Jingshan Park in Beijing and an observation deck on the city
Jingshan Park is just 100 meters from the north of the Forbidden City. In the time of the empire, it was an imperial park, and even the entrance here was only one – from the south of the palace.
According to Feng Shui rules, the dwelling should be placed in the south of the hill or on the southern slope. The hill protects against the negative energy of Yang and the North Wind. Next to the construction site for the Forbidden City of the Hills was not, and the problem was decided simply – made an artificial hill. On this hill and settled the Park Jingshan.
Due to the convenient location, tourists are very popular by the route: Forbidden City – Jingshan Park – Beihai Park (I will tell about the next blog entry). All these objects are near each other, and it is easily accessible here.
How to get
If you look at the Jingshan Park immediately after the Forbidden City, then after leaving the Northern Gate of the Palace, you need to go 100 meters forward, and you will fall to the young entrance of Jingshan Park.
If you look at the park separately, that is, the two best way to get here. The first – get to the main entrance to the Forbidden City (at the Beijing Metro station to Tian’anmen East). Between the southern entrance and the northern yield of the palace, small buses. On such a bus, you will reach the northern exit of the Forbidden City, from where 100 meters before the entrance to the Jingshan Park.
The second option is to get to the subway station to Shichai (Shichahai) and from there to go south 15 minutes. In this case, you will find yourself around the northern entrance to Jingshan Park.
Another good option is to arrive at the Tian’anmen East or Shichahai station and take a taxi. Taxi in China is inexpensive – you pay only 13 yuan.
What’s the cover charge
The price of the ticket can be called symbolic – 2 Chinese yuan. Exhibitions on the park are paid separately.
Opening hours
From April to October: from 6-00 to 21-00.
From November to March: from 6-30 to 20-00.
How much time plan to inspect
Go through everything interesting – one hour. Walk and enjoy the beauty of this place – two hours. But do not forget that this is a hill, and you have to rise in the mountain at a height of 46 meters.
What is the Jingshan Park
This is a big hill with one main top and four secondary. At each top there is a pavilion. The hill is completely planted with green plantings.
Name
Jingshan is translated as "Overview Mountain". And indeed, for tourists it is interesting more as an observation deck on the city than as the park.
Jingshan is a modern name, and in Imperial Time, he was called "Park Vanasui", which is translated as "Park of the Ten Thousand Years". In Chinese, the number 10 000 is a metaphor that denotes "very much". A vivid example is the Great Wall of China, which the Chinese call the "Wall of Ten Thousand Lee". This does not mean that it is 10,000 whether (about 5,000 kilometers) in length, but simply translates as "very long wall". So and the name "Park Vanasi" can be translated as "Park for longevity".
In 1644, it was here that suicide was committed here the last emperor of the Min – Chongzhen dynasty. He hanged himself on his own silk scarf. In the title "Ladvity Park" there is some irony. By the way, in the park there is a memorial plate in memory of the emperor Chongzhen, which can see any tourist. Emperor Chongzhen’s Emperor in the Valley of the Tomb of the Ming Dynasty.
Another name – "Maishan Hill" translates as a "coal hill". This name Park received a simple people. Among the commoners were rumors that inside the hill of emperors are arranged secret storage facilities and even the treasury.
History
In his current form, Jingshan Park appeared around 1420. Let me remind you that the emperor Junle Ming Dynasty suffered the capital of China from Nanjing to Beijing. He began to build a new palace – a forbidden city, and this park was built simultaneously with him. When digging "Golden Waters" around the Forbidden City, the whole seized ground was used to build a Jingshan hill. Such a reception in China used often, for example, the summer palace was built.
But the imperial park here existed even to the Ming dynasty. With the previous yuan dynasty, the capital was in Beijing, but the city was then called Hanbalyk. Let me remind you that the emperors of the yuan dynasty were the Mongols of the descendants of Genghis Khan (Chingizids).
At the site of the Forbidden City, then there were imperial palaces, and on the spot of Jingshan Park, the imperial park, whose name we do not know. Nothing remained from that Park, since after the overthrow of the Yuan dynasty, the first emperor of the new dynasty min – Zhu Yuanzhan destroyed the palaces, and the park, and in general, everything that reminded the board of Mongols in China.
Jingshan Park is 500 years old served the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for recreation and entertainment, there was even a hunt. In addition, Jingshan Park serve for the imperial family by the place of worship and sacrifice ancestors.
After the overthrow of the monarchy in China, the park was closed for a while, and in 1928 it was discovered for everyone. In 1949, a large-scale reconstruction began. Most pavilions in Jingshan Park are already rebuilt versions.
What to watch – Dzivan Pavilion
It is right on the southern entrance. This is a very beautiful building around which green cypresses are planted. There was a memorial sign of Confucius, and the emperors stopped here to pay the tribute to.
What to watch – five hill vertices
This hill has five vertices, each of which is a pavilion. They were built in 1751 and placed inside the copper statues of Buddha, which symbolized five tastes – sour, bitter, sweet, sharp and salty.
Some pavilions are open to visitors.
What to watch – Pavilion Vacanun and observation deck
In the center of Jingshan Park on the highest vertex is "Pavilion Vacan" translates as the "Hall of the Decade Spring". This place is visited by all tourists who come to the park.
From here there is a stunning view of the Forbidden City. It is a pity that it is no longer visible. And I would like to see from such an angle to the Tiananmen Square, but all this closes the gate of Vaumen (the southern gates of the Forbidden City).
If you look at the top of the hill to the north, you can see the bell and drum tower. If you look at the west, then "like a palm" is visible to the Park Beihai and you can see the Temple of Miaoin (Temple of White Pagoda).
What to look – Shakhuan and Jongsi Halls
These two halls are on the northern slope of the hill. Hall of Shawuan (the Hall of the Imperial Longevity) was used by China’s emperors for worshiping and offerings to the ancestors, here were portraits of the great emperors of previous eras. Hall of Jongsi (Lost Hall) was the venue of the temporary burial of the emperors and the empress of the Qing Dynasty.
What to look – garden peonies
In Jingshan Park, more than 20,000 bushes of peonies are growing 200 grades, they are planted with 1100 square meters of square. Peonies bloom in May. If you fly to China in Beijing this month, then be sure to come to the Jingshan Park, you will not regret.
Good walks in Beijing Parks, and read other blog entries about China (Links below).
