Jade Islet

The Jade Islet the center of the park, features luxuriant trees and a host of temple halls. The island hill, called Qionghua, serves as the center of Beihai Park. On its slopes are scattered structures of historical interest. A crescent building on its western slope contains 495 stone tablets bearing Chinese characters representative of almost all ancient calligraphic styles. The best time to view the Qionghua Island hill is when the sun is setting. It is then half tinged with a golden hue and half suffused with a sky blue. The small island is connected with the Round City by Yong'an Bridge, A giant white pagoda rises on top of it. In summer, lotus blossoms bloom in the lake surrounding the island.

Yong'an Temple and White Pagoda are the most famous buildings. Other interesting places are listed as followed:

Jade Islet Stele
The towering ancient trees on the western slopes of Jade Flower Islet have created one of the Eight Views of Yanjing. It is known as "Jade Islet in Shady Springtime". Qing Emperor Qianlong was so fascinated by the beautiful scene here that he wrote a poem and an inscription that reads Jade Islet Spring Shade. The inscription was later carved on the facade of the tablet and the poem on the back. The tablet is enclosed by marble balustrades. Close by the tablet a path leads to the top of the hill. The stele, erected in 1751, is inscribed with this phrase in the calligraphy of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing.

Fangshan Restaurant
Enter Beihai Park by the east gate, cross the bridge, turn right and walk along the lakeside for 5 minutes, you will get to Yilantang (Hall of Gentle Ripple) on the Qionghua Islet where Fangshan Restaurant is located. With a hill behind and a lake in front, the restaurant offers a picturesque view. There are 11 halls, large and small, which can accommodate a total of 250 people. The dishes and desserts are imitations of imperial cuisine.

Long Corridor
The 300-meter-long corridor of two layers sit on the north part of the Jade Flower Islet. It runs from Yiqing Tower to the east to Fenleng Pavilion to the west. It is a copy of the corridor in the Jiangtian Temple in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province. The corridor is a wonderful decoration of the landscape.

Bronze Dew Plate
It is placed on a white stone terrace on the northern side of Jade Flower Islet guarded by white marble balusters. A bronze immortal perches on top of a stone pillar ornamented with a. twining dragon and holds with his hands the dew plate. It is said during the Qing Dynasty the emperor often used the dew collected in the plate to brew his medicine

Qingxiaolou (Hall for Night Parties)
The Hall for Night Parties lies on the western part of the Islet. In the imperial days, on the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the Ist month of the Chinese lunar calendar). Empress Dowager Cixi would come to enjoy the skating games here.

Yuegulou (Chamber for Reading the Classics)
The Chamber is located on the western side of the Jade Islet. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795), a collection of famous calligraphical works up to the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420), possessed by the imperial court, were on stone tablets rubbings, which constitute the "Sanxitang (Hall of Three Rarities) Model Calligraphy." The total comes to 495 pieces forming a collection of China's treasures in the art of calligraphy.

Beijing Private Tour to Beihai Park
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Beijing Tour Routes Covers Beihai Park
Chinatravelkey can add Beihai Park in the following tours with extra cost 10 USD per person.

Photo of Beihai Park