Beijing Fragrant Hills Park,Xiangshan Gongyuan

Fragrant Hills Park is situated in the east part of the West Hills, 20km west of Beijing. It covers a total area of 1,600,000 square meters. The park was first built in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and later extended to a large scale during the time followed. In the 10th year of Qianlong, Qing Dynasty (1745), the park was given the name Garden of Tranquility and Pleasure (Jingyi Yuan). Unfortunately, the park was seriously destroyed by foreign troops. After 1949, most of the buildings and scenic spots were recovered. Now it is one of the ten famous parks in Beijing.
There are many scenic spots in the Fragrant Hill Park. Incense Burner Peak, the main peak of the Fragrant Hills, is 557m high. The peak is so steep that it is hard to climb it, but you may choose cable cars to help you to get the top of the Incense Burner Peak. It takes only 18 minutes to reach by cable cars. You may see the Shijing Hill (Shijing Shan), the Summer Palace (Yihe Yuan), and Jade Spring Hill (Yuquan Shan) from the top of the peak. If weather permits, you may enjoy the whole Beijing City clearly.
Another "must see" point of interest is the Shuangqing Villa, which is attractive not just for its natural beauty but more for its place in Chinese history. It was once the residence of Chairman Mao Zedong as well as an early sight for the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. There were many related pictures and cultural relics displayed now.
Yuhua Mountain Village (Yuhua Shanzhuang) is located in the middle part of the mountain range. It is a courtyard-style scenic spot. There are ancient trees reaching high up to the sky and streams flowing slowly. It is a quiet place. You may pay this place a visit and sit in the pavilions to have a break if you like serenity.
The most spectacular natural scenery in the Fragrant Hills Park is the red smoke tree leaves over the mountains. The best time to view such beautiful scenery is October. At that time each year, fiery red leaves blanket the entire mountain. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the park. The cable cars serve as a good mean to take in the beautiful sceneries.



Name:Beijing Fragrant Hills Park (Xiangshan Gongyuan)
City:Beijing
Address:Xiangshan Park, Haidian District
Admission:CNY10
Hours: 06:00 am-06:00 pm (winter)
06:00 am-06:30 pm (summer)
Tel: 86-10-62591155
Admission: CNY5 (Oct-Mar)
CNY10 (Apr-Oct)