Beihai Park | Older Than The Forbidden City

Ask a Beijinger what comes after the Forbidden City; most of us will probably say Beihai. This park is over 1,000 years old; five dynasties built it, one on top of the other. Kublai Khan lived here. Marco Polo wrote about it. And today, it's where grandmas go to dance at 7 AM. This week, let's take a wander around Beihai Park, a place where you breathe, decompress and travel back in time. A Day In Beijing is an English-language Beijing podcast inspired by the history, innovations, and people of Beijing — created and hosted by a born-and-raised Beijinger. We exist not only as your virtual travel guide, your dictionary to China, but also to challenge and break the colonial narratives that have been shaping Beijing and China. 🌍 World travellers who want more than a guidebook: cultural travel, responsible tourism, local perspectives📚 History lovers: five Chinese dynasties in one park, from the Liao Dynasty (938 AD) to the Qing🎙️ Anyone who wants to hear about China from someone who actually lives there What this episode covers:🔹 Why Beihai Park is older than the Forbidden City. The Liao Dynasty established it in 938 AD. Five dynasties — Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing — each built on top of the last. The park you walk through today is a thousand years of accumulated ambition.🔹 Kublai Khan lived here. Before the Forbidden City existed, this was the centre of imperial power. Marco Polo wrote about it. The Yuan Dynasty capital was built around this lake.🔹 静心斋, Jìngxīn Zhāi — the Studio of Quiet Heart. A Jiangnan-style garden hidden inside a northern imperial park. Suzhou transplanted to Beijing. Most visitors never find it.🔹 西天梵境, Xītiān Fànjìng — a Buddhist temple with a nanmu wood hall, one of the best-preserved wooden temple halls in Beijing.🔹 九龙壁, Jiǔlóng Bì — the Nine Dragon Wall. Everyone knows the one in the Forbidden City. This one is older, larger, and you can actually get close to it.🔹 快雪堂, Kuàixuě Táng — named after Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. Later became Liang Qichao's library. Where the five elements meet stone inscriptions.🔹 白塔 — the White Pagoda and the Temple of Eternal Peace. Built for the Fifth Dalai Lama's visit to Beijing. The pagoda is the silhouette you recognise from every photo of Beihai.🔹 What locals actually do. Paddle boats in summer. Ice skating in winter. Tai chi at dawn. Dancing by the lake at 7 AM. This isn't a museum — it's where Beijingers actually spend their weekends.📍 Quick reference:Tickets: 10 RMB (park) / 20 RMB combo with attractions Location: northwest of the Forbidden CityMetro: Beihai North Station, Line 6New here?Listen to the trailer (3 minutes) and the pilot episode (15 minutes) for the full story of who I am, why I'm doing this, and what this podcast is about.EP1-3: The Forbidden CityEP4-5: The Great Wall of ChinaEP6-7: The Summer PalaceEP8-9: The Temple of HeavenEP10: Can't Get Forbidden City Tickets? Go Here InsteadEP11: Jingshan Park | The Unsung Hill Behind the Forbidden CityEP12: Beihai Park | Older Than the Forbidden City (you are here)🙏 I'm no historian I research every episode the best I can. If anything sounds off, let me know. I'm always learning and this podcast gets better with your help.🌏 Planning a trip to Beijing? I run small, responsible cultural experiences that support independent businesses and local communities. DM me!👉 Know someone planning a trip to Beijing? The Forbidden City gets all the attention — send them this episode and change their itinerary.🎧 Search "A Day In Beijing", it's also available on: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube Music / Goodpods / 小宇宙 / Substack🌐 adayinbeijing.carrd.co📸 Instagram: @a_day_in_beijing / @chen_backinbeijing✉️ [email protected]