Fragrant Hill Park

Xiangshan (Fragrant Hill) Park is situated at the eastern foot of the Fragrant Mountain, approximately 10 kilometers to west of Beijing. Seen from afar, the mountain looks like an incense burner wreathed by fragrant smoke, so got its name.

The park was first built in 1186 of the Jin Dynasty and for a period served as the emperor’s traveling lodge, then later extended to a large scale during the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In 1745, Emperor Qianlong (1711 to 1799) ordered the addition of many new halls, pavilions and gardens and gave it a new name, Jingyi Garden means a place of tranquility and pleasure.

Between the third week of October to mid November are the best time to visit the park, when the smoke tree leaves turn red. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the park. The cable car is a great way to take in the beautiful scenes.