Yuanmingyuan Becomes New Winter Wonderland

Nothing says winter like snow and skiing – and Beijing is currently in the process of winterizing the old Summer Palace at Yuanmingyuan. In an effort to keep tourism steady, even in the short, cold winter days, the park is setting up a 60,000-square-meter artificial ski resort complete with slopes, skating, and sledding.

According to the Global Times, Beijing’s Old Summer Palace, Yuanmingyuan, will transform into a ski resort from December 22 to February 17. The guns are going and have been making snow since last week, according to the article. Costs for the park will be a RMB 10 entrance fee, RMB 20 for the ski resort, and up to RMB 100 for rentals.

CRI notes that the resort opens on December 22 with an Ice and Snow Festival featuring activities "supposed to offer visitors a chance to enjoy winter just as the imperial family did." Events will include dog sleds, old-fashioned sledges and horse riding. In a more modern twist the festival will also include simulative shooting games, bumper cars on snow, and ice sculptures. Outdoor stalls will offer food and drink during the festival.

Not everyone is excited about the new skiing prospects. The founder of the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center, He Shuzhong, spoke out against turning the historic site into an amusement park, saying “So many tourists, plus manmade snow and facilities, will definitely damage the park”.

Ma Weidu, a Chinese antique collector, strongly spoke out saying “What they have done is 100 percent wrong. As a Chinese, I feel ashamed of the decision-makers.”

Stay tuned for theBeijinger.com for more details on the ski park when it opens.

Yuanmingyuan Ski Park, December 22-February 17, RMB 10 (park entry), RMB 20 (ski resort entry), RMB 100 (ski equipment rental). Opening hours TBA.