Beijing gets a bad rap for bad air. It is true that the air is bad many days and unbearable on some, but it is not solely the city’s fault. Part of the blame should go to those who first settled here hundreds of years ago. They chose a spot with mountains to the west and north. The sea isn’t too far to the southeast. This geography paired with meteorology makes Beijing very susceptible to inversions when the air pressure traps the air and thus the smog inside the mountains. It clears up very nicely when the winds shift and push the smog out with the cold Siberian air. I’m not trying to give Beijing a pass on its problems or say it doesn’t have a problem. I’m just saying there are more factors than can be controlled by man or party.
Fragrant Hills or Xiangshan
To the northwest of the city, just beyond the Summer Palace and Botanical Gardens, lie some lovely hills. Some of those that trap the smog. One particular portion has been a special park for centuries and has been dubbed Fragrant Hills. This park is open for visitors to hike to the peak and meander through the greenery, crags, and temples.
I visited on a beautiful Beijing day with a couple of friends. We explored a bit of the lower park, visited the main temple and then climbed the stairs to the peak. A bit tiring but worth it.
The Temple
The Temple is special not because of its religious purposes but because of its connection to one of modern China’s most revered figures, Dr. Sun YatSen. His body laid in state at this temple soon after his death and before the public viewings and ceremonies. His family took respite there during the public events.
In the temple’s halls, information is displayed about Sun YatSen’s life and impact on China. In one room, a glass casket made by the Soviet Union for him was on display. Thank goodness it wasn’t used. In another hall, you can read about his relationship with his wife. She played a big role in his life and worked right along with him in his revolutionary work. She continued working with officials after his time including Chairman Mao. We had fun reading some of the English translations, which in true Chinese form were full of colorful, poetic language that would not be chosen by a native speaker for that purpose.
Hiking to the Peak
From the temple, we climbed up the many stairs to the top of the mountain. Its peak has a few buildings including the terminus of a cable car guests can also use to reach the top. The views were pretty spectacular and worth the climb.
Being autumn, the leaves were changing on many of the trees. This made the arduous climb even better.
Beijing Botanical Gardens
After our excursion to Fragrant Hills Park, we stopped at the botanical garden. It is just a couple of stops away on the bus. The leaves were changing and the crisp autumn air quite pleasant. Instead of taking the main path through the garden we went around the side and to the back. Part of our journey included an old cemetery. The ginkgo trees were yellow as we found our way up a creek. This path was as close to true nature we could find in Beijing. It was quiet, peaceful, and lovely. Very few people there making it all the better.
