Coal Hill Park (Jingshan)
Jingshan Park is a beautiful royal landscape garden. It covers an area of 57 acres (about 230,000 square meters). The park stands on the central point of the south-north axis of the city and faces the north gate of the Forbidden City. It is found on Jingshan Hill, originally named Wansui Hill (Long Live Hill), Zhen Hill, or Meishan Hill (Coal Hill). The mid summit of the hill is the highest point in Beijing. The visitor can get a full and clear view of the Forbidden City from the peak.
During the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Jingshan Park served as an imperial garden. They were adequately laid out under the Ming Dynasty when it planted numerous fruit trees and many palaces and pavilions built for the emperor to make sacrifices to his ancestors. As a result, the royal families enjoyed amusements here, like hunting in the hills. After 1949, Jingshan Park was entirely rebuilt, with the paths in it paved and most of the buildings renovated. The present is one of the 'AAAA' Scenery Spots in China and a 'must' for visitors to Beijing.
The hill inside Jingshan Park has five summits, and on each meeting, there is a pavilion built-in 1751. A copper Buddha statue was initially placed in every pavilion, which represented one of the five tastes- sour, bitter, sweet, acrid, and salt. It is a pity that they were all lost during the warfare of 1900. Among the five pavilions, the Wanchun Pavilion sits at the hill's central point of the city in the middle of the five summits. It is a perfect place to appreciate the full view of the city. From this pavilion, visitors can see the glorious and magnificent Forbidden City in the south, the dignified Bell and Drum Towers in the north, as well as Beihai Park and Miaoying Temple in the west.
After years of receiving rubble from the old city wall and large quantities of soil excavating the moat surrounding the palace, the once-low natural mound soared to its current height.
Address: 44 Jingshan W St, Xicheng District, Beijing
