Fragrant Hills Park

Lonely Planet review

Near the Summer Palace are the Xī Shān (Western Hills), former villa-resort of the emperors. The part of Xī Shān closest to Běijīng is known as Fragrant Hills. Scramble up the slopes to Incense-Burner Peak (Xiānglú Fēng), or take the chairlift, for an all-embracing view of the countryside. Běijīngers flock here in autumn when the maple leaves saturate the hillsides in great splashes of red.

Near the north gate of Fragrant Hills Park is the excellent Azure Clouds Temple, which dates back to the Yuan dynasty. The Mountain Gate Hall contains two vast protective deities: Heng and Ha, beyond which is a small courtyard and the drum and bell towers, leading to a hall with a wonderful statue of Milefo: it's bronze, but coal black with age. Only his big toe shines from numerous inquisitive fingers.

The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall has a statue and glass coffin donated by the USSR on the death of Mr Sun in 1925. At the back is the marble Vajra Throne Pagoda, where Sun Yat-sen was interred after he died, before his body was moved to its final resting place in Nánjīng.

Southwest of the Azure Clouds Temple is the Tibetan-styled Temple of Brilliance (Zhāo Miào), and not too far away is a glazed tile pagoda. Both survived visits by foreign troops intent on sacking the area in 1860 and 1900.