Beijing Parks - Part 1

Walk in the Park

By SUSAN TRIMBLE

Cuishi Japanese Garden

Now begins a long hot summer in Beijing and recent happenings have conspired to change my traveling plans....whatever will I do? I could stay in my air-conditioned flat and wait for fall, race from one air-conditioned store to another, wasting my time looking at things I don't need and don't even want. But I won't! Instead I'm going to make plans to fully explore Beijing. But it's so hot! Do I really want to do this, do I really think I can change my hermit habits and brave the hot pavement and grumpy tempers of uncomfortable people? Yeah...I'm determined and this is how I'll start.

Laobaixing "Rap".

My own district, Chaoyang, has several parks that beckon. Parks that offer quiet winding paths beside pools of water and through mountains of freaky looking stones. Parks that are sprinkled with shady spots, and secret places where I can read a book. Parks that don't require me to bone up on historical facts before visiting. Parks that are just for "park-ing!" I know that I'll see local people throughout the parks performing various kinds of exercise, some in groups and many off under a tree by themselves. Others will be walking their birds, playing cards with their friends or relaxing with a pipe. I'll see lovers gazing into each other's eyes as if they were alone in the world. Life plays gently in Beijing parks and I know that I will leave feeling calm and content with mine.

If I visit the popular parks, the three star ones listed below, I will head for the greenest areas, the ones with few pagodas, halls and pavilions. I know where the tourists will be and I would not want to get in their way!

Reflections of Liuyin

Once I've done Chaoyang, I figure I'll be more accustomed to the heat, in better shape physically, have a routine down pat...how long is too long, what time of the day is best time, what do I really need to carry in my pack...and then I'll tackle Chongwen District.

By the time July is over I will have covered a good part of Beijing and it will be REALLY hot! Hopefully the museums will be open by that time and I'll add one per week to my itinerary. Again I will do this by districts. I have a friend who always says you should never spend more than one hour in a museum. She's right I've found - you can only take in so much at one time. So museums in Beijing could keep me busy for years. And near most museums is another park!

Life should be like that!

Of course there is the danger of becoming sidetracked as I venture out to parts of Beijing that are in the midst of being bulldozed. Amazingly, old temple gates, steles, corners of ancient buildings are appearing as hutongs disappear, old buildings of the 50's are torn down, and factory walls are removed. I hope to see that neighborhoods are recognizing these relics of Beijing's past and making attempts to preserve them as monuments when possible and otherwise recording them completely. And the city has a serious plan for expanding green space, so maybe I will bump into parks I didn't know existed - I promise to let you know where they are! The newly developed park beginning at Dongbianmen and continuing to the Chongwenmen Dajie corner is a beautiful example of what can be done to both preserve and beautify a common area that all people will appreciate and take pride in.

So - a walk in the park - that's my plan. My goals are small but the rewards may be much bigger than I expect! I may even wish those " lazy hazy crazy days of summer would always be here."