Yuetan Park

Yuetan Park

Yuetan Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Yuetan Park is located to the west of Nanlishi Road in Xicheng District and south of Yuetan North Street. Originally named “Xiyue Tan” (Altar of the Moon), it is one of Beijing’s Five Altars. Built in the ninth year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1530), it was the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped the Moon Goddess (the moon) and various celestial deities on the day of the Autumn Equinox, covering an area of 120 mu. Historic structures such as the Bell Tower, the Heavenly Gate, and the Divine Warehouse are all well-preserved. It is a protected cultural heritage site of Beijing.

Yuetan Park has planted a large number of pine and cypress trees and restored its historic architecture. Structures such as the Bell Tower, the Heavenly Gate, and the Divine Warehouse are all well-maintained. In 1983, new attractions were added, including the Yuetan Chancheng (Moon Palace), which features a stele corridor, the Twin-Ring Moon Reflection Pool, the Guanghan Bridge, and a statue of Chang’e Flying to the Moon. Other attractions include the Tianxiang Courtyard, the Lanyue Pavilion, the Jiyue Pavilion, the Shuangxin Pavilion, and the Yuegui Pavilion. Valuable ornamental trees such as bodhi, tung, pomegranate, and osmanthus have been planted. The park captures the theme of the “moon” and highlights the ambiance of autumn, making it a beautiful destination in Beijing for moon viewing and sightseeing.

Yuetan was converted into Yuetan Park in 1955. In 1969, a television tower was built within the park. In 1983, new attractions such as the Tianxiang Academy, the Lanyue Pavilion, the Shuangxin Pavilion, and the Chang’e Flying to the Moon sculpture were constructed in the outer altar area. In 1987, the Temple of the Old Man Under the Moon and a stele wall were added. Yuetan Park is divided into a northern section and a southern section.

The northern section is characterized by its red-brick, green-tiled ancient architecture and formal pathways, while the southern section features rockeries, pools, and winding paths that create the layout of a natural landscape garden. Key structures in the northern section include the main Yuetan Altar; the north and west main gates; the West Hall; the South Hall; the multi-eaved pavilion; the West Courtyard East Hall; the West Courtyard South Hall; the Bell Tower; and the Attire-Changing Hall. The altar platform is a square white-stone structure facing east, standing 1.5 meters high and covering an area of 13 square meters. It is surrounded by low walls, outside of which are the Divine Warehouse, the Slaughter Pavilion, the Ritual Ware Warehouse, and the Bell Tower.

The southern section, also known as Yaoyue Garden or Chancheng Garden, features a newly built small garden in its central area. The layout of the southern section is noted for its rockeries, pools, and meandering paths, and it hosts year-round bonsai exhibitions. It consists of a five-bay painted northern-style house, a covered walkway, and flower walls. The courtyard is planted with osmanthus, symbolizing the poetic line “Osmanthus petals fall from the moon, and heavenly fragrance drifts beyond the clouds.” This area is named the Tianxiang Courtyard. It includes an open-air music tea house that plays famous melodies such as “Clair de Lune” and “A Moonlit Night on the Spring River,” offering moon viewing, evening galas, and nighttime colorful music-controlled fountains that transport visitors into a scene of “myriad blooming flowers under the melting moonlight, and a radiant moon above the blossoms.” In the northeastern corner of the southern section, there is a small hill covered with lush pines and cypresses, topped with an open hall for summer retreats. In the northwest corner, there are two mounds, each with a colorfully painted ancient pavilion named the Lanyue Pavilion and the Jiyue Pavilion. From the top, visitors can overlook the entire park. At the southern foot of the southern hill, there is an exquisite small bridge, beside which a waterfall cascades into a pool. A statue titled “Chang’e Flying to the Moon” is carved in the pool. To the south of the Tianxiang Courtyard lies an open grassy terrace adorned with several stone rabbits, symbolizing the earthly “Guanghan Palace” together with the courtyard.

Address: No. 6A, Yuetan North Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Type: Historical Architecture & Heritage Site

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Opening Hours:

6:00-21:00

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 1.0 RMB

Seniors aged 65 and above can enter the park free of charge by presenting their senior citizen discount card (excluding inner gardens and during major events).