Located directly behind (to the north) the Forbidden City, Coal Hill Park is one of the best preserved imperial parks in the city.

Poetic.  Coal Hill Park (Jingshan Gongyuan) fits the bill perfectly.  Built during the Liao (907-1125) and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties, Jingshan is one of the best preserved imperial gardens in Beijing.  Opened to the public in 1928, it has been under the protection of the state since 2001.  Jingshan offers a privileged insight into life in the Chinese capital.

Conifers, bare trees and flowerbeds without flowers.  Winters does not bring justice to this twenty three hectored park.  Nevertheless, the colours, which perhaps are too lively, of the architecture and vegetation, given the park a certain nobility. 

The ochre red walls and the hard packed ground of the diabolo area contrasts with the soft green bamboo and grass, and the white marble balustrades covered in sculpted lotuses.  The mustard yellow varnished tiles and friezes goes perfectly with the blue of the painted beams, decorated with dragons and other symbolic animals.

In the east side of the park, pensioners wait in single file to buy their annual ticket to the park.  A barricade discreetly closes off part of the park to tourists; one contains a sleepy tea house, the other a music room, complete with writing desks, a keyboard, and a chalk board.  But the pupils are absent.  Instruments are silent.  The teachers only gives lessons on Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

However, at Jingshan, it's possible to learn music in a less formal way.  The chirping of the birds, the sounds of the walnuts being rolled around the palms of seniors to improve their dexterity, the notes of an erhu (traditional Chinese stringed instrument), and children's' laughter all merge together.

A moment of respite

In this enlightened state of mind, it's wonderful to listen to the singing.  Not always clear, there notes floats through the trees.  At around 8.30am, there is already around twenty people assembled in the ‘'choir''. 

They sing interpretations of both classic and modern songs, occasionally reading off sheets or on panels provided permanently.

This daily meeting during the summer lasts from sunrise to sunset.  The hill is 45.7 metres high, and offers some spectacular views. Formerly reserved for the emperor and the imperial family, nowadays, the hill is more accessible.  A network of paths crisscrosses the hill which makes for an easy ascent.
 
After a ten to fifteen minute walk, you reach the Five Pavilions of Five Directions.  Almost all identical, with a traditional pavilion, in blue, red and green, and around fourteen metres high.  In the centre is a large platform where the remains of a statue of the Buddha lie, the original having been stolen by foreign powers in 1900.

The Wanchuan Pavilion (ten thousand springs) sits at the top of the hill.  Covering 530m², the building is overlooked by Buddha Vairocana whose shoulders are covered with an imperial yellow material.