Touring in Beijing

Beijing Haidian District
Haidian, meaning Sea & Shallow Lake in English, is named for its much water. Just as a result of this, the green and large Fu Hai (Big Lake of Good Fortune) and the "Yuquan Baotu" (Baotu Jade Spring) stay here. Also just as a result of this, enjoying the beautiful scenery brought by mountains, water, forest and fountain, Haidian retains a great number of vast temples and royal gardens without parallel in history and in future. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, construction of gardens in Haidian reached a period of great prosperity. The present campuses of Beijing University and Tsinghua University were just the scenic gardens winning universal praise in Ming Dynasty -Shao Yuan (Spoon Park) and Qinghua Yuan (Tsinghua Park); "though man made but seemed God created" "three hills and five gardens" are on the scroll of fame. Today's Haidian has been the pioneering position initiating hi-tech as Zhongguancun-China's Silicon Valley is just here. Experience the glamour of modern hi-tech culture in the dynamic Haidian.

• Water system in Beijing
Two marine traffic lines, Kunyu River Marine Traffic Line and Changhe River Traffic Line, have currently been put into service In Beijing.

• Changhe River section
Changhe River section, from Kunming Lake to Beizhanhouhu Lake, is 9 km long, there are Summer Palace (dock), Changhewan (dock), Longevity Temple (called mini Palace Museum of West of Beijing), Ziyuwan (dock), ancient style architectural complex, ship lock, Zizhuyuan Park, Beijing Library, Beijing Zoo, Beijing Aquarium. Beijing Exhibition Hall, relics of Maizhong Bridge, Guangyuanzha, Wuta Temple and Gaoliang Bridge along the river. Changhe River was originally a waterway used by feudal imperial kinsmen to travel to west of Beijing for summer holidays, there was a saying in Ming and Qing Dynasty that "Enjoying pine trees in Temple of Heaven and enjoying willow trees along Changhe River".
- Travel services of this marine traffic line include: sightseeing, evening water tour, onboard parties and other water activities.
- Schedule: Beizhanhouhu Summer Palace: 9:30, 13:00, 15:30
                      Summer Palace Beizhanhouhu: 10:45, 14:15
- Summer Palace Dock: Location: Outside South Gate of Summer Palace
- Directions: visitors can arrive by Bus NO.374, Beizhanhouhu Dock: location: behind Beijing Exhibition Hall Theatre, Beijing Exhibition Hall Stop by Bus. No.102, 103 and 105

• Kunyu River Section
Kunyu River Section, from Kunming River lo Yuyantan Park, is 10 km long, there are Summer Palace (dock), Changhewan (dock), Linglong Park, Enji Garden, Binjiao Garden (dock), CCTV Tower (dock), Yuyantan (Bayi Lake dock), Water Park and Song Qingling Children's Park along the line. Section from Yuyuantan to Gaobeidian Lake (starting point of Beijing-Hangzhou Canal) connecting sight spots like Baiyun Taoist Temple, Tianning Temple, Grand View Garden, Temple of Heaven and Longtan Lake is under schedule; total length of this section will be 36km.
- Schedule: Bayi Lake Summer Palace: 8:00 9:00 10:00 13:00 15:00 16:30
                      Summer Palace Bayi Lake: 9:30 10:05 11:05 14:05 17:30
- Address: Bayi Lake Dock is located in west side of "Water Park" inside Yuyuantan Park
- Directions: visitors can arrive at East Gate of Yuyuantan Park by Bus No. 103 and 114; South Gate by Bus No.414 and 65; Military Museum Stop by subway; West Gate by Bus No. 300, 323 and 374 (Bayi Lake Bridge); North Gate by Bus No. 121,335 and 336

1. Summer Palace
Situated at the northwest suburb of Beijing, the Summer Palace was originally a royal garden and a temporary dwelling place for emperors of Oing Dynasty. Its predecessor was the Garden of Clear Ripples (Qingyiyuan) started in1750andburned down by the British and French allied troops in 1860, In 1886, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled navy outlays and other funds in the reconstruction and renamed the park as Summer Palace in 1888.
Summer Palace mainly consists of Longevity Hill (Wanshoushan) and Kunming Lake, covering an area of 290.8 hectares, of which 3/4 is covered by water. Hill- and water-surrounded palaces, temples and garden buildings are divided into three areas: the palace area, with the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (Renshoudian) as the center, whore Cixi held court from behind a screen in most lime of her late years; the residence area, with Yulan Hall, Leshou Hall and Yiyun Hall as main bodies, where the emperor and empress lived before death; the lour area, integrating landscape, buildings, flower and plants, a place of tour and rest for rulers of that time. As the building center in the whole Palace, the Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiangge) stands highly relying on the Hill and facing to the water. The water surface of Kunming Lake is spacious like sky, charming, gentle and appealing. In the vast mist-covered water stand the magic hills and wonder islands; the Seventeen-arch Bridge spans the green water like a rainbow. The West Dike of the lake runs from north to south, forming a God-given scene together with six graceful bridges. Soughing of the wind in the pines pass from the Back Hill (Houshan) and Back Lake(Houhu). Business on the palace market is flourishing. Towering palaces shine with the hill and water. Group peaks of West Hill (Xishan) and the Jade Spring (Yuquanshan) are even taken as the background. With masterly design and artistic architecture and integrating the essence of Chinese garden arts, the Summer Palace has a title of "Imperial Garden Museum". It is a imperial garden most completely reserved with richest landscapes and concentrated buildings.
- Address: Yiheyuan (Summer Palace) Road, Haidian District
- Directions: Take buses No.726, 826, 718, 332,331 or 737 and get off at Yiheyuan Dongmen (Summer Palace East Gate)

2. Ruins of Yuanmingyuan
Ruins of Yuanmingyuan is adjacent to the Summer Palace, covering an area of 346.7 hectares and composed of Yuanming, Changchun and Yichun gardens. Initiated in Kangxi 48th year of Qing Dynasty, it was a large-sized royal garden emperors of Qing Dynasty established and operated in 150 years. It became ruins gradually after the wild maraud and burning by British and French allied troops in October 1860. Through decades of refitting after the founding of the New China, a dozen of sites have been excavated and neatened at present, with such sites of the new gate of Yichun Park and European-style maze in the Changchun Park rebuilt. The mountain shape and water system have been back to the original historical style and features generally. There's vast Fu Hai (the Big Lake of Good Fortune), as well as amiable lake, even the stream running among Hills and rivers. So the crude charm of natural water system is remained, fea Touring series of tourism & cultural activities in spring, summer, autumn and winter.
- Address: Tsinghua West Road, Haidian District
- Directions: Take buses No.380, 406 or Te 2 and gel off at Tiyuzhongxin Ximen (west gate of the Sports Center), or take buses No.386 or 406 and get off at Beichenlu

3. Beijing University and Tsinghua University
Along the northward road running dozens of km. from Black Bamboo (Zizhu) Park in northwestern Beijing spread colleges and universities. Even bus stops are named after them. On this road, college students go in a hurry with bags on their shoulders. This is the University City equally famous as Cambridge and Oxford, and the place of China's future.
The history of University City can be traced back to 1898 when Emperor Guangxu of Qing Dynasty ordered to found the first modern university of China Jingshi Da Xue Tang (Jingshi University), or the predecessor of today's Beijing University. The structure of this university was in a western style. It offered Germany, French, liberal arts, agricultural, technical, business and other subjects. Since then, more than 70 colleges and universities including Tsinghua were founded, forming the scale of today's university city.
Many major changes in the neoteric and modern history of China look place here. Such scenic spots in the University City as He Tang Yue Se (Moonlight over the Lotus Pond) and Shui Mu Tstinghua (Water & Wood Tsinghua) together with notables' traces will enable you experience the cultural details of the ancient emperors' capital Beijing much better.

4. Beijing Botanical Garden
Close to the Xishan Lying Buddha Temple (Wofosi), Beijing Botanical Garden covers an area of 400 hectares. It's a place of collection, exhibition and reservation of botanical resources, integrating such functions as scientific research, scientific popularization and tourism.
It also includes the Miniature Garden, Greenhouse Flower Zone, Low-temperature Greenhouse and Botanical Exhibition Greenhouse. Over 5000 varieties more than 560,000 trunks of plant are introduced or planted in the Garden. Scenic spots and historical sites include Wo Fo Si (Lying Buddha Temple), Ying Tao Gou (Cherry Gully), Longjiao Temple Relics, "Dec.29 Movement" Memorial Pavilion, Liang Qichao's Graveyard, Cao Xueqin Memorial, etc. Periodical activities in the Garden include Peach Blossom Festival in April and City's Flower (China Rose, chrysanthemum) Festival in September.
- Address: Xiangshan South Road, Haidian District
- Directions: Take No. 318 bus at Pingguoyuan subway or take buses No.330, 360 or 904 at Summer Palace stop and get off at Wofosi stop

5. Fragrant Hills Park
Situated in the west suburb of Beijing, Fragrant Hills Park is more than 20km from the center of Beijing and covers an area of 160 hectares. The highest peak is 557 m high above sea level. Its shape is like an incense burner, so it's called the "Xiang Lu Feng" (Incense Burner Peak) or popularly named "Gui Jian Chou "(Ghost Worries to Meet It). Fragrant Hills is its shortened name. Enjoying a long history, Fragrant Hills Park was initiated in 1186. Emperors of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties built temporary headquarters here where they could have a short stay when they went on a tour. There are dozens of scenic spots and historical sites in Fragrant Hills Park, including: "Xishan Fine Snow" (Xi Shan Qing Xue) which is one of the top eight landscapes of Beijing; Green Cloud Temple (Bi Yun Si), Five-hundred-arhat Hall, Buddha's Warrior Attendant's Throne Tower, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Zhao Temple, Jianxin Room (Jianxin Zhai), Shuangqing Villa, Eyeglass Lake, Joy Garden (Huan Xi Yuan), Yuhua Peak (Yuhua Xiu), etc. Exuberant woods cover the Park. There are more than 260,000 trees of different varieties, including 5800-plus Class I and Class II ancient and famous trees. More than 96 percent of the Park is covered by plants. Fragrant Hills Red Leaves are well known home and abroad, once appraised as one of the "New 16 Landscapes of Beijing".
- Address: At the foot of Xishan (West Hill), Haidian District
- Directions: No.360 bus from Zoo to the Fragrant Hills; No.904 bus from Xizhimen to Fragrant Hills; No.333 bus from the Garden of Perfection and Brightness (Yuanmingyuan) to Fragrant Hills; No.318 bus from Pingguoyuan to Fragrant Hills

6. Lying Buddha Temple
Lying Buddha Temple, one of the oldest temples in Beijing with a history of 1300 years over. It was initiated in the Emperor Zhenguan era of Tang Dynasty. In the reconstruction in 1321, 250,000kg copper was used to cast the existing largest lying Buddha in one year. In 1734, it was renamed as Shi Fang Pu Jue Temple, locally the "Lying Buddha Temple". In the Lying Buddha Hall, the core building of the Temple, the copper-made lying Buddha holds his head in his right palm, with his led hand put on his letf leg relaxedly. Totally 5 meters long, the Buddha is calm and at ease. Around three sides of it stand 12 mud sculptures of his disciples that are called Twelve Yuan Jue. On the side of the Lying Buddha lay several pairs of big shoes prepared by emperors of Qing Dynasty for tear that Buddha would wake up and get down from the bed.
- Address: South foot of Shouan Hill, Xiangshan Hill, Haidian District
- Directions: Take No.318 bus at Pingguoyuan or buses No.333, 360 or 904 and get off at Wofosi stop

7. CCTV Launching Tower
Covering an area of 15.4 hectares and 405 meters high, the CCTV Launching Tower is the third highest tower in China, the member tower of the World High Tower Association, the member tower of China Radio & TV Association High Tower Commission. It is a synthetic building integrating radio & TV transmission, tourism and sightseeing, food & beverage and recreation. Spacious trestle square, white-marble-made circle corridor, palace lantern-shaped tower, praying palace-style tower base, you will be enchanted and forget to return. On the tower, there's the 242 m-high "Flying Cloud Hall" used for grand celebrations. On the 238 m-high open overseeing flat roof, you can have a panoramic view at the beautiful landscape of Beijing. In the 225m-high magnificent indoor overlooking hall is the Flying Cloud Tea House where you can get a bird's-eye view at the new changes of Capital Beijing while drinking a cup of tea. The nightscape of lighting of the tower is grand, elegant, majestic, glowing and vivid, adding a more flowery and colorful scene to Beijing.
- Address: 11 West 3rd Ring Central Road, Haidian District
- Directions: Take buses No.300 or 336 and get off at Hangtianqiao stop, or lake No.374 bus and get off at Zhongyangdianshita stop

8. Beijing Film Travel City
Beijing Film Tourism City is a new sight spot integrating tourism, film and TV services and culture & entertainment. Film art and basic knowledge will be demonstrated through special effects synthesis, analogue sound of action effect, stars' cartoon exhibition, film stills and properties fair, etc. The film & TV location- street of folk customs and practices of Ming and Qing Dynasties: a reproduction of the appearance of ancient streets of old Beijing. More than 300 films and TV plays have been shot here, including Camel Xiangzi (Luo Tuo Xiang Zi), Tea House (Cha Guan), Past Things in the Southern City (Cheng Nan Jiu Shi), Prince Xiang Yu and his Concubine (Ba Wang Bie Ji), Hunchback Prime Minister Liu (Zai Xiang Liu Luo Guo), King of Adventure (Mao Xian Wang). Tourists can see stars' performance with your own eyes.
- Address: 77 North 3rd Ring Central Road, Haidian District
- Directions: Take buses No.16, 22, 300, 302, 331, 367 or387 and get off at Beitaipingzhuang stop, go west for 300 meters on the north of the road

9. Pacific Underwater World Museum
Situating under the CCTV Launching Tower of Beijing, it has a building area of 7000 square meters approximately. With the main purpose of halobios exhibition, it is a synthetic modern fair center integrating popular science education sightseeing and entertainment. It was given the title "China Ocean Society Beijing Ocean Popular Science Education Base" by China Ocean Society. The total volume of the aquarium is more than 4000 square meters. There are hundreds of halobios, larger ones are fierce sharks and small ones are colorful garibaldis. The aquarium applies high-tech fresh water sallification system and submarine life automatic maintenance system.
- Address: 11 West 3rd Ring Central Road, Haidian District
- Directions: Take buses No.300 or 336 and get off at Hangtianqiao stop, or take No.374 bus and get off at Zhongyangdianshita stop

10. Yuyuan Pond Park
Earlier in the Jin Dynasty, the Park had been a famous tourism resort in the northwest suburb of the capital. Upon the founding of New China, Beijing Municipal Government gave the formal name "Yuyuan Pond Park" in 1960. Through more than three decades of construction, it has become a municipal-level synthetic park situating in the downtown area but enjoying natural charm and rurality. Whenever in spring, excellent varieties of 3000 trees of cheery blossom from home and abroad gather in the cheery blossom garden. Every tree is covered with red or deep red and while colors, flowery and dazzling. Extremely beautiful and gorgeous cherry blossoms in spring and chrysanthemums in autumn contrast with green pines and cypresses, green lawn as well as simple and natural buildings, attracting thousands of tourists.
- Address: North of Military Museum, Fuxing Road, Haidian District
- Directions: Take metro or buses No.1, 4, 21, 57 or 337 and get off al Junshibowuguan (Military Museum) stop, then go northward; or take No.114 bus and get off Yuyuantan stop

11. Black Bamboo Park
It was initiated in 1953. The name of the Park is derived from the Black Bamboo Courtyard in a temple of Ming and Qing Dynasties. It covers an area of more than 46 hectares, of which 1/3 is covered by water. Nanchang River and Shuangzi Dyke run through the Park. The Park is composed of three lakes, two islands and one bank. It's a garden of natural landscape made by thousands of green bamboo, which is the main attraction. Aiming at spreading the bamboo culture, the Park has a fine and profound design and original layout. Simulated mountains and imitated water are arranged as natural. Jagged rocks are set delicately. Pavilions, corridors, balconies and halls strew at random, with thin and long bamboo, trees and flowers dotted artfully. Everywhere is picturesque, and every season is delightful. In warm spring, bamboo and flowers get full blooming. In hot summer, tourists' boats sail across the lotus pond. In cool autumn, reed catkins get white and maple leaves get read. In cold winter, auspicious snow shines with green pine and bamboo. Bamboo culture festival is held regularly from April to June.
- Address: 45 Baishiqiao, Xizhimenwai
- Directions: Take buses No.114, 300, 323, 334, 374, 811, 814 or 817 and get off at Baishiqiao stop