Fragrant Hills Park, Xiangshan in Chinese, lies in the Western Hills about twenty kilometres northwest of central Beijing. The park covers a long, wooded ridge, rising to Incense Burner Peak at around 557 metres, and it has been a favoured retreat since at least the Jin dynasty, when emperors built villas on the slopes.
Why people go
The park is best known for its autumn colour. Smoke trees, maples, persimmons and Chinese tallow turn from yellow to deep red from late October into mid-November, and the crowds on those weekends are considerable. Spring brings peach and apricot blossom, and winter makes the ridge a quiet, cold walk with long views over the plains. Whatever the season, the appeal is the combination of a real hill walk with a set of historic buildings scattered along the way.
Biyun Temple and the villa
Biyun Temple, the Temple of Azure Clouds, sits near the northern entrance and dates from the fourteenth century. Its halls climb a steep hillside, and behind them stands a hall of 500 carved wooden arhats and a marble pagoda in Tibetan style. Further along the ridge is Shuangqing Villa, a modest stone and timber house where Mao Zedong stayed in 1949 while the new government was being established, and which is now preserved with its original furnishings.
Getting up the hill
There is a paved path all the way to the summit, taking roughly an hour and a half at an easy pace, and a chairlift that carries visitors up the eastern flank with open seats and good views. A toboggan run comes down the same slope in the warmer months. Most people walk up and ride down, or the reverse. Wear proper shoes - the path is steep in places and stone steps get slippery after rain.
Getting there and timing
The park is reached by taxi or by bus from the Summer Palace area, since there is no metro station at the gate. Allow half a day including travel, and more during the autumn colour weeks, when the roads up can be congested. Bring water and snacks; there are stalls and a restaurant near the main entrance but few facilities higher up. Entrance is ticketed, with a separate charge for the chairlift.
