Morning Stroll around Ritan Park

Ritan Park stands out from the numerous public parks in Beijing. “Ritan” literally means “Altar for the Sun” or “Temple of the Sun”, a place for ritual sacrifice to the Sun by the successive emperors in Ming and Qing dynasties. Besides “Temple of the Sun”, in Beijing we also have Temple of Heaven, Temple of the Earth and Temple of the Moon.

The original altar was built in 1530 during the late Ming Dynasty. The altar faces west and it is a square base made from white stone with its surface glazed red symbolising the sun. In Qing Dynasty it was rebuilt in bricks with nines steps in its four directions – east, south, west and north, which was surrounded by a red-coloured wall with glazed tiles.

The present altar was rebuilt in 1951 accordance with its original form in Qing Dynasty. For the same year, a public park was built with the Sun Altar in the centre.

Ritan Park is located in the heart of the embassy area in Beijing. Now Ritan Park is a peaceful and serene respite in the bustle of Beijing. If you are planning your Beijing tour, spending one or two hours in the park is a pleasant escape from so called classic attractions in Beijing for an appealing opportunity to feel and touch the daily life for the common people in Beijing.

A morning stroll around Ritan Park will reward you with a chance to mix with the locals. Ritan Park is like a family park where men and women do all sorts of exercises – practising Tai Chi, dancing and singing, playing music, playing badminton, jogging, walking, meditating…on and on. It is also a green park with many benches, an oasis in the city of Beijing. In a word, Ritan Park is a place where you just slow down and recharge.

Ritan Park has three major entrances, namely, south, north and west with its southern gate close to the Chang’an Avenue. Take subway line 1 and get off at the station of Yonganli, then walk for about 1.4km, you will reach the southern entrance to Ritan Park.

The park is free of charge and open 24 hours a day. Its address: 6 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District, Beijing ( tel: 85611389 ). This is the southern entrance to Ritan Park.

This is the southern entrance to Ritan Park.
This is the southern entrance to Ritan Park.

Just follow me along the central axis towards the north entrance to the park. In the park here and you there you could see the wooden signboards pointing to the places in the park.

you could see the wooden signboards poining to the places in the park.
you could see the wooden signboards pointing to the places in the park.

There is a central road north of the southern gate where you will see plentiful people doing morning exercises, practicing Tai Chi and so on.

you will see plentiful people doing morning exercises
you will see plentiful people doing morning exercises
This is the mural on the ritual sacrifice to the Sun
This is the mural on the ritual sacrifice to the Sun

Behind the mural or to the northeast of the mural is the circular mound altar. This is the north gate to the walled Sun Altar.

This is the north gate to the walled Sun Altar.
This is the north gate to the walled Sun Altar.

In an area to the east of the Sun Altar, the local Beijingers and foreigners as well do morning exercises, stretching their bodies…

the local Beijingers and foreigners as well do morning exercises, stretching their bodies
the local Beijingers and foreigners as well do morning exercises, stretching their bodies

Located in the east outside the north gate to the Sun Altar are the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen within a square courtyard.

There are three rooms used for Divine Warehouse facing west where memorial tablets of Ming Dynasty is placed while three rooms facing south used for Divine Kitchen where offerings are stored and processed.

the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen within a square courtyards
the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen within a square courtyards
To the west of the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen is a garden with pretty wooden benches
To the west of the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen is a garden with pretty wooden benches
Just slow down and recharge.
Just slow down and recharge.

This building with red wall and glazed tiles is the famous restaurant known as Xiao Wang’s Home Restaurant that offers unique Chinese food.

Xiao Wang's Home Restaurant that offers unique Chinese food
Xiao Wang’s Home Restaurant that offers unique Chinese food
North of the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen is a decent and clean toilet in the traditional style.
North of the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen is a decent and clean toilet in the traditional style.
Outside the north gate to Ritan Park and most of the early risers are retired senior citizens.
Outside the north gate to Ritan Park and most of the early risers are retired senior citizens.
An old man is practicing Chinese caligraphy by writing Chinese characters on the ground with a large brush using water instead of ink
An old man is practicing Chinese calligraphy by writing Chinese characters on the ground with a large brush using water instead of ink
The Dressing Hall is also under reconstruction at the time of my writing.
The Dressing Hall is also under reconstruction at the time of my writing.
Playing badminton by the side of the Sun Altar Museum
Playing badminton by the side of the Sun Altar Museum
he Heavenly West Gate where the emperors in Ming and Qing dynasties entered and exited
he Heavenly West Gate where the emperors in Ming and Qing dynasties entered and exited
This is the Sacred Way where the emperors walked to the Sun Altar.
This is the Sacred Way where the emperors walked to the Sun Altar.
To the west of the Heavenly West Gate people are dancing for morning exercises
To the west of the Heavenly West Gate people are dancing for morning exercises
The sacred way between the Heavenly West Gate to the west gates of the Sun Altar is filled with people who are seeking Happiness through exercising.
The sacred way between the Heavenly West Gate to the west gates of the Sun Altar is filled with people who are seeking Happiness through exercising.
the west gates to the Sun Altar
the west gates to the Sun Altar
Dancing to the music played from a music recorder
Dancing to the music played from a music recorder
Never too old to play badminton
Never too old to play badminton
This is the Qinghui Pavilion, the high point in the park where you are able to have a good view of the surrounding
This is the Qinghui Pavilion, the high point in the park where you are able to have a good view of the surrounding
Below the pavilion is the waterscape in the park dotted with rockeries and water ponds
Below the pavilion is the waterscape in the park dotted with rockeries and water ponds
The Stone Boat Cafe where you can enjoy a cup of tea or drink beer and watch the world going by
The Stone Boat Cafe where you can enjoy a cup of tea or drink beer and watch the world going by
The pond is filled with lotus leaves dotted with lotus flowers
The pond is filled with lotus leaves dotted with lotus flowers
To the northeast of the South gate to the park is the Children's plaground.
To the northeast of the South gate to the park is the Children’s playground.
Practice tai Chi
Practice Tai Chi

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Beijing Winter Tour
Beijing Autumn Tour
Great Wall Tour
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Tours
China City Tours
China Tour

Further Readings


Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing

Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites

Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping

Wangfujing Walking Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Gui Jie ( Ghost Street) Food Street

Any questions, just drop a line.

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