Ni hao! 
As I told you before I want to give you the real pearls of Beijing. One at a time! Here I will give one more interesting sight. Jingshan Hill (Chinese: 景山 is an artificial hill in Beijing, China. It is located in Xicheng District, immediately north of the Forbidden City on the central axis of Beijing. Originally an imperial garden, it is now a public park, known as Jingshan Park (景山公园).
The 45.7-metre high artificial hill was constructed in the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty entirely from the soil excavated in forming the moats of the Imperial Palace and nearby canals. It is especially impressive when one considers that all of this material was moved only by manual labor and animal power. According to the dictates of Feng Shui, it is favorable to site a residence to the south of a nearby hill (and it is also practical, gaining protection from chilly northern winds). The imperial palaces in both of the other capitals of the Ming Dynasty were situated to the south of a hill. When the capital was moved to Beijing, no such hill existed at this location, so one was constructed. It is popularly known as
"Feng Shui Hill". It is also known as Coal Hill, a direct translation of its old popular Chinese name (Chinese: 煤山). The last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen, committed suicide by hanging himself here in 1644. Relationship with the Forbidden City: Jingshan hill is separated from the Forbidden City by the palace moat. However, until 1928 the park sat directly by the moat and was accessible on the south side only from the Forbidden City via the Gate of Divine ight. In 1928, a new road (New Jinghshan Street) was built to the north of the palace moat. This fully separated Jingshan Hill from the Forbidden City. The Gate of Divine Might became the front door of the Palace Museum, and the front gate of Jingshan
Park now stood to the north of the new road. The street addresses of both the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park are on New Jingshan Street. The Beihai Park (Chinese: 北海公园) is an imperial garden northwest of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Initially built in the 10th century, it is a typical Chinese garden. Before the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, this area was part of the Forbidden City; since 1925, it is open to the public. The Park has an area of more than 700,000 square meters, with a water area that covers more than half of the entire Park. At the center of the Park is an island called Qiongdao Island with a highest point of 32 meters. In the north area of the park is a big pool called Taiye Pool 
connecting the two other pools, which are called Middle Sea and South Sea respectively. Therefore the Taiye Pool is also called Beihai (Northern Sea). Beihai literally means "Northern Sea". There are also corresponding "Central" and "Southern Seas" (Zhongnanhai). The complex of buildings around Zhongnanhai houses China's paramount leaders. Noticeable places: White Dagoba Temple (Bai Ta). The Bai Ta(White Pagoda) is 40 m high and placed on the highest point on Qiongdao Island. Its body is made of white stone. Sun, moon and flame engravings decorate the surface of the tower. Destroyed in 1679 by an earthquake, it was rebuilt the following year. Same in 1976, because of an earthquake which occurred at Tangshan City, near Beijing City. 
Hidden inside the tower are Scriptures, Buddhist monk's mantle and alms bowl, and bones of monks (left after they are burned). On the north bank lies the Five-Dragon Pavilion, which was built in the Ming Dynasty. The Nine-Dragon Wall lies north of the Five-Dragon Pavilion. It was built in 1756 and is one of three walls of its kind in China. It was made of seven-color glaze bricks. Nine complete dragons playing in the clouds are decorated on both sides of the wall. Also on the north bank is Jingxin Room (Quieting Heart Room). It is a garden in the garden, which covers an area of more than 4,000 m². The Circular Wall (Tuancheng) with its main structure the Hall of Received Light (Chengguangdian), 
a spacious building with a double-eaved roof made of yellow glazed tiles bordered in green. Inside there is a 1.6 m tall Buddha, which was presented to Emperor Guangxu by a Cambodian king. It is carved from a single piece of pure white jade inlaid with precious stones. The Eight-Power Allied Forces damaged the statue’s left arm when they invaded Beijing in 1900. This is a very good place to visit, but you will need a whole day for these two parks! I say so because it takes time to relax and enjoy this lovely city of Beijing. With my local family guides we had a nice rest with eating before going to the next place. Parks!
Zai jian!
Peter
As I told you before I want to give you the real pearls of Beijing. One at a time! Here I will give one more interesting sight. Jingshan Hill (Chinese: 景山 is an artificial hill in Beijing, China. It is located in Xicheng District, immediately north of the Forbidden City on the central axis of Beijing. Originally an imperial garden, it is now a public park, known as Jingshan Park (景山公园).
The 45.7-metre high artificial hill was constructed in the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty entirely from the soil excavated in forming the moats of the Imperial Palace and nearby canals. It is especially impressive when one considers that all of this material was moved only by manual labor and animal power. According to the dictates of Feng Shui, it is favorable to site a residence to the south of a nearby hill (and it is also practical, gaining protection from chilly northern winds). The imperial palaces in both of the other capitals of the Ming Dynasty were situated to the south of a hill. When the capital was moved to Beijing, no such hill existed at this location, so one was constructed. It is popularly known as
"Feng Shui Hill". It is also known as Coal Hill, a direct translation of its old popular Chinese name (Chinese: 煤山). The last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen, committed suicide by hanging himself here in 1644. Relationship with the Forbidden City: Jingshan hill is separated from the Forbidden City by the palace moat. However, until 1928 the park sat directly by the moat and was accessible on the south side only from the Forbidden City via the Gate of Divine ight. In 1928, a new road (New Jinghshan Street) was built to the north of the palace moat. This fully separated Jingshan Hill from the Forbidden City. The Gate of Divine Might became the front door of the Palace Museum, and the front gate of Jingshan
Park now stood to the north of the new road. The street addresses of both the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park are on New Jingshan Street. The Beihai Park (Chinese: 北海公园) is an imperial garden northwest of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Initially built in the 10th century, it is a typical Chinese garden. Before the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, this area was part of the Forbidden City; since 1925, it is open to the public. The Park has an area of more than 700,000 square meters, with a water area that covers more than half of the entire Park. At the center of the Park is an island called Qiongdao Island with a highest point of 32 meters. In the north area of the park is a big pool called Taiye Pool 
connecting the two other pools, which are called Middle Sea and South Sea respectively. Therefore the Taiye Pool is also called Beihai (Northern Sea). Beihai literally means "Northern Sea". There are also corresponding "Central" and "Southern Seas" (Zhongnanhai). The complex of buildings around Zhongnanhai houses China's paramount leaders. Noticeable places: White Dagoba Temple (Bai Ta). The Bai Ta(White Pagoda) is 40 m high and placed on the highest point on Qiongdao Island. Its body is made of white stone. Sun, moon and flame engravings decorate the surface of the tower. Destroyed in 1679 by an earthquake, it was rebuilt the following year. Same in 1976, because of an earthquake which occurred at Tangshan City, near Beijing City. 
Hidden inside the tower are Scriptures, Buddhist monk's mantle and alms bowl, and bones of monks (left after they are burned). On the north bank lies the Five-Dragon Pavilion, which was built in the Ming Dynasty. The Nine-Dragon Wall lies north of the Five-Dragon Pavilion. It was built in 1756 and is one of three walls of its kind in China. It was made of seven-color glaze bricks. Nine complete dragons playing in the clouds are decorated on both sides of the wall. Also on the north bank is Jingxin Room (Quieting Heart Room). It is a garden in the garden, which covers an area of more than 4,000 m². The Circular Wall (Tuancheng) with its main structure the Hall of Received Light (Chengguangdian), 
a spacious building with a double-eaved roof made of yellow glazed tiles bordered in green. Inside there is a 1.6 m tall Buddha, which was presented to Emperor Guangxu by a Cambodian king. It is carved from a single piece of pure white jade inlaid with precious stones. The Eight-Power Allied Forces damaged the statue’s left arm when they invaded Beijing in 1900. This is a very good place to visit, but you will need a whole day for these two parks! I say so because it takes time to relax and enjoy this lovely city of Beijing. With my local family guides we had a nice rest with eating before going to the next place. Parks!Zai jian!
Peter
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