A royal retreat since the Jin dynasty (1115–1234), the enclosed lake and gardens of Beihai Park (北海公园, Běihǎi Gōngyuán) still retain much of their charm. There are two main areas: the historic buildings clustered along the northwestern shore; and Jade Islet in the south, marked by its soaring Tibetan dagoba. Ferries (¥20) run between the north shore and Jade Islet, or you can walk.
One of several fascinating buildings along the north shore is Jingxin Studio (静心斋, Jìngxīn Zhāi), a "garden within a garden" and a favorite retreat of the Qianlong Emperor, who would come here to sip tea. Western Heaven (西天梵境, Xītiān Fànjìng) was a lamasery during the Ming dynasty, and was subsequently rebuilt in 1759. Nearby is the Nine Dragon Screen, a 27m-long spirit wall emblazoned with coiled dragons.
Shaped from the earth scooped out to create Beihai Lake, the steep Jade Islet (琼华岛, Qiónghuá Dǎo) is crowned with the 36m-high white chorten, built in 1651 by the first Qing emperor to honor a visit by the Dalai Lama. Enter via Yong'an Temple (永安寺, Yǒng'ān Sì) in the south, which extends up the steep southern slope to the summit. The circular fortress known as Round City (团城, Tuán Chéng), just outside the south gate, is all that remains of Kublai Khan's palace.
A public park since 1925, Beihai now offers a window onto pastimes like dìshū (地书), where locals demonstrate their calligraphy skills using giant brushes and water. To hire a boat in summer, you’ll need to pay a hefty deposit (¥400–800). In winter, ice-skating takes place south of Jade Islet.
