This ornamental hall (zaojian means algae or seaweed) sits on Seaweed-Viewing Island on Kunming Lake.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
8.11 MILES
Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
10.5 MILES
An oasis of methodical Confucian design, the 267-hectare Temple of Heaven Park is unique. It originally served as a vast stage for solemn rites performed…
0.87 MILES
A marvel of Chinese garden design and one of Beijing's must-see attractions, the Summer Palace was the royal retreat for emperors fleeing the suffocating…
8.8 MILES
Flanked by triumphalist Soviet-style buildings, Tian'anmen Sq is an immense void of paved stone (440,000 sq metres, to be precise) at the symbolic centre…
7.42 MILES
Beihai Park, inside the old Imperial City, looks much as it would have done in the 18th century when it served as Emperor Qianlong's private gardens. The…
6.93 MILES
A grand sweep of willow-lined waterways enclosed by invitingly maze-like hutong lanes, this trio of lakes is one of Beijing's best-loved outdoor spots,…
10.51 MILES
This immense fortress, part of the Ming City Wall Ruins Park, guarded the southeast corner of Beijing's city walls. Originally built in 1439 but repaired…
8.58 MILES
Instantly recognisable by its giant framed portrait of Mao, and guarded by two pairs of Ming dynasty stone lions, the double-eaved Gate of Heavenly Peace …
Nearby Beijing attractions
0.28 MILES
Constructed in the 18th century, Changguan Hall was destroyed by Anglo-French soldiers in 1860 and subsequently rebuilt.
0.37 MILES
A small islet at the southeastern end of Kunming Lake, the Phoenix Mound is a popular vantage point.
0.46 MILES
Reached via the 17-Arch Bridge, this temple on South Lake Island was used by the royal family to pray for rain in times of drought. At sunset, the nearby…
0.48 MILES
Connecting the eastern shore of Kunming Lake to South Lake Island, this is the largest bridge in the Summer Palace at 150m long. It was built during the…
0.52 MILES
These wistful ruins are found on a small island in the West Lake area.
0.54 MILES
With its startlingly steep 'moon' arch, this is the best of the six bridges on the West Causeway of Kunming Lake. Its height also permitted the more…
0.56 MILES
Cast in 1755, this life-sized, bronze sculpture of an ox was set at the eastern shore of Kunming Lake to guard against floods, the ox believed to be in…
0.82 MILES
Just beyond the western end of the Long Corridor, the Marble Boat has come to symbolise the extravagance and detachment of the imperial family in the…