Jingshan Park

Jingshan Park, occupying an area of about 23 hectares, is located right on the north-south central axial line of Beijing. It is connected to the Shenwu Gate of the Forbidden City in the south, and faces the Drum and Bell Towers in the north and is adjacent to the Beihai Park in the west.

The Jingshan Hill is 45.7 meters high, and is the best place in downtown Beijing to have a panoramic view of Beijing and the Forbidden City. As early as in the Liao Dynasty, earth was piled here to form a hill; in the Jin Dynasty, the place was designated as an imperial garden of the palace; in the Yuan Dynasty, it became a palace garden of the imperial city, named Qingshan Hill; in the Ming Dynasty, it was named the Wansui (longevity) Hill; in the 12th year of the reign of Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1655), it was renamed Jingshan Hill, and massive construction was carried out during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1749-1751), and architectures as Shouhuang Hall, Qiwang Tower, Guanmiao Pavilion, Zhoushang Pavilion, Wanchun Pavilion, Jifang Pavilion and Fulan Pavilion were constructed.

JingshanParkis a beautiful and unique imperial garden, and was the place where the emperors appreciated flowers, shot arrows, drank and feasted, and climbed the hill to view landscapes. In 1949 after the liberation of Beijing, the people's government made a comprehensive renovation of Jingshan Park—repairing and maintaining the ancient architectures, rebuilding hill roads and park roads, planting trees and flowers, and adding service facilities, making this place a hot attraction for Chinese and foreign visitors. In 1957, it was named a major historic site under provincial protection, and in 2001, it was announced as a major historic site under national protection, and in 2002, it was rated a class-4A scenic area.

The main peak of Jingshan Hill, 45.7 meters high (94.2 meters above sea level), was the center of the inner city of old Beijing, and was also the highest point then. The pavilion on the main peak, called Wanchun Pavilion, is a triple-eave golden-glazed tile pavilion. Standing here, people could have a panoramic view of Beijing. There is one double-eave green-tile pavilion with eight angles on each side of Wanchun Pavilion. The one on the east side is called Guanmiao Pavilion, and the one on the west side is Jifang Pavilion. There are dome-shaped, double-eave blue tile pavilions on the east and west ends of the top of the hill, called Zhoushang Pavilion and Fulan Pavilion respectively. The five pavilions form a beautiful pattern atop of the hill. The Shouhuang Hall at the rear of the hill was originally the place where emperors offered sacrifices to their ancestors, and is now temporarily used by the Beijing Children's Palace. At the foot of the east slope of Jingshan Hill, there is an ancient leaning scholar tree. It is said Emperor Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, hanged himself on this tree when the uprising farmer army, led by Li Zicheng, stormed into Beijing in 1644.

Publishes at : 07-09-23 21:27

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