Fragrant Hill Park

Xiangshan Park, also known as Fragrant Hill Park, is situated at the eastern foot of the Western Hills. It is more than 20 kilometers from Beijing and covers an area of 160 hectares.

The park started its planning stage in 1186 during the Jin Dynasty and was initially only open to the royal families. During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the park was expanded on a large scale, and during the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong ordered the addition of many new halls, pavilions, and gardens. In 1956, the park was formally opened to the public.

Spring arrives late and the summer days are always very cool due to its high elevation and dense covering of trees. The best time to visit Fragrant Hill Park is late Fall when the smoketree leaves turn red, attracting thousands of visitors from around the world to enjoy the scenery. A poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu reads: “Stopping in my sedan chair in the evening, I sit admiring the maple grove; The frost－covered leaves are redder than the flowers of spring.

The number and variety of natural views and landscapes in the park are vast and include valued sights such as Glasses Lake, Cascade Cave, Green Lake, Plum Stone, Biyun Temple, Zhao Temple, relics of Fragrant Hills Temple, Shuangqing Villa, and more etc. The Sunny Western Hills after a snowfall is very famous in Beijing; Biyun Temple is listed as a the national protected cultural relic unit; and Chairman Mao Zedong once lived in Shuangqing Villa while directing the famous Crossing the Chang Jiang River Campaign during the War of Liberation. Visitors can take a ride to the top of Incense Burner Peak to enjoy the scenery below and for a vista of Beijing.

Opening Hours:
1st April to 30 June: 6:00 am – 6:30 pm
1st July to 31st August: 6:00 am – 7:00 pm
1st Sep to 15th November: 6:00 am – 6:30 pm
16th November to 31st March: 6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Routes: Bus No. 318, 331 360,634, 714, 696, and 698