Beijing's Oldest and Most Completely Preserved Imperial Garden: Beihai Park 北海公园(2/7)

The history of Beihai Park dates back to 938 AD, when Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty built the Yaoyu Imperial Retreat—a palace residence that predates the predecessor of the Summer Palace, the Haoshan Garden, by nearly 600 years. After the Jin Dynasty overthrew the Northern Song, Taihu rocks were transported from the Genyue Imperial Garden in Bianliang (present-day Kaifeng, Henan) to construct artificial hills on Qionghua Island, where most of the Taihu rocks seen today are relics from that very garden.
Over the following centuries, the park underwent multiple expansions during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The Qing Emperor Qianlong’s renovations, in particular, profoundly shaped Beihai’s layout. The White Dagoba on Qionghua Island became the park’s iconic landmark; the Hao Pu Creek garden added a touch of Jiangnan charm; and the Hall of the Supreme Joy (Jile Shijie Hall) remains the largest square-pavilion-style palace structure still standing in China.
Arguably, Beihai Park is the most widely recognized classical garden in China—and perhaps even beyond dispute. Since the 1950s, the children’s song "Let Us Row Twin Oars" has been sung from generation to generation. Nearly every Chinese person can recall the lyrics:
Let us row twin oars,
The boat pushes waves aside.
The white dagoba reflects on the lake’s face,
Encircled by green trees and red walls all around.
let’s step into Beihai together today.
Today's itinerary includes the Great Boat Dock, the Long Corridor on Qionghua Island, the Yuegu Tower, the Penghu Yisheng Pavilion, and the Lotus Appreciation Area.