Climbing the mountains is one of the many activities that Chinese people opt for during the Spring Festival holiday to give the body stuffed with holiday big meals a good exercise. It also includes praying for a better year. In the capital city of Beijing, the Fragrant Hills is among the top destinations for mountaineering.

Located in the northwestern suburb of Beijing, some 20 kilometers from the city center, the Fragrant Hills, or Xiangshan in Chinese, is a natural oxygen bar with heavy vegetation. Over 5,800 ancient trees line across the park that accounts for a quarter of the total in the city's urban area.

The park has a nearly 900-year history. From as early as the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), when it was initially built, it served as an imperial garden for the following dynasties and saw a gradual expansion. Especially in summer and early autumn, it was a hot spot for emperors to hunt and escape the summer heat.

During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799) in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), large-scale construction was conducted by putting in new pavilions, halls, and gardens. It's then named "Jingyi Garden" – meaning the garden of tranquility and pleasure.

Both the Fragrant Hills and the Jingyi Garden were listed as part of the "Three Mountains and Five Gardens" that best represented the Qing Dynasty's imperial gardens in the city's western area.

The Xianglu Peak, the highest point of the hills, soars to a height of 575 meters. The name "Xianglu" literally means the incense burner. A huge stone on top of the peak, often shrouded in mist, shares a resemblance to an incense burner when viewed from a distance, and hence the name.

Yet, the way to the peak is not easy. People used to joke that these climbs are so steep that they might even scare the ghosts away. But once reaching the top, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful panoramic view of the Western Hills.

Also, check out the previous episodes of the series: Ditan Park, Jingshan Park, and Beihai Park

(Cover image designed by Li Jingjie)