BeiHai Park & White Dagoba

Sunday, July 20, 2008 22:51

Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán) & The White Tower (White Dagoba 白塔 Báitǎ )

Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán) is the world’s earliest imperial garden with a history of nearly 1000 years.it was first built in 1166 and was completed in 1179.this a remarkable garden,which is splendid as the imperial palace and solemn as the religious temples.

The park covers 68.2 hectares and the lake occupies almost two-third of it,The layout of the park is based on the conception of one lake and three hills by the ancient legend,So it looks like the illusion of the fairyland.

The White Tower (White Dagoba 白塔 Báitǎ )35.9 metres high on the top of the Jade Islet is the symbol of the park, and the two-aide Nine Dragon Pavilion (九龙壁 Jiǔlóngbì) are special.

Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán)

The Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán) is an imperial garden northwest of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Initially built in the 10th century, it is typical of Chinese gardens. Prior to the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 this area was part of the Forbidden City, but since 1925 it has been open to the public.

The Park has an area of more than 700,000 m², with a lake that covers more than half of the entire Park. At the center of the Park is an island called Qióng-huá (琼华) Island with a highest point of 32 m. In the north of the park there is a large pool called the Taiye Pool connecting the two other pools, which are called the Middle Sea and the South Sea respectively. Therefore the Taiye Pool is also called the Beihai.

Beihai literally means “Northern Sea”. There are also corresponding “Central” and “Southern Seas” (Zhongnanhai). The complex of buildings around Zhongnanhai houses China’s paramount leaders.You can’t help but smile when you see the duck-shaped paddleboats ambling by, and chances are you’ll be tempted to take to the water yourself.

If you do, you can take some time out to ponder from a different perspective a place that was once a playground of emperors. It’s easy to understand why as there’s so much to see in this excellent example of a classical garden － after you drag your eyes away from the courting couples cuddling cosily along the banks of the lake!

When you reach the Light Receiving Hall (Chengguang Dian), look out for the white jade Buddha that is inlaid with jewels and was a gift to Empress Dowager Cixi. As you wander around you’ll be tempted to poke your head into a variety of pavilions, temples, walkways and halls, all seemingly with a story to tell.

History of Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán)

Beihai Park, like many other Chinese gardens, was built based on an ancient legend. According to Chinese beliefs, the gods lived on three mountains to the east of Bohai Bay — Penglai, Yingzhou and Fangzhang. At around 200 BCE, the First Emperor Qin Shihuangdi built for himself a model of the gods’ dwelling place, after failing to find the actual mountains and the herbs of immortality that grew there. From that moment on, emperors favored gardens that were built on the “one pond, three hills” model. In Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán), the model is such that Jade Island, the Circular City and Xishantai Island which the lake surrounds symbolize the three hills.

Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán) is one of Marco Polo’s recommended sights. Marco Polo, with his controversial tales of China, claims that Kublai Khan received him in the Moon Palace in Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán).

Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán) is a place for relaxing walks.

Nothing more is left from the original Moon Palace than a big carved Jade urn. The urn was made from a single piece of jade given to Kublai Khan in 1265. Wine was originally kept in it, until Taoist monks took its value into account and used it for storing pickles! The urn was discovered in 1749 and Emperor Qianlong built a pavilion to protect it. The urn can be seen there even now.

White Dagoba ( 白塔 Báitǎ )

The Bai Ta (White Dagoba 白塔 Báitǎ )) is a 40 m high stupa placed on the highest point on Qiónghuá Island. Its body is made of white stone. Sun, moon and flame engravings decorate the surface of the tower. Destroyed in 1679 by an earthquake, it was rebuilt the following year. The same in 1976, because of an earthquake which occurred at Tangshan City, near Beijing City. A Reliquary, secreted inside the structure are Buddhist Scriptures, monk’s mantles and alms bowl, and the bones of monks (their remains after cremation).

According to records in Da Qing Hui Dian (Book of the Qing Dynasty), a signal gun used to be installed on the dagoba and an officer was assigned to look after it, so it could give the alarm in case of emergency. In front of the building is a tall terrace on which a glazed chamber was built, called Shanyin Hall The four sides of the chamber are inlaid with a hundred little statues of Buddha made of glazed bricks. A Buddha of a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, who, as legend has it, defends Beihai, is enshrined in the chamber. This chamber is also regarded as part of the White Tower (White Dagoba 白塔 Báitǎ ).

The view in front of the magnificent White Tower (White Dagoba 白塔 Báitǎ ) on top of White Tower (White Dagoba 白塔 Báitǎ ) Hill is of the golden tiles and red walls of the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park with its five pavilions to the east and the graceful buildings of Tuancheng (the Round City) and the green waves of Zhongnanhai to the south. One can also have a panoramic view of the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of History and many high-rise buildings in Beijing. It is one of the most popular scenic spots in the capital.

On the north bank lies the Five-Dragon Pavilion, which was built in the Ming Dynasty.

The Nine-Dragon Wall lies north of the Five-Dragon Pavilion. It was built in 1756 and is one of three walls of its kind in China. It is made of glaze bricks of seven-colors. Nine complete dragons playing in the clouds decorate both sides of the wall.Around 27 metres long and 5 metres high, the Nine-Dragon Screen (Jiulong Bi) is one of the park’s most popular attractions. Constructed largely of colored glazed tiles, the screen was once the entrance to a temple and was intended to scare off evil spirits. Talking of these mythical beasts, the Five-Dragon Pavilion is no stranger to sightseers looking to take a break and admire the view.

The entrance ticket to Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán) costs under a euro and the park is open from 6am to late at night. The park offers a lot of attractions even to people who are not into culture. One can ride around the lake in a rented pedal boat, for example. Beijing residents at least seem to have a good time in Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán), and who knows better than they do what is worth visiting in Beijing?

Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán) is a popular retreat for many local citizens. It is a place to cool down and relax in summer, and in winter it becomes one of the biggest skating rinks in the city.

People dancing in Beihai Park (北海公园 Běihǎi Gōngyuán) in Summer

People riding bike on iced Beihai in Winter

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