Beihai Park – Circular City 北海公园-团城

Descriptions of Beihai often claim that this body of water is entirely man-made. In fact, Beihai and the other "seas" (hai) to the west and north of the Forbidden City are built-up expansions of small lakes that naturally occurred in the area and were imperial summer playgrounds from the Jin dynasty onwards - their existence is reflected in the name Haidian or "Sea District." The central and southern lakes, Zhongnanhai, abut the Chinese leadership complex of the same name west of the Forbidden City and are off-limits to the public. The Yuan dynasty built its imperial palace on the eastern shore of Beihai, the sole remnant of which is the Circular City and the green jade jar housed within. Don't bother with the imperial style dinner at Fangshan - either the royals had palates of wood or the restaurant has altered the recipes. The park, though, is a good example of a classic imperial garden and is pleasant to visit in all seasons.