English: The Fragrant Hills Park
Address: at the east foot of Western Hills in the northwest outskirts of Beijing
Tel: 62591155
Website: http://www.bj-xiangshan.com.cn

Brief Introduction

The Fragrant Hills Park is situated at the eastern foot of Little Western Mountains in the northwest outskirts of Beijing, being about 20 kilometers away from the city area. With a land area of 160 hectares, it is a famous large forest park with features of royal gardens.
The park has a long history of over 800 years. In 1186, in the Jin Dynasty, the Fragrant Hills Temple was built, and later during the Yuan and Ming dynasties several constructions were added to it. During the reign of Qianlong in the Qing period, it was extended to a larger royal garden and given the beautiful name "Garden of Tranquility and Pleasure",one of the famous "three hills and five parks" in the suburbs of the city. But the park was looted and burned down by the Eight-Allied Invasion Powers in early 20th century. In 1956 the Garden first opened to the public. After nearly half a century's construction, the park has been successfully restored its elegance and beauty. It is now worldwide noted as one of the 10 best parks in Beijing.
The Fragrant Hills are densely covered by ancient trees. Thus, spring arrives late in the area and summer days are always pleasantly cool. The main peak of Xiangshan Park, Worried Ghost Peak had an elevation of 557 meters. Clouds and mist often engulf its precipitously angled cliffs, which give the two large stone excrescences of the peak a resemblance to incense burners. Nearly 260,000 trees were planted in the park, over 5,800 were years-growing trees, taking account 1/4 of the total number of ancient trees in Beijing. The green coverage is approximated to 98%. According to the report from the local meteorological bureau, the park is one of those places where the concentration of negative oxyanion was the highest. The Fragrant Hills boasts of its beautiful landscape and tourists through out the four seasons. The most beautiful sight here is the maple leaves. They turn red after frosts in late autumn. The park was selected one of the 16 most beautiful sceneries in New Beijing.

Archaeology

Biyunsi (The Temple of the Azure Clouds)

The Temple was originally built in 1331, as the resident of Yuan Prime Minister, Yelvchucai, which was later on turned into a temple by his descendant Yeluaji. It was originally named Biyunan (the Convent of the Azure Clouds) and later renamed as Biyunsi (the Temple of the Azure Clouds). It is the most completely preserved temple in the Western Mountain Resorts and is just like the Lingyin Temple of the West Lake. 
Behind the Main Hall is the rehabilitated Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. The courtyard is full of cedars and green lawn. In the hall displayed is the statue of Mr. Sun Yat-sen. In the northwest corner of the front hall exhibited is the fiber-glass coffin sent specially the Soviet Government in March 1925. Since Mr. Sun Yat-sen was already encoffinned, the coffin remains for commemoration. In the courtyard, the story showroom is also arranged for Mr. Sun Yat-sen.

Jingfu Temple (Jade Emperor Temple)

Jingfu Temple is located north of Biyunsi, the Fragrant Hills Park, Haidian District. It is a temple originally built in the Ming Dynasty, for Buddhism and Taoism. It is a three-component courtyard, including Yuhuang (Jade Emperor Pavilion, Luzu Hall and Guandi Hall. In the center of the courtyard is the main hall and Golden Spring Cave. Currently preserved relics are the entrance gate, stele and ancient path. It is surrounded with green ancient cedars to form a quiet and beautiful environment.

Shuangqing Villa

Shuangqing Villa is a small courtyard with beautiful scenery and elegancy and quietness. On March 25, 1949, the central committee of CPC moved from Xibaipo to Shuangqing of Xiangshan. In Shuangqing Villa, Chairman Mao Zedong  conducted the crossing-river battle and prepared for the new political consultancy congress and for the founding of New China. It was here that he wrote the well-known ever-lasting poem of PLA has taken the power over Nanjing. All these have added historical significance to the Shuangqing Villa.

Bus Routes:318、331、333、347、360、634、714、733、737、833