[Photo from visitbeijing.com.cn]

White Pagoda

On top of the Jade Flowery Islet, the White Pagoda 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 a Tibetan pagoda to show his belief in Buddhism and his desire for the unification of Chinese ethnic groups.

After touring the Qionghua Islet, you can cross the Zhishan Bridge to the Eastern Shore Scenic Area, which has many independent gardens, 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 the nation.

Quiet Heart (Jingxin) Studio

After visiting the Eastern Shore Area, stepping westward, you will be at the Northern Shore Area. Lying to the east, Quiet Heart Studio is the most famous independent garden in the park. It was initially built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and enlarged in the 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.

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 in the Forbidden City and Datong, Shanxi Province). Built in 1756, the Nine-Dragon Screen is about 27 meters long, 6.65 meters high and 1.42 meters thick, which is composed of 424 seven-color glazed tiles that emboss the screen. Nine huge coiling dragons on each side of the screen and big or small dragons in different postures decorate the two ends and the eaves to make 635 dragons.

Five-Dragon Pavilions

Southwest of the Nine-Dragon Screen lay 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 the Qing Dynasty, with five pavilions, half over the water, stand on the north bank of the lake opposite the Jade Flowery Islet. Many exquisite carvings and paintings on girders and pillars of pavilions make the Five-Dragon Pavilions a delightful place for royal members in ancient China to relax and appreciate the natural beauty.

Circular City

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). Places to visit include halls, towers and pavilions, the most important construction is the Chengguang Hall, which holds the precious white jade statue of Buddha introduced from Burma at the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Address: Northwest of the Forbidden City, Xicheng district

Tel: +86 10 6403 1102

Open: 6:30 am-8 pm (November-March)

      6 am-9 pm (April, May, September and October)

      6 am-22 pm (June August)

Admission: 10 yuan (April 1-October 31); 5 yuan (November 1-March 31)

Traffic: Bus No. 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111 and 118