Xiangshan Park, a royal garden with mountain and forest characteristics

Number of days：4 days
Time: October
Average cost: 1600 yuan
With whom：a person
Tour kinds：Humanities, Free Travel, Hiking, Budget Travel
The author went to these places： Xiangshan Beijing Biyun Temple Drum Tower Vajra Throne Pagoda Shuangqing Villa
Updated: 2022.07.30

Autumn is here, and it's time to admire the crimson leaves. This has once again rekindled my dream—or rather, my wish—of visiting Fragrant Hills to see them. I've always wanted to admire the crimson leaves of Fragrant Hills in autumn, but this wish has never been fulfilled. I grew up in Shanghai, far from Beijing, but I've always had a strong desire to visit Fragrant Hills. I absolutely must visit one of Beijing's four great spots for viewing fall foliage.

Fragrant Hills Park, a royal garden steeped in history and rich in cultural heritage, features mountain and forest characteristics. Construction began in the 26th year of the Dading reign of the Jin Dynasty. Located in the western suburbs of Beijing, it is a National AAAA-rated scenic spot. Xiangshan Park is home to numerous cultural relics and historical sites, with pavilions and towers scattered throughout the forests. The renowned crimson leaves of Xiangshan, one of the "New Sixteen Scenic Spots of Beijing," are renowned both domestically and internationally, offering the capital's most vibrant autumn scenery.

When you think of autumn in Beijing, you immediately think of crimson leaves, and when you think of crimson leaves, you immediately think of Xiangshan. Xiangshan is arguably the best place to see the crimson leaves in Beijing, and its proximity to the city center makes it incredibly convenient, with direct bus access and, now, a subway.

Biyun Temple, originally named Biyun Nunnery, was built in the second year of the Zhishun reign of the Yuan Dynasty (1331). Located north of Xiangshan Park, the temple is nestled against the mountainside, facing west and east. Its layout is based on six courtyards arranged along a central axis, with two courtyards to the north and south, covering an area of over 40,000 square meters. The first courtyard houses the Mountain Gate Hall, where two statues of Vajra Warriors, guardian deities of the Buddhist temple gate, are commonly known as the Two Generals Heng and Ha. Flanking the hall are the Bell and Drum Towers. The second courtyard houses the Maitreya Hall, housing a Ming Dynasty bronze statue of Maitreya Buddha. The third courtyard houses the Main Hall, Biyun Temple's main hall. The statues within depict scenes of the Buddha Shakyamuni preaching.

Biyun Temple is both a large monastery and a vast forest. Trees and flowers abound in the courtyards of varying sizes. These trees are of many varieties, many of them towering, centuries old. The highlands and mountains surrounding the temple are also densely forested.

The ivy growing along the stone bridge and rockery in the yard in front of Quanshui Courtyard seemed to be the first to feel the autumn, and their leaves gradually turned yellow and then red.

Shuiquanyuan is a tranquil spot within Biyun Temple. Pine and cypress trees stand tall, the most famous of which is the Three Generations Tree. This unique ancient tree features cypress trees nestled within cypresses, with a chinaberry tree growing in the innermost layer, which is still alive. The courtyard also contains a natural spring, named "Shuiquan," also known as "Zhuoxiquan." The water flows from cracks in the rocks and forms a pool, offering a sweet and refreshing taste. Beside the spring is a rockery made of stacked Taihu stones. The flowers, trees, spring, and rockery create a beautiful and tranquil courtyard garden.

The main peak, Xianglu Peak (commonly known as Ghost-Seeing Sorrow), is 557 meters above sea level. On the top of the highest peak stands a huge milky rock shaped like an incense burner. At dawn and dusk, the peak is shrouded in clouds and mist, and from a distance it looks like smoke rising from an incense burner. Hence the name Xianglu Mountain, or Xiangshan for short.

I went hiking with the idea of admiring the red leaves. I imagined walking on a road covered with red leaves, with the mountains covered in red... But in reality, all I saw were people everywhere. The mountain road was crowded with people. I saw a few red leaves at the bottom. I guess in a week there will be a large area of red leaves. Now it feels like there are too many people and it's not the best time to see the red leaves.

Standing on the top of the mountain and looking down at the earth, you can see all the pavilions and towers below, including some modern buildings.

There are many people on the top of the mountain. Unfortunately, it is not the red leaf season yet. The whole mountain looks green, with a few hints of red in the green, but that's all. It's not as spectacular as I imagined, with the whole mountain covered in red. Maybe it will take another week or two!

I saw that the mountains were all red, and the forests were all dyed red. After a while, the whole mountains and plains were burning with red flames.

Fragrant Hills Park offers another unique beauty in Beijing. The crimson leaves of Fragrant Hills are the most beautiful sight during the frosty autumn season.

Red leaves have a unique and transcendent character. When the autumn wind rises from the sky, the grass and trees wither, and the story of fate has come to a close. Red leaves possess a precious quality: "the heavier the frost, the richer its color." Like all leaves, they were once buds of tender green hope, verdant aspirations, and vibrant youth. After enduring the erosion of wind and rain and the vicissitudes of time, amidst the relentless autumn wind and the chilling frost, the red leaf knows it will wither and return to its roots. Before leaving the branches that nurtured it, it exerts all its energy, squeezes out all its nutrients, and expends all its energy, ringing the wind chimes of life's final moments, leaving behind the world a most brilliant and dazzling "sunset crimson."

In fact, each of our lives is like a maple tree: taking root, sprouting, growing strong, and then gradually withering away... But the tree can be indifferent to fame and fortune, growing in solitude, and maintaining a youthful and passionate heart; while people, in the bustle and bustle of life, gradually lose the noble attitude they should have towards life. The falling red leaves dance not only to a lingering attachment to life, but also to an openness to death.