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Xiangshan Park
 Xiangshan Park was called Jingyi (Tranquillity) Park in
ancient times. It is located in the southern side of the Temple of the
Azure clouds at the foot of the Western Hills, northwest suburbs of
Beijing. Xiangshan forms like a crescent moon, behind which the
connected peaks from north, and south encircle a col of 6 square
kilometers. The Xiangshan Park is built in this col.
It is a mountain forest park, which utilizes the
natural environment with artificial embellishment. Every pavilion,
terrace, tower, pagoda, hall, loft, hill stone is made suitable for
the requirement of natural scenery. Beautiful environment of the
nature and various buildings at different layers are made in
accordance with each other's beauty, appearing in very harmonious
grace.
 The red maples are the picturesque scenery known far
and near. Every year after the frost descent (in the last ten days of
October), a great tract of maples of more than 90 maple trees on the
south-west slope of the mountain become red. Among which some leaves
of pine, cypress, persimmon and white birch dot the scene, inlaying
green and yellow with red like a natural embroidery.
In the middle of the slope of the northwest mountain of
Xiangshan Park, there is a tablet on which the Emperor Qian Long of
the Qing Dynasty inscribed "Fine day snow in the Western Mountains",
one of the eight sights of old Beijing.
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