Although small in size, the corner areas at your doorstep are closely related to the well-being of the resident. As more and more of them are transformed into pocket parks, people have more options for recreation. Here's how to encounter the "poetry and faraway places" at your doorstep.
East Fushouli Pocket Park
In 2018, a small park of more than 800 square meters was built at the southern entrance of the East Fushouli Hutong in Beijing's Xicheng District - the East Fushouli Pocket Park, where magnolia, pomegranate and persimmon trees are planted.
Although the park is small in size, it is close to the residential area, providing a place for the people in the neighborhood to enjoy their activities and allowing them to "see the greenery from their windows and go out to the garden", which is very convenient. The design of the park is also very sophisticated, with the three characters "Fushouli" in dark green above a low grey wall in a Chinese style with a pattern around them, a bit of a window cut-out. In the center of the park, there is a Chinese-style promenade pavilion for people to relax, with the words 'Fu' and 'Shou' also dotted between the pavilions.
There is also a bronze landscape vignette in the park that vividly illustrates a slice of life in the old Beijing hutongs. A young boy sits on a small stool reading a book, with a shovel and stick for burning beehive coals and four or five pieces of beehive coals by his side, and hot water burning on a stove next to him. I am sure many old Beijingers who have lived in hutongs will instantly recall scenes from their childhood.
Address: West of Exit A of Beihai North Subway Station, Xicheng District, Beijing
Jing Yun Yuan Pocket Park
A park in the southwest corner of Dashilar, Xicheng District, north of Zhu Shi Kou West Street Road, is a sight to behold. It's a cool and pleasant place to walk in. A closer look reveals something else. A large stone stands in the middle of the park, decorated with pine trees, bamboo and flowers. The words "The Birthplace of Beijing Opera" were engraved on it in big golden letters. This is the Jing Yun Yuan Pocket Park.
During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the four major Anhui opera troupes, Sanqing, Chuntai, Sixi and Hechun, came to Beijing to perform. During this period, they all settled in beside Dashilar. Here, they continued to exchange and fuse with other repertoires, eventually forming Beijing Opera. The Jing Yun Yuan Pocket Park was renovated using the vacated space on the west side of Ji Xiaolan's former residence. It is a quaint park with the traditional charm of Beijing opera everywhere.
Every morning and evening, there are more residents coming here for leisure activities. From time to time, there are a few sounds of opera, full of Beijing style!
Anyone who has been to the Jing Yun Yuan Pocket Park will leave with a new appreciation of Peking Opera. This is because every scene, every object, every blade of grass and every tree seems to speak of its origin in Peking Opera.
Address: No. 253, Zhu Shi Kou West Street, Xicheng District, Beijing
Xiangheyuan Pocket Park
Xiangheyuan Pocket Park is located on the outside of the Northeast Second Ring Road in the Dongcheng District of Beijing, adjacent to the Qingshuiyuan community and surrounded by historical buildings such as the Tap Water Museum and the Tap Water Factory.
As you walk into the park, the fast-moving traffic on the Second Ring Road is immediately shielded by the forest of trees. The garden has been designed to follow the sunken terrain, with cascading valleys where children can play on scooters on the terraces, which serves as a local cooling effect in the hot summer months. Meandering walkways are designed for people to stroll in the shade under tall trees such as the Chinese pine and ginkgo. When you are tired of walking, you can also rest on the verandahs under the shade of the trees.
The stone steps at the main entrance of the park are carved with a series of clear handwriting. On closer inspection, one realizes that they are an illustration of the history of tap water. In addition to the carving on the steps, the side of the stone seats also feature laser engraved images of the historical development of water, including images of water trucks delivering water in old Beijing and water tickets from the Beijing Water Supply Company.
Address: Outside the Northeast Second Ring Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Sanjianfang Park
The San Jian Fang Park in Huangcun Town, Daxing District, is a unique rural pocket park that makes "seeing greenery out of the window and a garden out of the door" a normal part of residents' lives.
The green island divides the park into two functional zones, one for walking and the other for standing, with a gallery and a sunny lawn.
Follow the winding paths to unlock views of brick seats, birdsong and flowers, trees and flowers such as oleander, acacia and hickory.
Finally, a white umbrella-shaped corridor stands in the center of the leisure activity square, where humanity and nature intermingle in an artistic way. The pocket park is a link to the quality of the city, to the livelihood of the community, to the comfort of the elderly and to the joy of children.
Address: No.1 West Row of Fuxing Street, Sanjianfang Village, Huangcun Town, Daxing District, Beijing (north of Sanjianfang Village Committee)
Warm Tips
The Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau reminds citizens and tourists to pay attention to the weather forecast before traveling and avoid going out in rainy weather. Try not to go to the mountainous areas for fun or camping. At the same time, citizens and tourists should adhere to epidemic prevention and control when traveling, strictly comply with all epidemic prevention regulations, take nucleic acid tests as required, cooperate with the temperature test and check negative nucleic acid certificates when entering public places such as parks, scenic spots, attractions, superstores, hotels and B&Bs. Do not gather or bunch up to minimize the risk of infection.
Translator: WU Jiayi
Reviewer: WANG Jiahui
