Coal Hill 景山公园

The dirt from the moat around the Forbidden City had to go somewhere - why not just dump it in the backyard? Created in 1420 using earth from the moat and the expansion of Beihai's lakes, this hill is, in fact, far from a Ming dynasty dumping ground. It was built in accordance with fengshui principles to protect the Imperial palace from chilling northern winds. Moreover, since it was constructed on land formerly occupied by the Yuan dynasty palace, the hill symbolically squashed the Yuan and buried its emperor. Coal Hill is also associated with the Ming because the dynasty's last emperor hanged himself there as Manchu troops approached. (Another version of the story has him committing suicide in the Forbidden City's gardens). This hill is known by two names in Chinese: "Coal Hill" (Meishan), deriving from the fact that coal was often piled at its foot, and "Prospect Hill" (Jingshan), its Qing era name. A climb to the top is rewarded with beautiful views of the Forbidden City. Go early in the morning for the best photo opportunities of the world's largest palace complex.