Jietai Temple

When the season comes, lilacs huddle together on branches, in pure white, pale purple and purplish red, as luxuriant as the praises in poetries and proses of Tang and Song dynasties.

Address: Yongding Town, Mentougou District

Traffic guide: take Bus 948 at 150m west of PingguoyuanSubway Station, and get off at Jietai Temple Station

Xiangshuihu Lake

With thousands of syringa reticulatas blooming, the valley in Xiangshuihu Natural Scenic Spot will be covered by a golden yellow flower sea in every June. And the flower fragrance will linger around the whole valley. Syringa reticulata in there are significantly different from that in other places in Beijing. They belong to tall arbor trees, feature rich fragrance and boast longer and later blooming, which come out in late June and fade in early July.

Address: the Great Wall in Xiangshuihu Natural Scenic Spot, Bohai Town, Huairou District

Traffic guide: take Bus 916 express at Dongzhimen Bus Station and get off at Huairou Beidajie Station, then cross the street to transfer to shuttle Bus from Huairou to Zhuanghu, and get off at the terminus

Fayuan Temple

Fayuan Temple is famous for its lilacs for over a century, especially for those growing in the Main Hall and the Hall of Great Compassion. Apart from purple and white lilacs, there are other rare varieties, such as the transocean lilac from Maluku, which has four petals whose margins are darker-colored. Although many of them were felled during the Cultural Revolution period, the survivals have been well protected in recent years. Lilac Poetry Society was reorganized too in 2002.

Address: south of JiaoziHutong, out of Xuanwumen, Xicheng District

Traffic guide: take Bus 53, 133 and get off at JiaoziHutongNankou Station

Tiantan Park

At the west of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in Tiantan Park grows the largest lilac forests within Beijing city, which boasts 240 clusters of lilac trees and covering an area of 6,300 square meters. Such is precious and rare that these lilac trees are turning nearly 50 years old. It is a perfect place for visitors to gladden heart and refresh mind.

Address: east of Yongdingmen Inner Street, Dongcheng District

Traffic guide: takeSubway Line 5 and get off at East Gate of Tiantan Station