Fragrant Hills Park

Fragrant Hills Park

Fragrant Hills Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Fragrant Hills Park is located on the eastern foothills of the Western Hills range in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, about 20 kilometers from the city center. Covering an area of 188 hectares and standing at an elevation of 575 meters, it is a renowned large-scale mountain forest park with the distinctive features of an imperial garden.

Fragrant Hills Park was first built in 1186 during the 26th year of the Dading era of the Jin Dynasty, boasting a history of over 800 years. The Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties all constructed imperial villas and retreats here, making it a favored destination for royal leisure and stays. In the 10th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty, pavilions, towers, halls, and corridors were built here, forming the famous Twenty-Eight Scenic Spots of Beijing. Later, walls were erected and the site was named “Jingyi Garden,” becoming one of the “Three Hills and Five Gardens” in the western part of Beijing. It was later ravaged by fires during invasions by the Anglo-French Allied Forces and the Eight-Nation Alliance. In 1956, it was opened to the public as a people’s park. After nearly half a century of development, it has become one of Beijing’s ten most famous parks, well-known both domestically and internationally.

Fragrant Hills Park is rich in precious cultural relics and historic sites, with pavilions and towers scattered like stars throughout the mountains. It is home to “Snow-Covered Western Hills,” one of the Eight Scenic Views of Yanjing; the “Temple of Azure Clouds,” a monastery that combines architectural styles from the Ming and Qing dynasties; the only remaining wooden gilded “Hall of Five Hundred Arhats” in China; the “Great Temple of the True Mirror,” a temporary palace built to welcome the 6th Panchen Lama; the elegant “Jianxin Studio” courtyard with distinct Jiangnan characteristics; the “Shuangqing Villa,” where Century Great Man Mao Zedong and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China resided and worked upon their earliest arrival in Beiping; and the “Vajra Throne Pagoda” in the Temple of Azure Clouds, the temporary resting place of the coffin of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the Century Great Man.

Fragrant Hills Park features rugged terrain, layered green peaks, abundant springs, and lush forests. Its main peak, Xianglu Peak (commonly known as Ghost-Frightening Peak), stands at an elevation of 557 meters. The park is home to over 260,000 trees of various species, including more than 5,800 ancient and notable trees, accounting for approximately one-quarter of those in Beijing. With a forest coverage rate of up to 98%, it has been measured in recent years as one of the areas in Beijing with the highest concentration of negative oxygen ions. The park fosters harmony between humans and nature, where birds sing, insects chirp, and squirrels play among the valleys and woods. Here, spring brings blooming flowers, summer offers cool and pleasant weather, and winter decorates the landscape in silvery white. Especially in late autumn, 100,000 smoke trees blaze with vibrant reds, presenting a majestic spectacle that has been named one of the “New Sixteen Scenic Views of Beijing.”

Fragrant Hills Park offers comprehensive tourism service facilities. For travel, visitors can take the large chairlift cable car (1,400 meters long with a drop of 431 meters), which provides panoramic views of the Western Hills and the Beijing cityscape. For dining, the Songlin Restaurant offers a scenic environment, with unique flavors such as insect and wild vegetable dishes, and meals cooked with spring water. For accommodation, the Fragrant Hills Villas are fully equipped, making them an ideal spot for sightseeing, business meetings, and vacationing. Staying here, you can casually stroll to the Chinese Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden, Beijing Botanical Garden, and the Reclining Buddha Temple. A few kilometers east lies the world-famous Summer Palace. To the south are other attractions such as Badachu and the World Park.

Address: No. 40 Mai Mai Street, Haidian District

Type: Mountain Urban Park

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visiting Time: 2–4 hours

Phone: 010-62599886

Opening Hours:

(April–June, September–November 15): 6:00–18:30; (July–August): 6:00–19:00; (November 16–next March): 6:00–18:00

Ticket Information:

Low season (November 16–March 31): 5 RMB; Peak season (April 1–November 15): 10 RMB

※ Temple of Azure Clouds Ticket

10 RMB per person; 5 RMB for half price

※ Cable Car

One-way cable car ticket: 100 RMB per person

Transportation

Fragrant Hills Park is located in the western suburbs of Beijing and is accessible by bus or subway.

Bus: Take city buses 318, 331, 360, 634, 696, 698, or 714 and get off at the Fragrant Hills Park stop.

Subway: Take subway Line 4 in the city area and get off at the “Anheqiao North” station. Exit and transfer to bus 563 or 563区间 to the “Fragrant Hills Park East Gate” stop.

Alternatively, take subway Line 10 in the city area and get off at the “Bagou” station. Exit and transfer to bus 630, then get off at the “Fragrant Hills” stop.

Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development