Fragrant Hills is known as a branch of the Xishan Mountain. As early as the Tang Dynasty, the Yongan Temple was established at Fragrant Hills, and in the 26th year of Emperor Shizong’s reign in Jin Dynasty (1186), the Fragrant Hills Temple was built on the site of Yongan Temple. During the Ming Dynasty, many Buddhist temples were constructed, with Fragrant Hills Temple standing out for its magnificence. Emperor Wanli of Ming Dynasty inscribed a plaque for the Laiqing Pavilion of Fragrant Hills Temple. Since then, officials, literati, believers, and the general public have continuously visited the temples and enjoyed the mountain scenery, making Fragrant Hills a famous scenic area in the northwest suburb of Beijing. Fragrant Hills Park is located in the western suburb of Beijing, featuring steep terrain and lush greenery. Covering an area of 188 hectares, it is a royal garden with distinctive mountain forest characteristics. The park was destroyed by the Anglo-French allied forces in the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860) and by the Eight-Nation Alliance Forces in the 26th year of the Guangxu reign (1900), and was later opened to the public in 1956.
Fragrant Hills Park is home to numerous cultural relics and ancient sites, with pavilions and towers scattered among the mountains and forests like stars. Here, you can find the 'Snow-capped Western Hills on a Clear Day', one of the Eight Famous Scenes of Yanjing; the Biyun Temple featuring architectural styles from the Ming and Qing dynasties; the wooden and gilded 'Five Hundred Arhats', the only one of its kind remaining in China; the temple 'Zongjing Dazhao' which was used as a palace to welcome the 6th Banchen Lama; and the ancient and elegant courtyard “Study of Reading Heart” (Jianxin Zhai) with distinct characteristics of southern China. Fragrant Hills Park boasts a diverse array of trees, with forest coverage rate up to 96%. It is home to over 5800 ancient and famous trees, accounting for a quarter of Beijing’s urban area. Known for its high concentration of negative oxygen ions, Fragrant Hills is a natural oxygen bar and a popular summer retreat. The park’s rich landscape includes mountains, famous springs, ancient trees, and vibrant red leaves, making it a renowned destination. The red leaves of Fragrant Hills are famous both domestically and internationally, and were recognized as one of the 'Sixteen New Scenic Spots of Beijing' in 1986, exuding the city’s most intense autumn colors. The red leaves at Fragrant Hills encompass 8 different species across 14 tree varieties, totaling 140,000 trees spread over approximately 1400 acres—a truly spectacular sight.
Address: 40 Maimai Jie (St), Haidian, Beijing
Official website: http://www.xiangshanpark.com/en/
Ticket prices:
Peak season: Full price tickets: 10 RMB/person Discount tickets: 5 RMB/person.
Off-peak season: Full price tickets: 5 RMB/person Discount tickets: 2.5 RMB/person.
Opening hours:
Peak season (April 1st to November 15th): 6:00-18:30
Off-peak season (November 16th to March 31st): 6:00-18:00
Closing time: 19:00
Ticket purchase: “Fragrant Hills Park” WeChat mini program
