Located in the center of Beijing, Beihai Park is an ancient imperial garden with an area of about 71 hectares. In the center of the park lies Beihai (North Sea), one of the "three seas", the other two being Zhonghai (Central Sea) and Nanhai (South Sea). It served as a temporary imperial palace away from the capital in Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties and an imperial garden in Ming and Qing Dynasties. In 1925, the park was first opened to the public. Inside the park there are exquisite pavilions and terraces and zigzag verandas. On the Qiong Islet, there stands a 67-meter-high Tibetan-style White Dagoba (built in 1651), as well as the Yong’an (Eternal Peace) Temple, Qingxiao Tower, Yilan (Gentle Ripples) Hall, Yuegu (Reviewing the Old) Tower and Qiongdao Chunyin (Spring Shade Over Qiong Islet) Stone Tablet inscribed by Emperor Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty, which was one of the Eight Grand Sights during the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) in Beijing. There are also numerous artificial hills and tunnels on the islet. On the eastern and northern banks of the lake lie Huafang (Painted Boat) Studio, Haopujian (an independent garden within Beihai Park), Jingxinzhai (Quiet Heart Studio), Tianwang (Heavenly King) Hall, Wulong (Five Dragon) Pavilions and Jiulongbi (Nine-Dragon Screen); on the southern bank sit the Circular City surrounded by lush pines and cypresses and the quaintly structured Chengguang Hall amongst the trees. Beihai Park is one of the oldest and best-preserved ancient imperial gardens in China.

Beihai Park is located to the west of Jinshan and northwest of the Forbidden City. The park achieved its name due to its relative position with Zhonghai and Nanhai. Originally an imperial palace built and renovated successively in Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, Beihai Park is one of the oldest, best-preserved, most comprehensive and representative imperial gardens in China. The design of the park originates from the layout of the legendary “one pool and three fairy mountains” (Taiye Pool, the Mountains of Penglai, Fangzhang and Yingzhou), which is unique in style and richly illusionary in conception.