Shichahai is a green pearl in the northwest corner ofBeijingcity. Combining natural landscape, human landscape, highly centralized cultural relics and historic sites and folk activities of long history, it is a historical culture and scenic landscaped area inBeijingand it is the place of origin ofBeijingcity. In 2004, the Xicheng district changed the name of

Changqiao street

Shichahai street

People lived near Shichahai as early as Tang dynasty. Now, there are still “Tang Locust Trees” in Guke Courtyard of Beihai Huafangzhai and Zhenshan Pavilion behindJingshanMountain. They are historical witnesses. Shichahai was called White Lotus Pond in Liao (Jin) dynasty, which showed that lotuses were in full bloom in Liao (Jin) dynasty. Shichahai was called Jishui Pond or Haizi in Yuan Dynasty. In Qing dynasty, the water area on the west ofDeshengBridgewas still called Jishui Pond. Because there was aJingyeTemplein the north bank, it was also calledJingyeLake. The water area betweenDeshengBridgeandYindinBridgewas called Shichahai because there was an old temple called Shichahai in the northwest bank. There was another saying. It was called Shichahai because there were ten temples around it. There grew lots of lotuses on the east ofYingdingBridgewhich was the best place for enjoying lotuses inBeijingat that time, so it was called “SmallLotusLake”. After newChinawas founded, the said three water areas were called Xihai, Houhai and Qianhai respectively and collectively called Shichahai. In order to distinguish it from Qiansanhai (Beihai, Zhongnanhai), Shichahai was also called Housanhai.

“BeijingCityAppears After Shichahai.”

After Yuan dynasty destroyed Jin dynasty, once luxurious Jin dynasty capital (it was near Guang’anmen and utilized water system of Lotus Pond) was destroyed into ruins by the army of Yuan dynasty. While re-selecting site for founding capital, Kublai Khan followed prime minister Liu Bingzhong’s suggestion to utilize the water system of Jishui Pond, Beihai and Zhongnanhai to found the capital. After construction in Liao dynasty and Jin dynasty, Beihai and Zhongnanhai at that time had become a famous imperial garden inBeijing. At that time, “Qiong Dao Chun Yin” and “Tai Ye Qiu Bo” in the famous “Eight famous sights in ancientBeijing” were just here. In addition, the imperialpalaceofJindynasty capital was destroyed and kublai khan provisionally lived in “DaliaoPalace” in “Qiongyu” of Beihai (a temporary imperial palace which was built in Liao and Jin dynasty). As a result, he decided to found a new capital along the axis on the east of Jishui Pond, Beihai and Zhongnanhai. Dadu (namelyBeijing) was founded as the capital of Yuan dynasty. It was constructed from Zhiyuan 4 (1267) to Zhiyuan 13 (1276), so there was a common saying in oldBeijing:”Beijing City Appears After Shichahai”. Yuan dynasty palace in Dadu was also called imperial palace which was constructed on the east of Beihai. “DamingPalace” in the palace (namelyFengtianPalaceandTaihePalacein Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty) was the highest and most magnificent construction in Dadu city. Dadu city had criss-cross streets and orderly chess board type layout. Nowadays, South and North Lugu Streets and nearby streets in Dongcheng District mostly maintain the layout in Yuan dynasty. In addition, the streets inBeijingwere called “Hutong” from Yuan dynasty. At that time, it was planned that the locust trees were planted along the street and in Hutong as roadside trees. Naturally, there were two locust trees in front of the gate of each quadrangle dwellings. When Italian traveler Marco Polo came to Yuan Dynasty Dadu, he said that Dadu was the most beautiful city in the world. At present, the old streets and Hutong built in Yuan dynasty can also be found inBeijing.