or you can take a subway and get off at Dawang Road Station to change bus No.31 and get off at South Houfengqiao Station.

Admission Fee: (All Inclusive Ticket) CNY 160 (Apr.1-Nov.14)
CNY 120 (Nov.15-Mar.31)
Opening Hours: 09:00-19:30 (weekday)
08:30-19:30 (weekend)
Ticket-Selling Hours: 09:30-16:00

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Located in Beijing Zoo, Beijing Aquarium is the largest and most advanced inland aquarium in China, covering a total area of 4.2 hectares. It is designed in conch shape with orange and blue as its main color, symbolizing the mysterious vast sea and endless vitality of marine life. The aquarium has six halls: Rainforest Wonder, Shark Hall, Whale and Dolphin Bay, Seabed Travel, Feel Pool and Ocean Theater.

Visitors will be fascinated by the beautiful blue world upon entering the aquarium and where the unforgettable journey of getting close to ocean creatures begins. One will also feel like returning to Mother Nature upon entering the miniature rainforest that consists the primary jungles of the Amazon Basin, home to over 100 species of rainforest fish and fresh water fish. Sea elephant, man-eating fish, variegated carp, glass catfish and many other rare and precious fish are some of the species found here.

From the movie “Shark Tale”, sharks were depicted to be voracious and powerful as they feast on other creatures in the ocean. However, what the shark world is really like is for visitor to find out in the Shark Hall. They are not as depicted in the movie but somewhat serene instead!

Whale and Dolphin Bay is the home and school for whales, dolphins and sea lions. It is here that they are being trained by professional trainers for performances to entertain visitors.

The Feel Pool measures 39 yards long, resembling the long and winding coastline. Many mollusks such as trumpet shells and echinoderm such as holothurians, sea stars and sea urchins live there. Visitors can gently caress them, though with caution as some are rather timid while others are poisonous. Green turtles also swim about in the pool without a care in the aquarium.

Seabed travel takes visitors to a wonderful trip to the bottom of the sea. The undersea tunnel leads you into a colorful and calm ocean world, with all kinds of fish swimming inside the circular tank. Visitors can virtually touch the belly of the furious white sharks and shake hands with turtles. The 32 fish tanks exhibit fancy fishes from home and abroad and visitors are sure to gain much knowledge about them at the end of their visit.

Finally, the Ocean Theater is a venue where animals perform their tricks. It has a capacity for 3,000 viewers, with hot and romantic Hawaii scenery in the background. The incomparably superior performance from these animal stars win rounds of applause from spectators every day.

So, please come by. All the stars of the ocean are awaiting you!
Tip: Table of Animal Performance Information

Performance Place Time
Ocean Animal Performance Ocean Theater 11:00, 15:00 (Monday to Friday)
11:00, 14:00, 16:00 (Saturday and Sunday)
Water Ballet Ocean Theater 10:30, 14:30 (Tuesday to Friday)
10:30, 13:30 (Saturday and Sunday)
Sea Diving and Feeding Performance 1st Floor, Seabed Travel 10:00, 13:30 (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
10:00, 15:00 (Saturday and Sunday)
Archerfish Feeding Performance Rainforest Wonder 09:30, 14:30 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday)
09:30, 15:00 (Saturday and Sunday)
Sea Snail Feeding Performance 2nd Floor, Seabed Travel 10:00 (Monday to Sunday)
Shark Feeding Performance Shark Hall 14:30 (Monday)
15:45 (Wednesday, Friday)

Admission Fee: CNY 100

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With the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park to its east, Zhong Nan Hai (Central and South Seas) to its south, Beihai (North Sea) Park is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved ancient imperial gardens in China located in the center of Beijing. This ancient garden, with over 1,000 years’ history, is not only a classic combination of the grandiosity of the northern gardens and the refinement of the southern gardens in China, but also a perfect integration of magnificent imperial palaces and solemn religious constructions.

History of Beihai Park
Beihai Park is said to be built according to a traditional Chinese legend. The story is that once upon a time there were three magic mountain’s called ‘Penglai’, ‘Yingzhou’ and ‘Fangzhang’ located to the east of Bohai Bay (to the east of China). Gods in those mountains had a kind of herbal medicine which would help humans gain immortality.

Consequently, many emperors in the feudal age of China constantly sought those mountains. For example, Emperor Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 B.C.), wanted to live an eternal life and had sent people to look for the magic mountain’s but they failed. Then at his palace, he dug a large pool and piled up three earth hills in it to imitate the circumstances described in the legend. Emperor Wudi, the fifth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty (202 B.C. – 8 A.D.) did similar things.

It was believed that different mountain-water combinations in ancient Chinese architecture led to totally different effects. So from then on, almost every emperor during the succeeding dynasties would build a royal garden with one-pool-with-three-hills’ layout as a fairyland near his palace. Beihai Park was surely built after this traditional style: the water of Beihai (North Sea) with Zhong Nan Hai (Central and South Seas) is the Taiye Pool; the Jade Flowery (Qionghua) Islet, the island of the Circular City and the Xishantai Island represent the three magic mountains.

Actually, Beihai Park was initially built in the Liao Dynasty (916 – 1125) and was repaired and rebuilt in the following dynasties including Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing (1115 – 1911). The large-scale rebuilding in the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) generally established the present scale and pattern of Beihai Park. In 1925, the park was first opened to the public, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year.

Touring Beihai Park
Beihai Park covers an area of about 0.71 sq km (about 0.27 sq miles), more than half of which is taken up by the lake. In the middle of the lake and on the central axis of the whole park lies the Jade Flowery Islet, topped by the imposing White Dagoba which is the landmark of Beihai Park. Besides the Jade Flowery Islet, the park has four main scenic areas: the Eastern Shore Area, the Northern Shore Area, the Botanical Garden and the Circular City near the north gate. There are many famous and beautiful places you should not miss when touring Beihai Park.

White Dagoba
On top of the Jade Flowery Islet, the White Dagoba was built in 1651 on the former site of the Palace in the Moon where Kublai Khan received Marco Polo. At the suggestion of a famous Tibetan lama, Emperor Shunzhi, the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty agreed to build such a Tibetan dagoba to show his belief in Buddhism and his desire for the unification among various Chinese ethnic groups. The White Dagoba was destroyed in an earthquake and reconstructed twice. Now, resting on a huge stone base, it stands 35.9 meters (about 118 feet) high and is capped by two bronze umbrella-like canopies, with 14 bronze bells hanging around them. Inside, the dagoba holds the Buddhist Scriptures, the monk’s mantle and alms bowl and two pieces of Sarira. Since the White Dagoba is the highest point in Beihai Park, it served as a vantage point with a beautiful view of the whole park.

In front of the White Dagoba is the White Dagoba Temple. There are several other buildings and halls you could visit if you have enough time. These include Zhengjue Hall, the Bell and Drum Towers, the Stone Tablets of ‘Qiongdao Chunyin’ (means the beautiful scenery of the Jade Flowery Islet in spring; inscribed by Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty) etc, all scattered on the slope of the Qionghua Islet.

Hao Pu Creek (Haopujian) Garden
After touring the Qionghua Islet, you can cross the Zhishan Bridge to the Eastern Shore Scenic Area which has many independent gardens within Beihai Park such as the Painted Boat (Huafang) Studio and the Hao Pu Creek Garden.

Created in 1757, the Hao Pu Creek Garden is one of the best gardens-within-gardens of the existing imperial gardens in China. ‘Hao’ and ‘Pu’ were the ancient names of two rivers in Anhui Province. There is a story that goes like this: in the Warring States Period (475 – 221 B.C.), Zhuangzi and Huizi (two famous philosophers of ancient China) argued with each other on the bridge over the Hao River. Zhuangzi said: ‘How happy are the fish in the river!’ Huizi responded: ‘You are not a fish. Then how can you know whether the fish are happy or not?’ Zhuangzi answered: ‘You are not me. Then how can you know that I don’t know the happiness of the fish?’ This story inspired Emperor Qianlong to build the Hao Pu Creek Garden to seek happiness and relaxation as free as fish in the river. So the garden is designed for tranquility and happiness, featuring a special mountain-water structure to give the impression of a deep valley which gives seclusion from society.

Quiet Heart (Jingxin) Studio
After visiting the Eastern Shore Area, stepping westward, you will be at the Northern Shore Area. Lying to the east of this area, the Quiet Heart Studio is the most famous independent garden within Beihai Park. It was initially built in Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) and enlarged in Qing Dynasty. Inside the studio, there are many magnificent palaces, halls, pavilions, towers, corridors and artificial hills, numerous odd-shaped porous rocks and stones, all artistically arranged. During Qing Dynasty, some of the royal members used to rest or study here.

Nine-Dragon Screen
To the northwest lies the well-known Nine-Dragon Screen, which is the only screen having nine huge dragons on both sides among the most famous three Nine-Dragon Screens in China (the other two are respectively in the Forbidden City and Datong, Shanxi Province). Built in 1756, the Nine-Dragon Screen is about 27 meters (about 88.6 feet) long, 6.65 meters (about 21.8 feet) high and 1.42 meters (4.66 feet) thick. It is composed of 424 seven-color glazed tiles that embossing the screen. There are nine huge coiling dragons on each side of the screen and big or small dragons in different postures decorating the two ends and the eaves, making a surprising total of 635 dragons. Even after 200 years, the Nine-Dragon Screen is still bright in color and complete in appearance, showing the high techniques of Chinese arts and crafts in ancient times.

Five-Dragon Pavilions
To the southwest of the Nine-Dragon Screen lies the Five-Dragon Pavilions – five connected pavilions with spires and pointed upswept eaves. From a distance, they appear together like a huge dragon. Built first in 1602 and repaired several times in Qing Dynasty, these five pavilions, half over the water, stand on the north bank of the lake opposite the Jade Flowery Islet. There are many exquisite carvings and paintings on the girders and pillars of the pavilions which make the Five-Dragon Pavilions a delightful place for the royal members in ancient China to relax and appreciate the natural beauty.

You can stand in the Five-Dragon Pavilions to see the Jade Flowery Islet with the gleaming White Dagoba standing in the exuberance of trees, flowers and various other plants. There are also many other worthwhile places to visit around the Five-Dragon Pavilions including the Heavenly King Hall, Chengguan Hall and the Temple of Little Western Skies, a famous Buddhist architecture.

Circular City
Finally you can visit the Circular City right at the southwestern corner of Beihai Park. The city wall stands about 4.6 meters (about 15 feet) high and has a circumference of 276 meters (about 906 feet). Among the various places to visit in the Circular City including halls, towers and pavilions, the most important construction is the Chengguang Hall which holds the extremely precious white jade statue of Buddha introduced from Burma at the end of Qing Dynasty. In front of the hall is a grand urn made of variegated dark jade. With a diameter of 1.5 meters (about 4.9 feet), a circumference of 5 meters (about 16.4 feet), a height of 0.7 meters (about 2.3 feet) and a weighing 3.5 tons, the urn used to be the vessel of Kublai Khan for storing wine.

While visiting these famous and interesting places in Beihai Park, you could have a meal and rest in Fangshan Restaurant located at the northern shore of the lake. This restaurant was started in 1925 by a cook who formerly worked in the Qing court, so the food there is said to be of delicious imperial flavor.

Besides these places of interest in Beihai Park, there are plenty of exhibitions to see. These include the yearly exhibition of water lilies and other water plants in the Botanical Garden, the exhibition of peonies, and varied picture shows, making Beihai Park not only the center of history and culture in Beijing, but also the center of ecological and natural beauty. Now, an ancient but modern Beihai Park welcomes you from all over the world.

Admission Fee: CNY 10 (Apr.1 to Oct. 31)
CNY 5 (Nov. 1 to Mar. 31 the next year)
Opening Hours: 06:30-20:00 (January, February, March, November, December)
06:00-21:00 (April, May, September, October)
06:00 to 22:00 (June, July, August)
Bus Route: From the South Gate: 101、103、109、812、814、846
From the North Gate: 107、111、118、701、823
From the East Gate: 5

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The name Badachu means Eight Great Sites, and refers to the eight Buddhist temples and monasteries scattered across Cuiwei, Pingpo and Lushi hills at the foot of Beijing’s Western Hills Scenic Area. Located along the outskirts of Beijing, it was restored during the 1980’s and has since become a famous tourist destination.

There are a total of eight former Buddhist temples and monasteries in Badachu Park. These are the Temple of Eternal Peace (Chang’ansi), the Temple of Divine Light (Lingguangsi), Three-hill Nunnery (Sanshan’an), the Temple of Great Mercy (Dabeisi), Dragon Spring Nunnery (Longquan’an), the Temple of Fragrant World (Xiangjiesi), The Cave of Precious Pearl (Baozhudong), and Zhengguo Temple.

Badachu Park is an attractive place to visit all year round. It has a pleasant temperate climate, remaining cool in summer and warm in winter. Visitors can stroll from one temple to another, enjoying the beautiful scenery and admiring the arbor and rare ancient trees. Some of these trees have been standing for over 6 centuries, but their roots and branches are still strong and in good shape. In September and October, when the leaves are turning red, crowds of tourists come to climb the mountains. You may also take a cable-car to the top of the hill and feast your eyes on the beautiful view from the mountain peak.

Three sites in Badachu Park are most worthy of a visit. Lingguang Temple is famous for stupa which stands majestically, the golden fish pond where the beautiful brocade carps swim delightedly, the heart sutra wall and arhats wall present splendid sight. Dabei Temple is noted for the lifelike eighteen arhats in the Hall of Mahavira which were molded by the famous sculptor Liu Yuan living in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Xiangjie Temple, which is neatly laid out, have two steles inscribed the writings by the emperors Kangxi, Qianlong and Jiaqing.

Fees: CNY 10 for Entrance Charge
CNY 20 for Cable Car
CNY 40 for Slide
CNY 55 for Combination ticket (including Cable Car and Slide)
Opening Hours: 05:00 to 19:30
Recommended
Time for a Visit: One hour and a half

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In total, the observatory covers an area of 1,000 square meters (about 0.25 acre). It is divided into two parts, the platform and the affiliated building. The platform is 17.79 meters (about 58.4 feet) high, 24 meters (about 78.7 feet) long and 20 meters (about 65.6 feet) wide. Eight bronzed astronomical instruments stand on this platform, all of which are ornately carved, having been well preserved since the time of the Qing Dynasty. They are huge but exquisitely carved. The design of the instruments reflects both the influence of Oriental craftsmanship and European Renaissance understanding of measurements and physics. Under the platform stands a group of affiliated buildings, built with simple elegance. Beijing Ancient Observatory is a milestone in Chinese architecture, marking a cultural exchange between the Orient and the West. It is not only a place to observe the heaven but a unique historical treasure.

If you are an amateur astronomer or a fan of stargazing, you can take a turn looking at the starry sky through the ancient observatory; maybe you will catch a glimpse of a meteor or your constellation.

Admission Fee: CNY 5
Opening Hours: 09:00 to 18:00 (summer)
09:00 to 16:30 (winter)
Recommended Time for a Visit: 40 minutes
Bus Route: 1,4,52,402

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