Beihai Park

From Wiki Resolution

The Beihai Park (Chinese: 北海公园; Pinyin: Běihăi Gōngyuán) is an imperial garden northwest of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Initially built in the 10th century, it is a typical Chinese garden. Before the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, this area was part of the Forbidden City; since 1925, it is open to the public.

The Park has an area of more than 700,000 m², with a water area that covers more than half of the entire Park. At the center of the Park is an island called Qionghua Island with a highest point of 32 m. In the north area of the park is a big pool called Taiye Pool connecting the two other pools, which are called Middle Sea and South Sea respectively. Therefore the Taiye Pool is also called Beihai (Northern Sea).

Beihai literally means "Northern Sea". There are also corresponding "Central" and "Southern Seas" (Zhongnanhai). The complex of buildings around Zhongnanhai houses China's paramount leaders.

Beihai also houses the restaurant Fengshan, which specializes in imperial cooking.