The park in the centre of Beijing has an area of 68.2 hectares with a water surface of 38.9 hectares.The earliest imperial garden in the world today attracts visitor with its exquisitely laid-out landscape and beautiful buildings.
The imperial court of the Liao Dynasty (907-1125)built a temporary palace on the site of present Beihai Park in the 10th century.During the following in Dynasty (1115-1234)a lake was dug.The excavated earth was piled to make a hill.Around the lake and on the hill palatial halls,corridors and pavilions were erected.The imperial court of the Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368)expanded Qionghua Islet in the lake and made it the centre of its capital Dadu City.During the Ming Dynasty five pavilions linked with zigzag bridges were built in the northweatern part of the lake.During the reign of Emperor Qian Long (1736-1796)a large-scale project was carried on over 37 years.making the palace a grand imperial garden.