Sights in Beijing - The Imperial Garden of Jingshan Park (Coal Hill)
Another very early morning (around 8:20 a.m.) to explore the Beijing area north of the Days Inn Forbidden City (so named because it is only a few blocks walk from the Forbidden City. Smart tourists begin walking early in the morning during Beijing's very hot and humid summers or you may literally pass out from heat stroke. On the way towards the Forbidden City's north entrance (Shenwumen Gate), we were astounded by the tour groups milling around, waiting for the entrance to open.
ex-Marine and I debated whether or not we wanted to revisit The Forbidden City from this direction instead of the usual south entrance but then I happened to glance across the street and my eyes were drawn upwards to a Chinese Pavilion sitting above the trees...View image. We crossed, read a sign telling about Jingshan Park and decided to pay the small entrance fee...View image. Bought a beautifully illustrated map and entered since we had never visited before. (Had to buy a new sunhat first from a vendor outside...) Jingshan Park, or Coal Hill, was built using earth left over from the digging of the Imperial moat and was the highest point in Beijing during the Ming Dynasty.
Jingshan Park was an Imperial Garden and there are five pavilions on top of five peaks surrounded by pines, cypresses and rare fruit trees that acted as a protective screen for the Imperial Palace. Emperor Chong Zhen hung himself on a Chinese scholar tree beside the Guinmiao Pavilion in 1644 when the peasant uprising army took the city of Beijing along with one of his Eunuchs. I personally think the Emperor's suicide was a good thing. He had already forced the Empress to commit suicide, and killed several of the Imperial concubines and daughters with his own hands. Good riddance to a not-so-nice guy!
It would take about three hours to do the gardens justice and following signs...View image... with map in hand, we began the steep walk up to the Wanchun Pavilion through gardens on all sides for panoramic views of Beijing...View image... View image...and the Forbidden City.
The views from Wanchun Pavilion ("All Time Spring Pavilion") built in 1751 are wonderful. Even if you don't want to visit the gardens, pay the entrance fee, walk up take pictures and leave. There is a "Universal Brightness" buddha enshrined in the center but photos aren't allowed. Two of the other pavilions go by the names of "All Around View Pavilion," and "Wonder Appreciation Pavilion." Walked by "Two General Cypresses" (named after two generals), "Tree In The Tree," "King of Peonies," rose and other flower gardens, the spot where the Emperor hung himself, all the while taking in all local Jingshan Park activity. A small group sat in a pavilion playing music and singing...and,
...we were attracted by the sound of a lively band...View image... in the distance. Loud strains of "Yankee Doodle" impelled us to race over, stand, watch what looked like Uighur people dancing and listen to the spirited music.
Different groups concentrated on their daily exercise with badminton rackets and tennis balls, line-dancing, tai-chi, aerobics, oblivious of whatever else was happening. Others played cards...View image, mah jong, or just sat around talking.
ex-Marine and I even joined in the badminton-tennis ball exercises and had a fabulous time (watch the video below...). Do your very best to visit one of Beijing's parks in the morning to interact with the locals and watch the myriad forms of exercise. It was so much fun!
