Overlooking Beihai

You simply cannot miss Beihai Park, it is the center of Beijing and has been a place for enjoyment for more than 1000 years. Beihai Park is located in the center of Beijing. It is one of the oldest, largest, and best preserved ancient imperial gardens in China. The construction of Beihai Park started in 938 in the Liao Dynasty. During the Jin Dynasty the Taining Palace was built from 1166 to 1179. Later the Taihu stones in the imperial garden of the Northern Song Dynasty were moved here onto the Qionghua Islet.In 1267 Kublai Khan gave orders to build the capital of the Yuan Dynasty centered around the Taining Palace and Qionghua Islet. In 1420 the capital of the Ming Dynasty was officially moved to Beijing and Beihai Park was known as Xiyuan (West Garden) because it is to the west of the Forbidden City. During Emperor Qianlong's reign during the Qing Dynasty, he decided to expand and renovate the imperial garden which established the scope and layout of today's Beihai Park.On the