Yesterday, there were many trash bins from the foot of the mountain to Xianglu Peak, yet some visitors still carelessly littered along the paths.
Announcements were made over the Fragrant Hills loudspeakers to locate missing people.
The first tourist peak at Fragrant Hills saw a bustling crowd.
The day before yesterday and yesterday, over 40% of the maple leaves at Fragrant Hills had changed color. With sunny weather, 160,000 local and out-of-town tourists hiked up the mountain to admire the red foliage, and Fragrant Hills Park also welcomed its first peak leaf-peeping season. Beijing Youth Daily reporters learned from the park yesterday that about 5 tons of trash were cleared from the park each day over the weekend, around 1 ton less compared to the same period last year. Due to the large number of visitors, nearly 50 children went missing among the crowds admiring the red leaves yesterday alone, but fortunately, all were reunited with their parents thanks to help from the park’s broadcast room and command center.
Nearly 50 children went missing in one day, all found by evening
“It only took half an hour to find him, thank you so much.” At 2:30 p.m. yesterday, Mr. Lu, who was hiking up North Mountain with his 12-year-old son, lost sight of his child in the crowd and grew very anxious. He found an emergency assistance pole by the road, called the command center, and informed the staff of where his son had gone missing. After learning about the boy’s appearance and clothing, the staff issued instructions to the North Mountain sub-command center to help locate him. Half an hour later, staff led the boy to a service area where he was reunited with his father, much to Mr. Lu’s relief.
“We had nearly 50 kids go missing in one day, and we were asked to help find them,” said Chen Lu, the shift leader in the broadcast room. She noted that on Saturday and Sunday, around 80 lost-and-found or item search announcements were broadcast each day, most of which involved missing children. She told Beijing Youth Daily that both adults and children often get separated in the afternoon. “After having fun on the mountain, people tend to head down faster and can easily get separated in the crowd.” In the evening, after visitors begin heading down, the broadcasters guide parents and others whose companions have gone missing to exits at the East Gate and North Gate. “We’ve managed to find everyone who got separated.”
A person in charge of the park’s command center explained that there are 19 clearly marked emergency assistance poles installed throughout the park. If visitors get separated from their group or encounter other emergencies, they can use these poles to video call the command center for help. The park also reminds parents to hold their children’s hands when it’s crowded and to ensure their children stay within sight.
This weekend may see the highest number of visitors
According to data from the Fragrant Hills Park management office, the day before yesterday and yesterday each saw around 80,000 visitors — the highest single-day visitor count of this year’s Red Leaf Festival. Before 8 a.m. yesterday, tour buses lined up one after another along the road from Xiangquan Roundabout to Xiangshan Road. By 10 a.m., when the influx of visitors peaked, traffic was slow, and parking spaces at more than ten lots near the park were almost full.
Around 2 p.m., severe congestion occurred on the road from Xiangquan Roundabout toward Fragrant Hills. “I was stuck on the bus for nearly two hours and only moved two stops,” complained Ms. Zhang, who came to see the red leaves with two friends. When the bus was still two stops away from Fragrant Hills, passengers began asking to get off and walk to the ticket gate. Beijing Youth Daily reporters observed that despite the platform being moved farther away, the bus stop started gathering more and more visitors coming down the mountain starting at 3 p.m.
As of 6 p.m. yesterday, Beijing Youth Daily learned from the park management office that the red leaf color change rate at Fragrant Hills had reached 43%. It is expected that as temperatures gradually drop this week, the maple leaves will enter their best viewing period. “If the weather stays as nice as yesterday this weekend, we’ll definitely see the peak number of visitors for leaf-peeping,” said an official. Nearly 70% of weekend visitors to Fragrant Hills are from out of town, and the office recommends that locals choose to visit between Monday and Friday to avoid the crowds.
On-site Visit
Recent daily trash volume decreased by nearly one ton year-on-year
Recently, a set of photos showing trash-covered ground at the summit of Fragrant Hills went viral on Weibo. In the photos, instant noodle cups, plastic bags, and packaging paper were piled up, with one mound even taller than an adult’s calf. Soup from the noodle cups spilled across the ground, turning the surrounding gray stone bricks dark brown. The photos show that at noon, visitors were resting and eating at the mountaintop pavilion while various food wrappers littered the ground, with some continuing to add more trash. The photo poster, a tourist using the Weibo handle “Xiaolongnü Kangkang,” wrote, “The summit of Fragrant Hills is covered in trash. Many people struggle to climb to the top, then get hungry and buy instant noodles or sunflower seeds to eat. It’s urgent that we improve public awareness.” However, some netizens commented that they hope scenic areas will prepare more temporary, large trash bins and place them prominently during peak tourist seasons, making it convenient for visitors to dispose of trash while also reminding everyone to protect the environment.
Recently, some media have also reported on various uncivilized behaviors at Fragrant Hills Park, including littering. Yesterday, Beijing Youth Daily reporters visited Fragrant Hills Park and found that littering still occurs, but compared to photos taken at the same spot previously, the situation has improved.
Beijing Youth Daily learned from the Fragrant Hills Park management office yesterday that nearly 5 tons of trash were cleared from the mountain on Saturday, and yesterday’s trash volume was similar. According to data from the park’s sanitation center, the number of visitors during these two peak days was roughly the same as last year, but trash volume decreased by about 1 ton — nearly a 20% drop.
The park management office analyzed that extensive media coverage and posts on Weibo, as well as park initiatives like signs reading “Please do not litter” and “Please take your trash off the mountain,” have influenced visitors. Many now voluntarily take their trash with them after meals.
At midday near Xianglu Peak, Beijing Youth Daily reporters observed that many visitors who had just climbed up the mountain sat panting by pavilions and corridors. After resting, they took packaged food, cooked items, and drinking water from their backpacks to have lunch. After eating, most gathered their food wrappers into one plastic bag, tied it up, and threw it into a trash can. Large trash bins quickly filled up, and when sanitation workers didn’t have time to replace them, small amounts of drink bottles and instant noodle cups would fall outside. A few conscientious visitors would put their collected trash back in their bags or carry it down the mountain to throw away later.
Ms. Yang, a sanitation worker outside the East Gate, bends down to sweep litter into her dustpan as soon as she spots it on the ground. “People are more conscious these days — there’s definitely less littering than before,” she said.
The park management explained that there are usually 90 sanitation workers on rotating shifts, but during the Red Leaf Festival, the number increases to 150. On weekdays, about 1–2 tons of trash are collected daily, but on weekends, as visitor numbers surge, trash volume rises to 4–5 tons. In addition to fixed trash bins, the sanitation center has added over 100 bamboo baskets in high-traffic areas, making it easier for visitors to discard food wrappers and drink bottles. “After the trash is transported down the mountain, it is bundled and taken to the landfill in trucks.” (Reporter: Zhou Jingqi)