Overview
Fragrant Hills Park, located in the western suburbs of Beijing, is a royal garden with nearly a thousand years of history and the most famous autumn foliage destination on the outskirts of the city. Built along the mountains, it covers about 180 hectares, with its highest peak, Incense Burner Peak, standing at 575 meters above sea level. From the summit, you can overlook the entire city of Beijing. Here, ancient trees tower into the sky, temples are scattered among the hills, and you'll find both imperial grandeur and rustic mountain charm. In spring, the mountain is covered with blooming flowers; in summer, it offers cool refuge from the heat; in autumn, the red leaves blaze like fire; and after winter snow, everything is wrapped in a silver coat. Each season has its own character. Whether you want to hike for exercise, explore ancient sites, or simply find a natural oxygen bar away from the hustle and bustle, Fragrant Hills will not disappoint you. It's like the backyard garden of Beijingers—lively and bustling on weekends, especially in late autumn when the whole mountain's smoke trees and maple leaves turn the sky red. That sight is truly breathtaking.
Stories
About Fragrant Hills, there is a widely spread folk legend. It is said that long ago, the area around Fragrant Hills often suffered from severe droughts, and the people were in great misery. One day, an old Taoist priest passed by and said that there was an evil dragon in the mountain causing trouble, and it could only be subdued by fumigating it with incense. So the people set up a huge incense burner on the mountaintop and burned incense wood day and night. Thick smoke billowed, and finally the evil dragon couldn't stand it anymore and fled into the sky. From then on, the weather was favorable and the harvests were good. The Incense Burner Peak at the top of the mountain is where they burned incense back then. Of course, this is just a legend, but it adds a touch of mystery to Fragrant Hills. There is also a true story: Emperor Qianlong visited Fragrant Hills six times, and each time he stayed at Jingyi Garden. He particularly loved the red leaves here and once wrote the line, "In late autumn, the frost is old, and the leaves display a dazzling array of red, yellow, green, and purple." It is said that he also planted a ginkgo tree next to Xiangshan Temple. Now that ginkgo has grown into a towering tree, and in autumn it turns golden, becoming a must-see "Golden Tree" for visitors. When you go to Fragrant Hills, you might want to look for this tree—who knows, you might catch a bit of imperial luck.
History
The history of Fragrant Hills can be traced back to the Jin Dynasty, when Emperor Shizong of Jin built the Xiangshan Temple here, more than 800 years ago. During the Yuan Dynasty, Fragrant Hills became a royal hunting ground and summer resort. In the Ming Dynasty, the Xiangshan Temple was thriving with incense, becoming a famous temple in the capital. During the Qing Dynasty, Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong carried out large-scale expansions of Fragrant Hills. Emperor Qianlong even stayed at Fragrant Hills six times and built the Jingyi Garden. Together with Jingming Garden, Jingyi Garden, Changchun Garden, and Yuanming Yuan, they were known as the "Three Mountains and Five Gardens". Unfortunately, in 1860 the Anglo-French forces and in 1900 the Eight-Nation Alliance twice plundered the area, and the Jingyi Garden was burned down, causing Fragrant Hills to gradually fall into ruin. During the Republic of China period, Fragrant Hills became a place for ordinary people to visit. After Dr. Sun Yat-sen passed away, his coffin was temporarily placed here. Today, the Azure Cloud Temple in Fragrant Hills still houses the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Fragrant Hills Park officially opened to the public in 1956. After years of restoration, some historical landscapes have been recovered, making it one of the most important cultural landmarks in Beijing.
Nature
The natural beauty of Fragrant Hills goes far beyond the red leaves. The vegetation coverage here is as high as 96%, with over 2,000 species of plants. There are more than 5,800 ancient trees over a century old, many of which are arborvitae, Chinese pine, and ginkgo, often with ages of three to four hundred years. Walking along the mountain paths, ancient trees on both sides block out the sky, and the air is filled with the fresh scent of pine resin. In spring, wild peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, and magnolias bloom one after another, covering the hills with pink and white. In summer, this is a natural summer resort, several degrees cooler than the city. Autumn is the star, as smoke trees and maples paint the mountains with a palette of red, yellow, and orange. After snow in winter, the ancient temples' red walls against the white snow create a scene as tranquil as an ink painting. There are also many small animals in the mountains, with squirrels, magpies, and azure-winged magpies as regulars. If you're lucky, you might even spot a pheasant. The most interesting part is that every autumn, the persimmon trees are laden with golden persimmons. When they ripen and fall to the ground, they are sweet—a wild taste you can't find in the city.
Travel Tips
Fragrant Hills Park is open all year round, but the best time to visit is during the autumn red leaf season, especially from mid-October to early November. During this period, the park is packed with visitors, so I strongly recommend avoiding weekends and going on a weekday. Also, make sure to arrive early, ideally entering the park before 8 a.m., otherwise you'll waste half a day waiting in line for parking and the cable car. Public transportation is the most hassle-free: take the Xijiao Line subway to Fragrant Hills Station, and it's just a few hundred meters' walk from the exit. If you drive, parking is extremely tight, so it's best to park at the foot of the hill and take a shuttle bus. Once inside, I recommend taking the cable car up first and then hiking down. That way, you save energy and can enjoy the scenery at a relaxed pace. The cable car ride takes about 15 minutes one way and costs 80 yuan, which isn't cheap, but the energy you save is definitely worth it. If you hike the whole way, it takes about 2 to 3 hours from the East Gate to Incense Burner Peak. The mountain paths are quite steep, so wear comfortable sports shoes. There aren't many supply points inside the park, so bring your own water and snacks. The best photo spots are at Jade Flower Grotto, Senyu Hu, and the top of Incense Burner Peak, with the softest light in the early morning and late afternoon. Also, during the red leaf season, it's crowded, so watch your step and don't climb over the railings.
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