Visits to Coal Hill or Jing Shan Park

One of the places in Beijing Dad enjoyed visiting was Coal Hill (Mei Shan), also called Jing Shan Park or Prospect Hill today. The photos featured here were taken on January 5, 1946.

Featured here are photos he took on one of those visits. The first is from an unknown location looking towards it. The second photo is apparently from one of the five pavilions, the ‘White Pagoda,’ the highest point on Coal Hill and, in turn, the highest point in Beijing.

The park itself that includes Coal Hill is approximately 57 acres and sits on the central point of the south-north axis.

It was opened to the public some time in 1928. The hill was created in the year 1420. Sources describe various purposes for the hill and for its location that includes guarding the Forbidden City against “evil northern spirits” according to feng shui principles.

Note the barbed wire, and to the left is a Chinese national apparently in uniform. Though it is difficult to see, off in the distance is the Forbidden City.

Coal Hill is an artificial mound located north of the Forbidden City, today known as the Palace Museum. At one time the private garden of the imperial family, my father said it was the highest hill in Beijing, and as the photos attest it offers visitors then as it does now superb views of the city.

Supposedly a coal supply was buried under the earth excavated from the moat and Behai lakes from which the hill was created. Other sources point out that coal was at one time stored at the foot of the hill.

Five pavilions were built on Coal Hill. They are each known today as Guanmiaoting (Wonderful View Pavilion); Zhoushangting (Surrounding View Pavilion); Wanchunting (Ten Thousand Spring Pavilion); Fulanting (Panoramic View Pavilion); and Jifangting (Harmonious Fragrance Pavilion). For more interesting facts and color pictures go to this link.