Beihai Park
Sprawling imperial garden lake ringed by pavilions, centered on an islet crowned with a white Tibetan dagoba.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to Beihai Park in Beijing follows a black jade wine jar commissioned by Kublai Khan in 1265 for his palace on the island ahead of you, and how it vanished from the record when the Yuan dynasty fell. It picks the story back up centuries later, when the jar turned up doing ordinary kitchen duty in a small Daoist temple. You'll hear how Emperor Qianlong tracked it down around 1745 and what he had carved into its surface. Look for the Round City pavilion built to house it.
This audio guide was created using AI.
Similar places
Summer Palace
Vast imperial garden of a lake and hill, with pavilions, a marble-style boat and covered walkways rebuilt for an empress.
Yuanmingyuan Park
Sprawling imperial garden ruins of marble columns and shattered fountains from a palace burned in eighteen sixty.
Houhai
Artificial lake and former imperial canal terminus, now a lively lakeside district of bars, hutongs and boat rides.
Fragrant Hills Park （East Gate 2）
Imperial hillside retreat and pleasure garden, twice burned by foreign armies, later a secret revolutionary headquarters.
Zhongshan Park
Former imperial altar of white marble soil in five colors, now a tranquil public garden beside the Forbidden City.
Shichahai
Historic cluster of three lakes and hutong alleys, once the Grand Canal's northern terminus and a winter skating ground.