Beihai Park Beijing: Complete Visitor's Guide

Beihai Park (北海公园) covers 68 hectares — 39 of which is lake — making the water alone bigger than most Beijing attractions. Founded in 938 AD during the Liao Dynasty, this is Beijing's oldest imperial garden, predating the Forbidden City by five centuries. If palace fatigue hits after the Forbidden City, Beihai is a 15-minute walk away and a world apart.

Before the Forbidden City: Beijing's Oldest Garden

The "Jade Isle Palace" that the Liao court built here in 938 AD was only the beginning. The Jin Dynasty expanded it into a royal retreat; under Kublai Khan, Qionghua Island became the heart of the Yuan capital. The Ming and Qing dynasties layered on five more centuries of construction — White Dagoba, Nine-Dragon Screen, Yong'an Temple, Round City — each structure from a different era.

[图:北京北海公园琼华岛全景湖面倒影.jpg]

What makes this garden unusual is its triple identity:

• Imperial garden: China's oldest and best-preserved, centuries older than the Summer Palace
• Religious complex: The White Dagoba is a Tibetan Buddhist landmark built for the Fifth Dalai Lama's visit; Yong'an Temple blends Han and Tibetan styles; Little Western Heaven (小西天) was Emperor Qianlong's prayer hall for his mother
• Beijing's water heart: Beihai's lake connects to Zhongnanhai (中南海) and Shichahai (什刹海), part of the old canal system that once linked the capital to the Grand Canal

Unlike the Forbidden City's rigid central axis, Beihai follows classical garden logic — hills framing water, views shifting with every turn. You don't need a fixed route. Duck into a random path and you might find a 600-year-old pavilion hidden in the trees.

Getting to Beihai Park

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Beihai Park has three gates. Picking the right one saves time and backtracking.

South Gate (Most Popular)

Walk out of the Forbidden City's Gate of Divine Might (神武门), cross Jingshanqian Street, and you'll see Beihai's South Gate — about 15 minutes on foot. Round City (团城) sits right beside it, and once inside you cross Yong'an Bridge straight to Qionghua Island. This is the classic route most visitors take.

• Metro: Line 6, Nanluoguxiang Station (南锣鼓巷站) Exit D, then walk ~12 min

East Gate (Quietest)

Faces Jingshan Park. Fewest crowds of any entrance — ideal if you're coming from Jingshan.

• Metro: Line 6, Nanluoguxiang Station (南锣鼓巷站) Exit B, then walk ~10 min

North Gate (Straight to the North Shore)

Best if your priority is the Nine-Dragon Screen and Jingxin Studio. Step out and you're in the Shichahai (什刹海) / Houhai bar district.

• Metro: Line 6, Beihaibei Station (北海北站) Exit B, then walk 2 min

Taxi Phrases

If taking a taxi, show the driver your destination:

Tickets, Hours, and Entry Rules

Opening Hours

Ticket Prices

Buying Tickets as a Foreign Visitor

All gates sell tickets on-site — just show your passport at the window. Cash and mobile payments (WeChat Pay / Alipay) are accepted. No advance reservation is required. You can also buy online via the 畅游公园 ("Visiting Beijing Parks") WeChat mini-program. Hotline for questions: (010) 64037972.

Two Routes: Quick Visit or Full Day

2-Hour Highlight Route

South Gate in → South Gate out — best when you're fitting Beihai into a packed Beijing day.

1. Round City (20 min) → jade wine vessel + 800-year-old cypresses
2. Enter South Gate → cross Yong'an Bridge (5 min photo stop) → the iconic Dagoba-over-bridge shot
3. Climb through Yong'an Temple → up Qionghua Island (30 min)
4. Summit: White Dagoba + 360° panorama (15 min) → Forbidden City rooftops visible on clear days
5. Descend via the island corridor (20 min) → waterside walkway
6. Back to South Gate

4-Hour Deep Route

South Gate in → North Gate out — recommended; exiting north drops you straight into Shichahai for your next stop.

1. Round City (20 min)
2. South Gate → Yong'an Bridge → Yong'an Temple → White Dagoba (45 min)
3. Descend to the north dock → ferry to the North Shore (5 min, ¥10 one-way)
4. Five-Dragon Pavilions (15 min) → five waterside pavilions linked by zigzag bridges
5. Nine-Dragon Screen (10 min) → one of China's three famous dragon walls
6. Jingxin Studio (30 min) → Qianlong's private "garden within the garden"
7. Little Western Heaven (15 min) → Ming-era Buddhist complex
8. Iron Screen Wall (5 min) → Yuan Dynasty relic
9. Exit North Gate → 2 min walk to Shichahai

[图:北京北海公园永安桥和白塔经典角度.jpg]

Qionghua Island and the White Dagoba

Qionghua Island (琼华岛) is the park's centerpiece — a hill rising from the lake with the White Dagoba perched on top. Crossing Yong'an Bridge from the South Gate onto the island is most visitors' first move.

[图:北京北海公园白塔近景蓝天.jpg]

Yong'an Bridge and Yong'an Temple

Yong'an Bridge (永安桥) connects the south shore to the island. Looking back across the bridge toward the Dagoba is Beihai's most photographed angle — it appears on nearly every Beijing guidebook cover. Fine stone carvings line both railings.

Past the bridge, Yong'an Temple (永安寺) climbs the hillside through Falun Hall, Zhengjue Hall, and Pu'an Hall, each level offering a wider view. The halls house Buddhist statues in a blend of Han and Tibetan architectural styles — red walls and golden roofs punctuated by Tibetan prayer flags.

White Dagoba

[图:北京北海公园白塔山顶360度俯瞰.jpg]

The White Dagoba (白塔) stands 35.9 meters tall, built in 1651 during the Shunzhi Emperor's reign to welcome the Fifth Dalai Lama to Beijing. Its white stucco body, bronze spire, and thirteen-tier finial make it one of Beijing's most recognizable silhouettes — and a rarity: a Tibetan-style stupa in the heart of the Chinese capital.

The summit platform delivers one of Beijing's best 360° panoramas:

• South: The Forbidden City's golden rooftops and corner towers spread out below
• East: Jingshan Park's Wanchun Pavilion (where the last Ming emperor died)
• West: The lake surface of Zhongnanhai (中南海), seat of China's government
• North: The grey hutong rooftops of the Shichahai district

Photo tip: The 3–5 PM golden hour turns the Dagoba warm amber. Best light for the south-facing panorama.

Island Corridor

After descending from the Dagoba, follow the covered corridor along the island's west and north sides. It hugs the waterline and is the most relaxing stretch in the park. On warm days, local retirees gather under the eaves to sing Peking opera or play the erhu.

The North Shore's Best Kept Secrets

Most visitors do a loop around Qionghua Island and leave — missing the North Shore entirely. This is where the park's most refined architecture and quietest corners hide.

Nine-Dragon Screen

[图:北京北海公园九龙壁特写彩色琉璃.jpg]

Built in 1756 during Emperor Qianlong's reign, Beihai's Nine-Dragon Screen (九龙壁) stretches about 25.5 meters long and stands nearly 6 meters high, assembled from 424 colored glazed tiles. Nine large dragons writhe through clouds on each side, but look closer — the borders, eaves, and base hide hundreds more. The total count across the entire wall is 635 dragons.

This is the only double-sided Nine-Dragon Screen among China's three most famous (the other two, in the Forbidden City and Datong, are one-sided).

Here's a local legend: look at the third white dragon from the left. The story goes that a craftsman cracked a tile during firing and, with no time for a replacement, carved one from wood and painted it to match. Supposedly you can feel the temperature difference between wood and glazed ceramic. True or not, nearly every Beijing local knows this tale.

Jingxin Studio

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Jingxin Studio (静心斋) was Emperor Qianlong's private study — and the most exquisite garden space in all of Beihai Park. The architect Liang Sicheng surveyed it during the Republican era and called it "a masterpiece of classical Chinese garden design."

Step inside and the park's noise vanishes. Rockeries, koi ponds, winding paths — this is a complete "garden within a garden." Stand on the waterside pavilion: the lake stretches out in front, layered rockwork and greenery rise behind.

Don't miss: The covered corridor to the left of the entrance — one of the best photo spots in the entire park.

Five-Dragon Pavilions

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Five pavilions built over the water, connected by zigzag bridges that form a dragon shape from the air. First constructed during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era and rebuilt under the Qing. Emperors and empresses once fished, admired the moon, and escaped the summer heat here. Today it's one of Beihai's most atmospheric spots — and surprisingly uncrowded.

Little Western Heaven and Wanfo Tower Ruins

Little Western Heaven (小西天) is a Buddhist complex Qianlong built for his mother's blessings. The main hall, Jile Shijie Hall (极乐世界殿), is one of Beijing's largest square wooden-structure halls. Wanfo Tower was destroyed during the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion in 1900 — only its stone base remains — but the main hall survived intact. The clay Buddhist sculptures inside are worth a pause.

Iron Screen Wall

A Yuan Dynasty (~1300 AD) iron spirit wall carved with qilin and mythical beasts. One of the oldest artifacts in Beihai Park, and one most visitors walk right past without noticing.

Round City: The Ancient Fortress

[图:北京北海公园团城承光殿古柏.jpg]

Round City (团城) sits just outside the South Gate — you don't need a park ticket to reach it. It's a circular mini-fortress about 60 meters across with 5-meter walls. Many visitors mistake it for the ticket office or miss it entirely. Admission is just ¥1.

The Jade Wine Vessel

The showpiece is the Dushanyu Jade Wine Vessel (渎山大玉海), carved from a single block of jade in 1265 for Kublai Khan. About 1.5 meters across and nearly 5 meters in circumference, its outer surface is covered in relief carvings of sea dragons, hippocampi, and rhinoceroses. Kublai Khan used it to serve wine at grand banquets. It was rediscovered during the Qianlong era and moved to its current pavilion — one of the largest ancient jade carvings in existence.

Chengguang Hall and the White Jade Buddha

Chengguang Hall (承光殿) houses a 1.5-meter white jade Buddha presented from Myanmar in the late Qing Dynasty. In front of the hall stand two 800-year-old cypresses: one called "Sea-Gazing Pine" (探海松) because its branches lean toward the lake, and "Shade-Giving Marquis" (遮荫侯) for its umbrella-sized canopy. Stand under those trees and look up through the green — then look down at 700-year-old bricks. Round City is tiny, but its density of history per square meter is extraordinary.

Seasonal Highlights and Best Timing

Beihai Park is worth visiting year-round, but the experience changes dramatically by season.

Spring (March – May)

Peach and apricot blossoms line the lakeshore; magnolias on Qionghua Island are particularly striking. The lake thaws, waterbirds return. This is the best window for Dagoba-plus-blossoms photography. Comfortable temperatures, moderate crowds.

Summer (June – August)

Summer belongs to the lotus. Over 100 varieties bloom across the lake surface, starting in late June and peaking in mid-July. The best viewing spot is the Lotus Lake area in the park's southeast corner and near the Long Corridor.

[图:北京北海公园夏季荷花满湖白塔远景.jpg]

This is also the best season for boating — paddling through lotus clusters with the Dagoba reflected in the water is the quintessential "old Beijing" image. See boat types and prices in the Practical Tips section below.

Autumn (September – November)

Ginkgo trees turning gold is autumn's headline act. The park has several ginkgo-lined paths, and golden leaves against the White Dagoba and blue sky make this the prime photography season. Peak viewing: late October to early November.

Autumn also brings Beijing's clearest air — views from the Dagoba summit reach much farther than in summer.

Winter (December – February)

Winter offers two things you can't get any other season:

Snow-Covered Dagoba: After a snowfall, the White Dagoba against a grey-white sky is one of Beijing's most serene winter scenes.

[图:北京北海公园冬季冰场传统冰车.jpg]

Lotus Lake Ice Rink: Roughly late January to early February (ending around the Start of Spring, when ice reaches the 15 cm safety threshold), the Lotus Lake area near the South Gate opens a ~5,000 sqm natural ice rink. This is Beijing's most traditional ice experience — about 450 vehicles including old-school ice chairs (you push yourself with two poles), cartoon ice cars, and ice bicycles. Admission ¥80/person, unlimited time, 8:30 – 17:30.

Best Times of Day

• 6:00 – 8:00 AM: Locals' exercise hour — tai chi, choir groups, bird walking. The best window to experience authentic Beijing daily life
• 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Tourist traffic picks up; ideal for visiting indoor attractions (Yong'an Temple, Jingxin Studio)
• 3:00 – 5:00 PM: Golden hour; the Dagoba turns amber in the sunset
• 5:00 – 7:00 PM: Summer evening boat rides with shifting light on the lake

What Most Tourists Miss

Yuegu Lou — Open Just One Day a Week

[图:北京北海公园阅古楼石刻内部.jpg]

The hardest attraction to get into at Beihai Park. Yuegu Lou (阅古楼) sits halfway up Qionghua Island's west slope and opens only on Tuesdays (following standard attraction hours: 8:00–18:00 peak season, 8:30–17:00 off-peak). During July 7 – August 31, it also opens on Mondays.

Inside are 495 stone-carved calligraphy tablets commissioned by Emperor Qianlong — the Sanxitang Fatie (三希堂法帖) collection. From Wang Xizhi to Zhao Mengfu, China's greatest calligraphers across 1,500 years are represented here. The three characters "阅古楼" on the entrance plaque are in Qianlong's own hand. This is China's most complete collection of calligraphy stone engravings — more comprehensive than what the Forbidden City displays.

The Quiet East Shore

Nearly all visitors stick to the South Gate–Qionghua Island–North Shore main route, leaving the east shore virtually empty. Rows of willows, silent stone benches, the occasional local out for a stroll. When you need to escape the crowds and simply sit, this is where to go.

Evening Ferry

Most people take the ferry during the day. But catch the 5–6 PM run from Qionghua Island's north dock to the North Shore and the sun is in the west — the Five-Dragon Pavilions silhouetted against golden water beats any daytime angle.

Fangshan Restaurant

Fangshan Restaurant (仿膳饭庄) has been inside the park since 1925, serving Qing imperial cuisine. The full sit-down experience runs ¥200+ per person, but the park also has Fangshan's takeaway window selling palace snacks: pea cake (豌豆黄, ~¥10–15), ai wo wo (艾窝窝, rice-flour dumplings, ~¥10–15), and others. Worth trying even if you're not hungry — the recipes are said to come straight from the imperial kitchen.

Practical Tips for Your Visit

What to Wear

• Qionghua Island summit requires a stair climb — wear sneakers or flat shoes
• Winter ice rink surface is extremely slippery — non-slip soles recommended
• Summer: bring a hat and sunscreen — open lake means full UV exposure

Boat Rentals

Boat docks are on the south side and Qionghua Island's north side. Deposit required (cash or mobile payment). Peak season weekends may mean 20–30 min queues.

Food Inside the Park

Beyond Fangshan Restaurant, small kiosks sell drinks, ice cream, and snacks — but there's no proper quick-service restaurant. Recommendations:

• Quick fix: Bring water and a snack
• Sit-down meal: Exit the North Gate and you're in the Shichahai/Houhai area — dozens of restaurants within a 5-minute walk

Top 5 Photo Spots

1. Yong'an Bridge: Looking back at the Dagoba — the postcard shot
2. Dagoba summit platform: 360° over the Beijing skyline
3. Opposite shore from Five-Dragon Pavilions: Water reflections + pavilion line-up
4. Jingxin Studio waterside pavilion: The refined garden-within-a-garden
5. Lotus Lake (summer): Lotuses + Dagoba in the distance

Accessibility and Families

• Main paths are flat stone; wheelchair-accessible throughout
• Only barrier: Qionghua Island summit requires stairs — no elevator or ramp alternative. Wheelchair users and strollers cannot reach the White Dagoba
• The entire North Shore is flat; Jingxin Studio and Five-Dragon Pavilions are wheelchair-reachable
• Multiple public restrooms across the park, well-maintained

Nearby Attractions Worth Combining

Beihai Park sits at the geographic heart of Beijing's historic core. Several major sites are within walking distance.

[图:北京景山公园万春亭俯瞰故宫全景.jpg]

Jingshan Park

From Beihai's East Gate, it's a 10-minute walk to Jingshan Park's (景山公园) West Gate. Jingshan's Wanchun Pavilion offers the best overhead view of the Forbidden City — if you only take one "Beijing photo," make it this one. Admission ¥2, 30 minutes to visit.

Shichahai / Houhai

Step out of Beihai's North Gate and you're in the Shichahai (什刹海) district. Daytime: lakeside walks and hutong alleys. Evening: Houhai's lit-up bar street. From Yinding Bridge (银锭桥), on a clear day you can see the Western Hills — the famous "Silver Ingot Viewing Mountains" scene.

Forbidden City

A 15-minute walk from Beihai's South Gate to the Forbidden City's Gate of Divine Might (north entrance). The classic combo: Forbidden City in the morning, Beihai in the afternoon. Or flip it — start with a relaxed Beihai morning, then hit the Forbidden City after 2 PM when crowds thin out.

Nanluoguxiang

A 10-minute walk east from Beihai's East Gate to the south end of Nanluoguxiang (南锣鼓巷). This hutong is heavily commercialized but still worth a stroll — mainly for street snacks and the sense of hutong scale.

Recommended half-day combo: Morning at Beihai Park (2–3 hours) → lunch in the Shichahai area → Jingshan Park (30 min) → Forbidden City exterior / Nanluoguxiang

Beyond This Guide

Beihai Park fits naturally into almost any Beijing itinerary — the trick is knowing which gate to enter, which season plays to your interests, and what to combine it with. If you're building a Beijing trip that connects the Forbidden City, Beihai, Jingshan, and the hutong neighborhoods into a smooth day-by-day plan, we can design the routing and timing around your pace.

More to explore in Beijing:

• The Forbidden City: Complete Visitor's Guide — the palace complex 15 minutes south
• Temple of Heaven Beijing Guide — another imperial masterpiece, different vibe
• Bell and Drum Towers Guide — the hutong neighborhood north of Beihai
• Peking Duck: The Complete Guide — where to eat Beijing's signature dish
• Beijing Food Guide — full city dining breakdown
• Beijing Travel Guide — your Beijing trip hub