Yuyuantan Park in Beijing
Yuyuantan Park, which is also known as Jade Deep Lake Park, is one of the major urban parks in the city of Beijing. Yuyuantan is the largest water body in the park, and it literally means the Jade Deep Pond.
English Name: Yuyuantan Park in Beijing
Chinese Name: 北京玉渊潭公园
Attraction Type: Beijing Attraction, Park, Nature
Best Time to Visit: March to June
Recommended Visiting Time: about 3-4 hours
Admission Fee: CNY 2-10
Address in English: Haidian District, Beijing
Address in Chinese: 北京市海淀区
Why is Yuyuantan Park in Beijing so Special?
Yuyuantan Park, which is also known as Jade Deep Lake Park, is one of the major urban parks in the city of Beijing. Yuyuantan is the largest water body in the park, and it literally means the Jade Deep Pond. The park is centered around the Yuyuantan Lake and there is much to enjoy here, especially for children, with an aquatic park, bicycle hire and a variety of child-friendly amusements. Visitors can catch a canal boat here from near the park’s south gate to the Summer Palace.
Where is Yuyuantan Park in Beijing?
The park is located between the western segment of Third Ring Road and the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
How to Get There?
- To the east gate: Take Bus No. 114 or 320, and get off at Yuyuantan East Gate; or take bus 13, 21, 32, 65 or 68, and get off at Xicheng Sanlihe Station
- To the west gate: take bus 323, 374, Te 8, Yuntong 102, or Yuntong 103, and get off at Yuyuantan West Gate.
- To the south gate: take Subway Line 1 and get off at Military Museum Station and enter from the northern side of China Millennium Monument. Or take bus 32, 65, 78, 85 or 414 to Yuyuantan South Gate.
History
Yuyuantan has a long history. During Liao Dynasty (907 – 1125) and Jurchen Jin Dynasty (1115 – 1234), Beijing was the secondary capital city of those two dynasties, and the area of current Yuyuantan was a notable attraction outside of the city at that time. However, there was no lake back in those days. At that time, the place of current Yuyuantan Park was just a low land.
Yuyuantan Lake was first created during the Qing Dynasty when the Qianlong Emperor was the ruler. In the year of 1773, springs from Fragrant Hills were introduced into the low land and impounded to be a lake. Beside the lake, Qianlong Emperor built an imperial palace for short stays. In the latter half of the Qing Dynasty, however, the palace was gradually abandoned, and the lake also almost dried up.
In 1960, the Beijing government introduced water from the Yongding River into the lake and made it revived. Yuyuantan became an urban park in Beijing.
Main Attraction
Cherry Garden
Cherry Garden is located in the northwest of Yuyuantan Park, famous for its cherry blossom. In the spring of 1973, Japan sent 180 cherry trees as gifts and planted them in the garden. Later, there were more and more cherry trees here. Today, the garden has become the home of more than 3000 cherry trees. When cherry trees bloom in early spring (from late March to early April), tourists flock to Yuyuantan Park for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Metasequoia and bamboo thrive in the garden, making the cherry garden a wonderful place, even if the cherry does not bloom.
Liuchun Garden
Liuchun garden is located in the east of Yulong lake. Flowing spring means letting spring stay. Every spring, forsythia, Magnolia, roses, apple trees and other plants bloom one after another like the eternal spring in the garden.
Liuchun Garden is located in the east of Yulong lake. Flowing spring means letting spring stay. Every spring, forsythia, Magnolia, roses, apple trees and other plants bloom one after another like the eternal spring in the garden.
At the south entrance of Liuchun garden, you will see a screen wall. The picture above is painted with porcelain pieces. The first three paintings respectively depict a newborn baby in the mother’s arms, a girl dancing with a swan and a young man pursuing knowledge, while the back of the wall is painted with three paintings designed for children. From a pavilion in the southwest corner of Liuchun garden, you can enjoy the whole garden.
Yinshui Lake
In the northeast of the park, there is a quiet lake area. It used to be a forest reserve area with lush vegetation. The water system of the scenic spot is from East Lake to Diaoyutai. In the north, the terrain is slow and open, dominated by cedars, Ginkgo biloba and tall poplar trees, scattered on the open lawn, along the north of the lake ring road of the park, with Begonia and other spring flowers and shrubs, with the style of sparse forest and grassland in the 1990s
Useful Travel Tips
- Admission Fee: CNY 2; CNY 10 (during Cherry Blossom Culture Exhibitions from late Mar. to the end of Apr.)
- Opening Hours: Nov. – Mar.: 6:30 – 19:00; Apr., May, Sep., Oct.: 6:00 – 20:30; Jun. – Aug.: 6:00 – 21:30
